Dillinger (1945)

Max Nosseck's Dillinger (1945) was made on a shoestring budget, far lower than the money allocated for John Milius' 1973 remake, yet it still retains a high reputation, mostly thanks to its noir-ish elements and the intensity of Lawrence Tierney's performance in the title role. Tierney is a dominating presence in this movie and pretty well carries the film, overcoming some obvious gaps in the budget and holes in the script; his eyes have a scary look, and his sheer attractiveness makes him a scary, savage presence. The rest of the movie works mostly because of its threadbare nature; if the director hadn't been hemmed in by a low budget, he might well have tried to elaborate scenes that work all the better because they're made of quick cuts and have minimal (or no) dialogue. Coupled with a frantic pacing -- the picture covers Dillinger's whole criminal career in 70 minutes -- the result is a kind of hybrid film noir, a gangster movie that only works because of its need for a doom-laden visual shorthand, and to keep the story moving, lest anyone realize how cheaply it was being made. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide