The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond

“Nobody can kill Legs Diamond.” A fascinating film honoring the 1930’s gangster films that immediately preceded the noir style, Budd Boetticher’s shockingly under-appreciated The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond presents a fantastic Ray Danton as the eponymous gangster, tommy gun at the ready, who wheedles and cons his way out of petty crime to reach the pinnacle of wealth and power. A despicable sonofabitch who eventually plots to take over the rackets of mob boss Arnold Rothstein (Robert Lowery), Diamond survives multiple gun wounds and manipulates multiple women, his coldness concealed by a charming, handsome exterior and tempered only by his affection for his ailing brother Eddie (Warren Oates). Along the way, his female roadkill includes sweet, simple dance instructor Alice (Karen Steele), selfish social climber Monica (Elaine Stewart), and hapless Southern belle Dixie (Dyan Cannon in her film debut). Boetticher combines brutal violence, a memorable sax-heavy score, and period style (Howard Shoup’s costumes were nominated for an Academy Award) into a hugely entertaining crime film that deserves a rediscovery.