When bank robber Jack Martin kills two police and escapes from custody one might expect him to get as far away as possible or at least lie low
instead he sets about robbing a bank he has invited the police to! That isn't quite as mad as it seems; he told them he a movie rehearsal was taking place. After that he heads out of town with both the police and men working for the local gangster, Dawson, whose turf he violated looking for him. Trying to give them the slip he goes into a library and talks to Carol, the lady on the desk; the next thing we know that are an item! It isn't long before the gangsters catch up with him and they rough him up hoping to find out where the money is; not realising Dawson couldn't care less about the money; he wants to employ Martin. Martin deals with them and is soon working for Dawson. After a succession of successful robberies Carol persuades him to quit; something Dawson won't allow.
This film gets off to a fairly promising start; the opening bank robbery is rather amusing if a little unlikely. Unfortunately things aren't so good after that; there is little obvious chemistry between Martin and librarian Carol; certainly not enough to make us believe she'd walk away from her life to be with a murderous bank robber. Walter Matthau is the reason to watch this as he is always likable even when playing a character we really shouldn't have any sympathy for; the film is also notable as the only film he directed although his direction is clearly not of the same standard as his acting! The rest of the cast are okay at best and some are almost amusingly bad. The action scenes lack the tension they should have; one can tell they were done on a fairly minimal budget. Overall this wasn't terrible but it wasn't that good either; the only real reason to watch it is Walter Matthau; as actor not director.
This film gets off to a fairly promising start; the opening bank robbery is rather amusing if a little unlikely. Unfortunately things aren't so good after that; there is little obvious chemistry between Martin and librarian Carol; certainly not enough to make us believe she'd walk away from her life to be with a murderous bank robber. Walter Matthau is the reason to watch this as he is always likable even when playing a character we really shouldn't have any sympathy for; the film is also notable as the only film he directed although his direction is clearly not of the same standard as his acting! The rest of the cast are okay at best and some are almost amusingly bad. The action scenes lack the tension they should have; one can tell they were done on a fairly minimal budget. Overall this wasn't terrible but it wasn't that good either; the only real reason to watch it is Walter Matthau; as actor not director.