The Grissom Gang Reviews

If you like Robert Aldrich pictures, then you may like this example of his extreme indulgence which does have some saving graces. Despite its length, it doesn't stop for a second. Set in the early Thirties, the Grissoms are a Ma Barker-type gang who kidnap heiress Darby. Dailey is the Mother, a notorious sadist. Darby and Wilson, Dailey's moronic son, seem to have more going for them than the usual captive-captor relationship. Many scenes may have been intended as comedy relief to the bloodbath sequences, but they fall flat. Aldrich had a way of blending the macabre and humor (THE FRISCO KID, TOO LATE THE HERO, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?), but we're not sure what he meant to accomplish here. The film features good camera work by Biroc, sharp editing by veteran Luciano and lots of money spent on the period sets. Weird supporting characters tend to divert our attention. It's a remake of NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH, which is one of the worst gangster films ever made. THE GRISSOM GANG is slightly better, but not much. The song "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby" (Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields) is sung by Rudy Vallee.