Due to the film's running time of only 61 minutes, "Queen of the Mob" is a B-movie...the second film shown during a double-feature. But, despite the small budget and short duration, it's a heck of an enjoyable little crime film....which in some ways is reminiscent of Jimmy Cagney's "White Heat".
The story is about the Webster family, a most unusual gang of criminals who engage in murders, armed robberies as well as kidnapping! In an unusual twist, the gang is led by Mrs. Webster...the other criminals' mother! One of her kids is not a member of the gang...and he's, believe it or not, an honest lawyer! While Ma is in some ways a very capable leader, she also has some defects...such as her sentimentality when it comes to her boys. Can the FBI agent (Ralph Bellamy) manage to stop their reign of terror?
While not nearly as lurid and fun to watch as "White Heat", "Queen of the Mob" is a very satisfying film because it is different...more subdued, more realistic and not as over-the-top as you might expect in such a story. Very good acting, writing and direction make this a fine example to prove that B-movies did not stand for 'bad' movies.
And, yes, there really IS a shootout with Santa in the film...something I can't recall seeing in any other movie!
The story is about the Webster family, a most unusual gang of criminals who engage in murders, armed robberies as well as kidnapping! In an unusual twist, the gang is led by Mrs. Webster...the other criminals' mother! One of her kids is not a member of the gang...and he's, believe it or not, an honest lawyer! While Ma is in some ways a very capable leader, she also has some defects...such as her sentimentality when it comes to her boys. Can the FBI agent (Ralph Bellamy) manage to stop their reign of terror?
While not nearly as lurid and fun to watch as "White Heat", "Queen of the Mob" is a very satisfying film because it is different...more subdued, more realistic and not as over-the-top as you might expect in such a story. Very good acting, writing and direction make this a fine example to prove that B-movies did not stand for 'bad' movies.
And, yes, there really IS a shootout with Santa in the film...something I can't recall seeing in any other movie!