Machine-Gun Kelly

Machine-Gun Kelly is a 1958 film noir directed by Roger Corman, chronicling the criminal activities of the real-life George "Machine Gun" Kelly. The film was considered low budget, but received good critical reviews. It was the first lead role for actor Charles Bronson. Corman called it "a major turning point in my career" because it was from this film he began to get serious critical attention. American International Pictures released the film as a double feature with 1958's The Bonnie Parker Story. In September 1958, Nicholson and Arkoff of AIP said this was their favorite double feature to date. Plot George Kelly (Charles Bronson), dubbed "Machine Gun" by his partner in crime Flo Becker (Susan Cabot) because of his obsession with Thompson submachine guns, pulls off a bank robbery and eventually becomes Public Enemy #1. Discord grows among his inner circle and Kelly, deathly afraid of being jailed or killed, is dominated and ridiculed by the tough-talking Flo. A botched robbery causes one of their partners, Michael Fandango (Morey Amsterdam), to lose an arm. Kelly, goaded on by Flo, kidnaps the daughter of a wealthy businessman for ransom. Fandango fingers him to the police, but is killed by one of Kelly's gang as the house is surrounded.