Boxcar Bertha (1972)

Hooking up with legendary B-movie producer Roger Corman as an avenue into the movie business, Martin Scorsese directed his second feature, and earned his Director's Guild card, with Boxcar Bertha (1972). One of a slew of late-'60s-early-'70s Bonnie and Clyde (1967) rip-offs, complete with a car chase and bloody climax, Boxcar Bertha manages to be a bit better than the usual exploitation movie while following the Corman edict to include nudity and violence at regular intervals without that much regard for story coherence. Though the central players were still finding their way as actors, Boxcar Bertha contains flashes of Scorsese's burgeoning directorial talent, from the jump-cut final shootout and expressive dolly shots, to the disturbing close-ups that signal a crucifixion. Though Boxcar Bertha did not exactly advance Scorsese's career at the box office, it did provoke John Cassavetes to admonish the young filmmaker to make movies that meant something; Scorsese responded by making his superb, highly personal Little Italy chronicle Mean Streets (1973). ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide