Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Richard Chatten This title will be familiar to most viewers who have heard of it as the film debut of Jack Nicholson in the title role, second billed to veteran TV and 'B' movie tough guy Harry Lauter; here representing the law. Although Roger Corman is billed as Executive Producer (and has one line as a TV cameraman (after which all we see of him for the rest of the film is his right hand resting on the side of the camera), the film is a United Artists release rather than one of AIP's quickies, with slightly bigger production values; a mixed blessing in the face of TV director Justus Addiss's lethargic direction.Corman regulars Leo Gordon (who co-wrote the script) and Bruno Ve Sota (who the same year directed 'The Brain Eaters') fill out the economy-sized crowd who have gathered to ogle; and Gordon generously gives Ve Sota one of the script's best lines, "Teenagers, never had 'em when I was a kid!" The basic situation dates back at least as far as Jean Gabin in 'Le Jour se Lève' (1939), and was probably more immediately inspired by the siege at the end of 'Rebel Without a Cause'. Nicholson doesn't actually get that much screen time, as much of the action taking place back in the diner and in the forecourt. The script flits from character to character, including Gordon's own wife Lynn Cartwright, who gives an attractive performance as waitress Julie, united with Ruth Swanson as Nicholson's mother in her contempt for poison maiden Carolyn Mitchell who started all the trouble in the first place by ditching Nicholson for obnoxious alpha male bully Brett Halsey. (Swanson sums her up as "selfish, vulgar, cruel...rotten!!")The film's unsung hero is Jordan Whitfield as Sam, the black dishwasher who keeps his head throughout the crisis. That we don't see him get his due as Hero of the Hour at the film's conclusion is one of several issues left unresolved (including the ultimate fates of both Nicholson and Halsey) when the end credits roll.

kapelusznik18 ***SPOILERS**** Somewhat misleading title in that the star of the film Jack Nicholson as the misunderstood teenager Jimmy Wallace is not a killer, he didn't kill anyone, but defiantly is a crybaby who cry's up a storm that almost drowns the entire cast by the time the film is finally over. Jimmy who has a confrontation with Manny Cole, Brett Halsey, and his two friends Joey & Al, Ralph Reed & James Fillmore, over his girlfriend Carole Fields, Carolyn Mitchell, is later confronted by the trio again this time using brass knuckles and a revolver. It's then in trying to defend himself Jimmy accidentally shoots one of his attackers and runs for his life thinking that he killed him and may be facing life behind bars or a one way trip to the San Quentin gas chamber.Taking Mrs. Maxton, Brabara Knudson, and her 4 month baby girl as well as dishwasher Sam, Smoki Whitefield, hostage in a nearby diner Jimmy is ready to go down in a hail of police bullets until his girlfriend Carole as well as Sam, the real hero in the movie, talk him into surrendering to the police before anybody including himself ends up getting killed. Sacared and confused Jimmy feeling that the world is against him finds out that he's not the rotten teenager that most people think he is and deserves everything he gets-A rotten deal- in life. It's just when the cops are about to storm the place It's both Carole and Sam who end up saving the day, or night in that everything takes place in the dark in the movie, by getting a tearful Jimmy to surrender before he ends up getting shot by the police. As for Sam he gets no credit at all by the head of the police Let. Porter, Harry Lauter, not even a thank you for the great job he did by risking his life, unlike Let. Porter, to get Jimmy to surrender and releasing Mrs. Maxton and her infant daughter unharmed.Jack Nicholson's movie debut before he made it big 12 years later with his "Five Easy Pieces" as well as "Easy Rider" that made him a top star in Hollywood. Things didn't turns out so good for Nicholson's co-star in the movie Carolyn Mitchell who later married and divorced Mickey Rooney and was tragically murdered by her former boyfriend bit part Yogoslave actor Milos Mlosevice at the age 29 in 1966 in what was described by the local police as a murder suicide .

MartinHafer I sought out this film because it was produced by Roger Corman and I have long respected his ability to do a lot with very little. While some of his films are indeed ultra-cheesy, so often they ended up far better than if other had been given such limited resources and, oddly, his movie always seemed to make money (the one exception--a William Shatner film that actually was pretty good). So, while I was not expecting gold, I was expecting a low budget film that somehow is a bit better than you'd normally see.It begins with a group of punks working over young Jack Nicholson. They beat him within an inch of his life and you almost think they killed him. Well, it turned out the gang is controlled by a bit of a mobster and he ordered this because the two were arguing over a girl (who, incidentally, wasn't a very good actress). Later, after Nicholson returns to the restaurant where the gang hangs out, there is a mini-rumble and the gang (armed with brass knuckles and guns) are about to hurt him one more time--when the guy pulls out a gun and shoots two of his many attackers. They clearly had it coming and he was defending himself, but he foolishly panics--taking some prisoners and barricading himself in a store room. Most of the film consists of the police manning the barricade and trying to convince him to surrender. For what it is, it's quite tense and interesting and is about what I expected--good low-budget entertainment.By the way, maybe it's only a coincidence but two of the LA cop characters are named 'Gannon' and 'Reed'--two names of officers from later Jack Webb programs ("Dragnet" and "Adam-12".

Johnboy1221 This is really a bad movie, and it could have been so much better.Unless you're a Jack Nicholson fanatic, forget this one. It's his first film, and as such makes some fans want to see it. I was one of those.The story is not a bad one, but come on..let's get real. This comes across as a Hallmark Hall of Fame production, without the quality.I am also a fan of Brett Halsey, but even that doesn't help. His part in this is so small that you'll hardly notice it.The film starts out without a beginning. Why is the gang so upset with Nicholson's character? They beat him up, for no real reason.In a stupid mistake, the screenplay has one hood carry the gun and the director forgets which one has it in his possession later on.Two guys are shot, but we never see it happen. Why? We hear shots, and the injured parties are never seen again. Why? Nicholson's character shoots in self defense, but he's terrified that they will kill him. Why? The movie drags on and on and on, boring us all to death. By the time it comes to an end, no one is dead, and we don't care one way or the other.Nicholson is OK in his debut, but who cares? This is so lame I could hardly stay awake, and I was hoping that they would shoot the kid at the end to relieve my boredom.Unless you just have to have everything Nicholson ever appeared in forget this one.