p e n g u i n d e v i l

Ah yes, living the life. That’s what it is. I watched one of the funnest movies I’ve seen in a while. Another great entry in the generally great British Crime Film genre, Gangster No. 1. Malcolm McDowell is a satisfied (but not for long) and rich old gangster… Nameless, from what I could tell. He is out enjoying a some pugilisting with the boys when he hears a little something. A little something that he doesn’t like. See, the word is that Freddie Mays is getting out soon, after 30 years upstream. This shocking piece of news sends old Malcolm down memory lane. We flash back to 1968 when as a young, slightly psychotic, London thug, Malcolm is recruited by the big man around town, the always dapper Butcher of Mayfair, the copper killing underworld superstar, Freddie Mays (David Thewlis, yet again). He becomes a well-dressed gangster, efficient and ambitious. Maybe a little too ambitious, as he is in awe of Freddie and his cool ways and as time goes on his awe becomes envy, a very bitter and hostile envy. Such that he begins to style himself ready to take over. When tension mounts between Freddie and his irritating rival, Lennie Taylor, the clock starts ticking… When a lady brings love to the picture, the level of psychosis begins to rise.

living the life

the butcher of mayfair

the irritating rival

Malcolm is so obsessed with Freddie and distraught about Freddie’s success: his apartment, watch, suits and girlfriend, he begins planning to undermine all of that. The movie is basically about Malcolm glaring and his hostile train of thought. See, most of the dialogue we hear is actually Malcolm telling us his story. Through his soliloquy we watch him descend deeper and deeper into a murderous rage and envy, barely being able to hold back his violence until all the right parts come together. Most of the movie takes place in the late sixties and though they made a good casting choice with Paul Bettany as the young gangster, it is a little disconcerting to see someone else play a young Malcolm, as we all know darned well what he really looked like during this era, but Bettany did a good job and at times looked convincingly like Malcolm.

all leads to some feelings being expressed

some working them out

a little violence

but always dressed to kill.

Aside from that. It is quite entertaining. The story isn’t too deep but it is told with good colors, nice clothes, nice sets, good dialogue, interesting and fun characters and an interesting style with funny old visual effects that sort of remind me of hip movies from the time. Certainly a keeper.