Dillinger (1945)

Calificación de los usuarios:

6.7/10   

Director:

Max Nosseck

Guionista:

Philip Yordan (screenplay)

Fecha de Lanzamiento:

2 marzo 1945 (USA)

Género:

Biografía | Crimen | Drama | Cine Negro

Frase comercial:

SHOCK-BY-SHOCK STORY OF THE MOST NOTORIOUS BANDIT OF OUR TIMES!! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

The rise of John Dillinger from petty criminal (including, unforgiveably, holding up a cinema) via prison...

Plot Keywords:

Bank Robbery | Prison | Organ Grinder | Bank Robber | Whittling

Premios:

Nominated for Oscar.

Comentarios de los usuarios:

Excellent Poverty Row Gangster Flick!

Reparto

Edmund Lowe	...	Specs Green
Anne Jeffreys	...	Helen Rogers
Eduardo Ciannelli	...	Marco Minelli (as Eduardo Cianelli)
Marc Lawrence	...	Doc Madison
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Kirk Otto
Ralph Lewis	...	Tony
Elsa Janssen	...	Mrs. Otto (as Else Jannsen)
Ludwig Stössel	...	Mr. Otto (as Ludwig Stossel)
Constance Worth	...	Blonde
Lawrence Tierney	...	John Dillinger

También conocida como:

John Dillinger, Killer (USA) (working title)
Dillinger, el enemigo público nº 1 (Spain) [es]

Duración:

70 min

País:

USA

Idioma:

Inglés

Color:

Negro y Blanco

Relación de Aspecto:

1.37 : 1

Sonido:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Clasificación:

USA:Approved (certificate #10511)

Locaciones de Filmación:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Compañía:

King Brothers Productions

Trivialidades:

Many conservative social and religious groups demanded that the film be withdrawn or banned outright because of what they considered its "brutal and sensational" subject matter. The Chicago Censorship Board banned the film from being shown in Chicago for two years.

Errores:

Continuidad: When Dillinger and his girlfriend sit in the Biograph theatre at the end of the picture, there is a lady in the row behind them, always seen between their heads. First it is one with a fair hat, then another one with black hair and glittering stuff in it, then again the one with the fair hat.

Citas:

Helen Rogers: Who lives here?
John Dillinger: What do you care?
Helen Rogers: Well, I just like to know where I am.
John Dillinger: You're with me.

Conexiones de Película:

Referenced in Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Excellent Poverty Row Gangster Flick!

"Dillinger" was made by poverty row studio Monogram Pictures as a "B" picture programmer however, it turned out to be much better than everyone had anticipated. Although it takes liberties with actual facts, it is nonetheless a dark and brooding little film noire.

The producers lucked in when Lawrence Tierney was cast in the lead role. He plays John Dillinger as a cold blooded non-repentant killer. The real Dillinger was apparently nothing like Tierney's interpretation but was more of a Robin Hood type character who was only a bank robber and not the cold blooded killer depicted in this film.

The story follows Dillinger from a small time hood to his first prison term where he meets future members of his gang. Specs Green (Edmund Lowe) is the planner and three of the most recognizable faces in gangster pictures round out the gang. First there is Marco (Eduardo Ciannelli), then Doc (Marc Lawrence) and finally Kirk Otto (Elisha Cook Jr.).

Along the way Dillinger meets his "femme fatale", Helen Rogers (Anne Jeffreys). After Dillinger springs the gang from prison they go on a bank robbing spree. Dillinger takes over the gang from Specs and runs things his way. Eventually the gang members are either caught or killed and Dillinger goes to hide out in Chicago. After several months in hiding he and Helen go to a movie at the Biograph theater. Helen is dressed in red and well you know the rest.

Tierney should have risen to major stardom after this film but due to his personal problems, he never really did. He reportedly had a hair trigger temper and often got into bar room brawls, Naturally producers began to shy away from. His career is not unlike another actor who almost made it, Tom Neal.

After starring roles in a few films, notably "Born To Kill" (1947), he drifted into smaller and smaller roles. He did find work well into the 1990s but never did achieve stardom. But his work in this film is what has elevated it to the cult status it enjoys today. The gunning down of the elderly Ottos (Elsa Janssen, Ludwig Stessel) and the maiming of a bar waiter are particularly chilling.

Edmund Lowe had been a star in silent films. By this time his career was winding down. Ciannelli, Lawrence and Cook were staples in gangster roles for decades thereafter.

John Milius who made the 1973 "Dillinger" (closer to the facts) provides some interesting insights and commentary on the DVD release.