Although shot on about 50 cents as a lot of Roger Corman projects were back in the day, Roger Corman if not gold, may have struck a bit of mineable copper with I, Mobster. Steve Cochran who played many a hood most effectively, is more than just effective, he's positively outstanding as a gangster who rises to the top of his profession from the slums.
Cochran has two women in his life, one is his mother who too late realizes what she raised. She's beautifully played by Celia Lovsky. The second is Lita Milan who loves him despite the fact that Cochran kills her brother. To be sure by the way a brother played by John Brinkley who was hardly a noble character.
The film is about 90% in flashback, as it opens we see Cochran before Senator Robert Shayne's subcommittee on Labor Racketeering repeating his 5th amendment right to deny his answers on the grounds of self incrimination. But as the camera focuses on Cochran doing that, Cochran in his mind narrates his life story for the committee. He tells of his rise from doing errands for the local boss, to becoming the local boss.
Back in 1959 the McClellan Committee on Labor Racketeering was in full sway so Corman knew the film would have a timely impact. My only question was why didn't Shayne use a southern accent the way McClellan and earlier Estes Kefauver spoke?
Cochran is mesmerizing and charismatic. He has to be for Lita Milan to fall for him. Then again Steve Cochran's bad boys on the big screen always were.
He's the main reason and a good reason to check out I, Mobster.
Cochran has two women in his life, one is his mother who too late realizes what she raised. She's beautifully played by Celia Lovsky. The second is Lita Milan who loves him despite the fact that Cochran kills her brother. To be sure by the way a brother played by John Brinkley who was hardly a noble character.
The film is about 90% in flashback, as it opens we see Cochran before Senator Robert Shayne's subcommittee on Labor Racketeering repeating his 5th amendment right to deny his answers on the grounds of self incrimination. But as the camera focuses on Cochran doing that, Cochran in his mind narrates his life story for the committee. He tells of his rise from doing errands for the local boss, to becoming the local boss.
Back in 1959 the McClellan Committee on Labor Racketeering was in full sway so Corman knew the film would have a timely impact. My only question was why didn't Shayne use a southern accent the way McClellan and earlier Estes Kefauver spoke?
Cochran is mesmerizing and charismatic. He has to be for Lita Milan to fall for him. Then again Steve Cochran's bad boys on the big screen always were.
He's the main reason and a good reason to check out I, Mobster.