Jack Nicholson is legend when it comes to actors having appeared in some quite memorable films like The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Easy Rider and a number of other movies. Just like anyone however, Jack had to get his start somewhere, and who better to work with than another legend in the world of film; independent, low-budget icon Roger Corman. 1958 saw Nicholson’s screen debut in The Cry Baby Killer, a film that he might rather forget, but one that ultimately would become the first step in a long string of films ever since.

Nicholson plays 17-year old Jimmy Wallace, a youth who has unfortunately gained the attention of Manny Cole (Brett Halsey), the leader of a local gang and the big man when it comes to the ladies and just about anything else. Manny and his boys have just done a number on Jimmy, working him over pretty good, but Jimmy isn’t about to give up on his best girl Carole (Carolyn Mitchell) and decides to talk with Manny. The situation escalates and the boys decide to take it outside, both thinking they have the upper hand due to their friends tagging alone. However, one of the punks has a gun which Jimmy grabs and shots them. The next thing he knows, the police want him to surrender peacefully, but Jimmy decides it’s better to hole up in a nearby storage shed where he also has three hostages including a young mother and her baby.

The Cry Baby Killer oozes the same overacting and bad dialog that is so much a part of movies from the 1950’s and through the 60’s, but the highlight is definitely Jack. This may be his first movie, he may be quite a bit younger than he is now, but when compared to every other member of the cast assembled here, Jack stands out showing so early on the star potential that he had, and no one could have ever predicted where young Nicholson would end up years down the road.

The plot of course is quite simple, and after the initial set-up, the rest of the film is spent trying to get Jimmy to give up and come out peacefully. During the course of the investigation, the police learn more about what led to the circumstances, they uncover evidence that the owner of the local drive-in has been furnishing liquor to minors, and in hopes of getting Jimmy to finally surrender, they try everything they can possibly think of, though violence is a last resort. While trying to sort everything out, the situation turns into a huge media event, drawing not only the news but spectators and even hot dog vendors.

In some way, I think there’s a sense of irony here in this movie and something of a look to the future. With all the media coverage shown in the film, it’s really not unlike things today. We all watched as the events unfolded during the Columbine Shootings and a number of other tragedies, and while the media seen in The Cry Baby Killer really makes this out to be nothing more than shock entertainment, a circus more or less, it’s not really much different from what the media today does. The end of the film however wraps up nicely with no real deaths, just some court hearings in the immediate future whereas in the real world, there would be death, particularly today. Afterwards, the media would continue to focus on the events, over and over again, and when similar incidents occur weeks later, they can never determine why it could be. Why would such tragedy strike once again? Could it perhaps be that there was too much coverage in the first place, giving others ideas?

The Cry Baby Killer is something of a guilty pleasure. It’s definitely not a great film, and much of it is quite predictable, laughable in many instances, but it’s also a film that is so bad that it’s good. Classing it as a B-movie is being quite kind, and actually it should be graded much lower, but that’s what creates the charm here. There is a mild moral tale in the end, but not much of one, instead it’s really one man’s plight as he deals with bullies, revenge, and the consequences that can come by following through with the idea to a degree where it results in violence. Is anyone to blame in the end? Not really. The movie never really points a finger at any one person, though all are suspect at one time or another; parents, police, hanging with the wrong crowd, society itself, but none are ever put on trial.

The DVD release features a short introduction by Corman himself and does have enhanced video and audio. There isn’t much else added from The Cry Baby Killer, and I’m sure that Jack was too busy to provide any commentary (or he simply isn’t acknowledging the films existence.) However, this is the Back-to-Back Jack Edition, and the DVD is presented on a double bill ticket. Aside from The Cry Baby Killer, another of Corman’s classic films is included, and one that really needs no introduction, but does features another stunning performance by a young Nicholson; The Little Shop of Horrors.

The Cry Baby Killer is yet another example of why Roger Corman has become such a name in the field of low-budget movies. It may not be a great film, but it is enjoyable, and that can be said of just about everything that Corman has ever worked on. You never approach a Corman film expecting to walk away enlightened or awestruck by what you’ve seen. You expect a certain level of imperfection, a movie that makes you laugh at inopportune times, and like many others, that’s what The Cry Baby Killer does, and that’s why it’s another classic Corman picture.

-mike-

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