Fast-paced crime drama loosely based upon James Cagney's `Picture Snatcher (1933).' Richard Travis plays a photographer ex-con trying to go straight. He lucks out by being at the scene of a bank robbery, takes photos of the shooting of a cop, and is rewarded by a job in the professional paparazzi. When offered a raise, a $1,000 bonus, and a writing assignment (vice getting fired) to take pictures of his old gangster friend's execution, our hero talks his parole officer into getting him into prison where he takes the picture. On the way out, he is discovered and has to struggle to get the film to his editor. En-route back to prison for violating parole, our hero rescues his captor who has become embroiled in a shoot-out with another gangster from Travis' old days.
OK, this plot is somewhat convoluted, let alone trying to do it all in 51 minutes on what is obviously a very low budget. Not much time for character development and the cast comes and goes with great speed. Continuity is provided by the interactions of Travis and Wade Boteler who plays Police Lieutenant Riff Malone (a.k.a. `Irish' and `Lucky'). The policeman alternates between hounding the ex-con and supporting his escape from crime. Boteler had nearly 400 films to his credit typical of a number of the cast members. The `Great One' Jackie Gleason has a small part as a con in the beginning of the movie but is never seen again.
Themes include: crime does not pay; the inability to get a job after being released from prison (Travis was not guilty of the first crime); overcoming adversity to do the right thing (the hero must and does get rewarded for his efforts); and loyalty to friends vs. duties to family. Not too bad to try to do all this in 51 minutes. Perhaps a little longer might have been better.
One good scene uses shadows to depict strapping a man into the electric chair.
The film is worth seeing if only to witness 12 shots fired into what obviously is a bulletproof trash can not harming our hero hiding behind. They don't make them like this anymore.
OK, this plot is somewhat convoluted, let alone trying to do it all in 51 minutes on what is obviously a very low budget. Not much time for character development and the cast comes and goes with great speed. Continuity is provided by the interactions of Travis and Wade Boteler who plays Police Lieutenant Riff Malone (a.k.a. `Irish' and `Lucky'). The policeman alternates between hounding the ex-con and supporting his escape from crime. Boteler had nearly 400 films to his credit typical of a number of the cast members. The `Great One' Jackie Gleason has a small part as a con in the beginning of the movie but is never seen again.
Themes include: crime does not pay; the inability to get a job after being released from prison (Travis was not guilty of the first crime); overcoming adversity to do the right thing (the hero must and does get rewarded for his efforts); and loyalty to friends vs. duties to family. Not too bad to try to do all this in 51 minutes. Perhaps a little longer might have been better.
One good scene uses shadows to depict strapping a man into the electric chair.
The film is worth seeing if only to witness 12 shots fired into what obviously is a bulletproof trash can not harming our hero hiding behind. They don't make them like this anymore.