Review of The Phenix City Story (1955) by Robert B — 12 Apr 2011

Phil Karlson's true crime pic targets an Alabama town that is rife with vice and corruption. Much like Sam Fuller's more hysterical work, the emotional pressure on the central characters (fighting the mob but resisting vigilante justice) is continually racheted up and up.

Introduced with interviews with real people but closing with a pitch by the actor playing John Patterson (who later really became governor of Alabama and apparently substituted his own speech into some showings of the film when campaigning).

Filmed quickly with a low budget but nevertheless gripping.