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by Jason Daniel Baker

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The Great St.Louis Bank Robbery (1959) Starring Steve McQueen, Crahan Denton, David Clarke, James Dukas, Molly McCarthy, Martha Gable, Boyd Williams, Nell Roberts, May Kohn, Robert Klauss, Nancy Lyon, Barney Barnett, Jay Elliott, Bob Holt, Frank Novotny, Larry Gerst.

Directed by Charles Guggenheim.

Running time: 86 minutes.

Rating: Unrated

"I just don't see why I have to do something that somebody else could do better"

Based upon the true story of a 1953 bank heist gone wrong. John, Willie and Gino are three older hoods who coax George (McQueen), a young, inexperienced one to join with them in a scheme at the last minute as their lookout/getaway driver. They plan and try to execute a $100,000 robbery of the Southwest Bank in St.Louis.The whole thing looks like a piece of cake when the plan is laid out by the leader, John.

They hole up together at an ultra seedy, vermin infested hotel and the tension of the situation starts getting to them before they ever actually do anything illegal. George and Willie get off on the wrong foot immediatley. Gino's sister (McCarthy) clues in that something is up soon after adding to the tension. They all go at each other's throats at different times in the lead up to the job.

Steve McQueen followed up his cinematic debut in the kitsch classic The Blob with this low-budget indie crime yarn. Starting his career while the collapse of the studio system was rapidly taking place, McQueen took the same route a lot of actors take today in becoming stars. He did a number of small indie films and television. This one looks like it could be either but is an indie. At least he got top billing.

Though not necessarily a great actor, McQueen did have star quality and when productions he appeared in were passable he got due credit rising quickly to become one of Hollywood's most sought after leading men.

St.Louis who were active at the time of the robbery appear in the film to add authenticity. The whole thing has a kind of neo-realist feel at times seeming like a gonzo kind of documentary. The cast, aside from McQueen do not look like screen actors. Their faces are unphotogenic and have little character.

For some the lack of stars, low-production value and unromantic theme makes for boring viewing at first. The film never does really pick up until the final half hour.

The soundtrack is a character in itself here. Overuse of melodramatc theme music almost throughout is inserted to ramp up suspense that the actors can't muster.

Learn more about this author, Jason Daniel Baker.

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