Trailer—Machine Gun McCain

Rolling up his sleeves once more after his critically-acclaimed independent production 'Faces' had done predictably only modest business in cinemas, John Cassavetes went back to work with this flashily downbeat Italian heist thriller in the vein of 'The Asphalt Jungle' enlivened by Las Vegas location work (with the usual dodgy dubbing and big wobbly close-ups of an Italian film of the era) and by the presence of his future 'Husbands' co-star Peter Falk and by a late guest appearance by Mrs Cassavetes. (Curiously enough Cassavetes don't actually share any scenes with Falk, whose role is effectively a sub-plot.) A young Britt Ekland falls into bed with Cassavetes and then in with his criminal scheme surprisingly quickly and enthusiastically.

Good old school crime film from the late sixties, pulled by an excellent directing and acting too. John Cassavettes is awesome in this role of an ex con planning a casino robbery. It is desperate, violent, predictable but, for those who like this kind of movie, it's just what they wait for. Rather faithful to the Ovid Demaris novel too. Perfect ending, twilight in the sun. After THE GRAND SLAM, Guliano Montaldo did not deceive me, on the contrary.

The movie is pretty good to see in that Peter Falk, of Columbo fame, gives an unexpectedly good performance as a ruthless gangster. I saw the movie on A and E, so I probably missed some details. The gist is that Cassavettes tries to win one more score from Ganster Falk(sort of like Superfly)and attempts to do so with the help of his "Little Friend", a Thompson Automatic. For a film of the late sixties, it is pretty violent. However, Cassavettes created his own style of directing, and this film showcases it. It was hard to follow at parts, but again this may have been due to the commercial interruptions and editing. It's about a 7.5 out of 10.

A great cast is the highlight of MACHINE GUN MCCAIN, an Italian heist flick set in Las Vegas. Peter Falk has the best role in my opinion as a volatile mob boss, but there are endless familiar faces here, from the glamorous (Britt Ekland, Florinda Bolkan) to the classy (John Cassavetes). A Morricone score highlights a fast-moving tale of robbery and deception, and there are some jaw-dropping explosive moments here too.

Many very good actors gathered here in one place, the best by far being the one and only Gena Rowlands, who appears very little. But we have many others: John Cassavetes, Peter Falk, Gabriele Ferzetti, Salvo Randone, Florinda Bolkan. Luigi Pistilli (from many spaghetti westerns), Tony Kendall (Commissioner X in the same title series) and Britt Ekland, in their best roles ever. Giuliano Montaldo, great director, Morricone the best film music composer.

It's not a masterpiece by any mean, but Giuliano Montaldo's crime thriller is still terrific. John Cassavetes is sprung from jail by his son (working for mafioso Peter Falk) to rob a Las Vegas casino. When the job is canceled, everyone complies but Cassavetes. Mayhem ensues. Cassavetes is great and Falk is too (though they have no scenes together). Britt Ekland plays a waif recruited by Cassavetes and she's stunning. A great score by Ennio Morricone helps and the supporting cast, including Gabrielle Ferzetti, Tony Kendall and bitchy Florinda Balkin, is very colorful. Gena Rowlands, in an extended cameo, plays a tough as nails Cassavetes crony.

An ex-con with explosives experience gets back into the swing of things when he lines up a job to rob a Mafia run casino in Las Vegas. With John Cassavetes in the lead one would think this film would be more available than merely catching it by luck on TCM on their midnight Underground Cinema showcase. Though the production is more or less lower budget and the spoken words don't exactly line up with the movement of the lips, it's nonetheless vintage 60's crime with Cassavetes as great as ever, and Peter Falk playing the casino manager and lower level Mafiosi. There are some neat scenes of the San Francisco night life, and the action shifts to the Las Vegas strip with Cassavetes and his new bride Arlene (Britt Eklund) and the ruthless revenge of the Mafia as the movie becomes a pretty dark chase film through LA with Gena Rowlands getting a tough little part as the vise tightens.

I just recently got Drive-in Classics channel and it was the best decision of my life. Why? Because I get to see rare movies from the genres and eras long forgotten by most. This was one of those movies. Peter Falk stands out most in this movie just like he does in any of his movies. He's a mobster, a ruthless one at that and takes the cake for number one on my list of bad asses. If you ever get a chance to pick this up in a store or see it on TV then watch it and enjoy it. You'll never regret that decision. For style, Ennio Morricone's great score and Peter Falk. I give this movie 10/10.

Peter Falk's performance as a ruthless gangster was the best part of this movie. What undermines this movie is McCain's stupidity. Even when he knows that the Mob is looking for him he goes to his friends and ex-wife for help. Doesn't he know they are the first places the Mob would look ? Didn't he have a plan for how to disappear with the money ?