Matialth
Good concept, poorly executed.
Guillelmina
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
Fleur
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
dougdoepke
Flaky PRC production. Looks like the producers were aiming for a gangster comedy, with veteran goof-balls like Hymer and Barnett, along with serious types like Armstrong and Harolde, plus a gamely compliant Cromwell. What they get instead is a silly concoction, despite a cast that tries hard. Sweet-natured innocent (Cromwell) is set up by conniving gangster (Armstrong) as fall-guy for his insurance scheme. Trouble is the kid has no business sense and undercuts the scheme with wasteful spending. Meanwhile Armstrong has to contend with rival toughie Harolde who doesn't trust him. So there's trouble all around. Too bad the script is so clumsy (many gaps), along with slack direction from pedestrian director Dreifuss (check his credits). The result is 60-minutes of awkward entertainment, best left to aficionados of the 1940's.
mark.waltz
The death of the head of a protection racket hands the reigns over to the son (Richard Cromwell) he's never met. Cromwell has no idea of what he's getting into and in order not to be bored as the supposed head of pop's business, begins to sell insurance to the victims of the racket he has unknowingly inherited which ultimately threatens to bankrupt it. This, of course, makes him an invisible enemy of the criminal mastermind who turns out to be himself! The titled moniker is all he knows this racketeer to be known as, and even if they share the same last name, he still don't get it. This ultimately brings out the real criminal element determined to bring him down and pin all the crimes on him.A silly comedy crime caper, this exploits the small town kid as a dumbbell too honest yet too dense to see what's going on. Mary Carlisle is the pretty heroine he romances, unaware that "she" is "his" biggest victim in the protection racket. Veteran actor Robert Armstrong plays an underling of the late racketeer who becomes "protector" to the naive kid while Chick Chandler offers total silliness as Cromwell's sidekick. Take it as it is or avoid it. There's no believability to the film's non- sensical plot line and the one-dimensional gangsters involved in the racket have cutesy names obviously influenced by Damon Runyeon. But this ain't no "Big Street", "Lemon Drop Kid" or "Guys and Dolls".
classicsoncall
This one was put together strictly for laughs, and it's got a cast capable enough to pull it off considering the low budget constraints of Producers Releasing Corporation. Robert Armstrong gets things rolling in his portrayal of mob boss Doc Rogers, who has the bright idea of bringing in the son of former gang leader 'Big Mike' as a way of keeping a band of local hoods together. Young Edward Morgan (Richard Cromwell) is every bit the yokel he's described to be, and the story works on the basis of numerous bits involving mistaken identity and misinterpreted dialog. As 'Baby Face', Cromwell and his vice president sidekick Ollie Harrison (Chick Chandler) are almost annoying in most of their scenes, offset by the goofiness of Rogers' henchmen Lefty (Vince Barnett) and Willie (Warren Hymer). Wise Willie has a running gag with secretary Mabel (Toddy Peterson) involving rabbits that just won't quit multiplying, sending the picture to it's inevitable fur-ball climax. Eddie even manages to win over his sweetheart Virginia (Mary Carlisle) by the end of the story, so even though he's sent packing back to the sticks via Niagara Falls, it's done in a way that leaves the viewer feeling that 'Everything's Jake'.
ccthemovieman-1
This was almost what they call a "curiosity piece," something really odd. It's part of a "Mobsters Movies" 4-movie DVD disc of short, old crime films...but it was more of a slapstick, corny comedy than a "mobster" movie, although it did involve gangsters.Richard Cromwell plays "Baby Face," a supposedly-notorious gangster who really is a fake and doesn't know it himself until the end. He's really just a puppet figure invented by gangster Robert Armstrong who uses him as a never-seen mob boss as a scheme to skim money from the gang. Hijinks ensue late in the film when all parties discover what exactly is going on. The craziness also involves a romance between Cromwell and Mary Carlise ("Virginia"). I didn't take much time figuring a better way to explain this screwball story, and I apologize for that. Hey, the movie didn't take long, either: one hour.It's a silly "B' film but charming with some likable leads and cornball humor. It's not boring but it's not something you'd watch over and over, either. The picture quality is not good but that's what you often get with a DVD that gives you four films for a cheap price.
