THE HOODLUM (1951)

Habitual criminal Vincent Lubeck (Lawrence Tierney) gets paroled out of prison and resentfully goes to work for his brother Johnny (Edward Tierney, Lawrence's real-life brother), who's doubtful about him. In short order, Vincent, chip ever-present on his shoulder, seduces, impregnates and abandons Johnny's girlfriend, recruits a mob, and plans and executes a bank robbery. He dies on a garbage heap--"crime doesn't pay." This is a very trim little (61 minutes) B-level film noir, made credible and enjoyable by Tierney, a real-life tough guy, and through crisp direction by Max Nosseck, yet another of Hitler's gifts to the US. You can sign me up for anything with Lawrence Tierney in it.


Ntra la porta tua lu sangu � sparsu,
E nun me mporta si ce muoru accisu...
E s'iddu muoru e vaju mparadisu
Si nun ce truovo a ttia, mancu ce trasu.