Review of The Hoodlum (1951) by Kevin M. W — 08 Sep 2018

"Alla society's rigged for the swells, and I ain't no sucka fer dat noise, hear me!?" or so Lawrence Tierney's character lets anyone know who's listening. Just out from prison, he promises his Ma he'll play ball, but that is not going to happen.

So, yes, there's no surprises here, a bad penny rusting in your pocket, but it mostly plays pretty good - in spite of a low budget - due to the performances of the principals. Tierney is reminiscent of Cagney, and the woman who plays his Ma, Lisa Golm, brings her "A" game most definitely.