King of the Roaring 20's: The Story of Arnold Rothstein (1961)

The story of flamboyant Prohibition-era gangster, gambler and bootlegger Arnold Rothstein.

Director:

Joseph M. Newman

Writers:

Leo Katcher (book), Jo Swerling (screenplay)

Stars:

David Janssen, Dianne Foster, Jack Carson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
David Janssen	...	Arnold Rothstein
Dianne Foster	...	Carolyn Green Rothstein
Jack Carson	...	Timothy W. 'Big Tim' O'Brien
Diana Dors	...	Madge
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Detective Phil Butler
Mickey Shaughnessy	...	Jim Kelly
Keenan Wynn	...	Tom Fowler
William Demarest	...	Henry Hecht
Regis Toomey	...	Bill Baird
Robert Ellenstein	...	Lenny
Tim Rooney	...	Johnny Burke as Young Boy (as Timothy Rooney)
Murvyn Vye	...	Williams
Jimmy Baird	...	Arnold Rothstein as Young Boy (as Jim Baird)
Joseph Schildkraut	...	Abraham Rothstein
Mickey Rooney	...	Johnny Burke

Storyline

Moving from one scam to another Arnold Rothstein quickly becomes rich, and settles into the life of owning big-town gambling joints. Along the way he falls in loves and marries, makes a life-long enemy of a cop on the take, and gradually becomes hardened even to his closest friends.

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Plot Keywords:

drive by shooting | b movie | ambush | henchman | damsel in distress | 

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Taglines:

KING OF GAMBLERS! OVERLORD TO BROADWAY! BIG FIX OF THE SPORTING WORLD! (original half-sheet poster-all caps)

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 June 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

As Cartas Marcaram Sua Morte

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bischoff-Diamond Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was Jack Carson's final film before his death on January 2, 1963 at the age of 52.

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Quotes

[first lines]
receptionist: [answers the telephone] International Tobacco. Yes. Just a moment, please.
Arnold Rothstein: [Rothstein hands a card to the receptionist] I'd like to see Mr. Simmons, please.
receptionist: Oh yes, you're expected. Go right in.

User Reviews

" If you're going places, . . you gotta look ahead "

When I first started going to the movies, I found many actors who had such charisma, I found I was overwhelmed with their persona. Thus it was when I came to select, David Janssen as my all time favorite star. I have seen every movie he has ever made. The good, the bad and the ones I believe, he should have passed by. This is one such film. I so admire Janssen that he is super cool as a private detective, like Richard Diamond, crafty as O'Hara Treasury Agent and he is ultra believable as the innocent escapee, in the TV series, The Fugitive. But although he portrayed 1920's gangster Arnold Rothstein, he is far from threatening enough to personify the infamous double dealing, backstabbing hoodlum who became notorious during the age of the flapper. Furthermore, his sidekick Johnny Burke (Mickey Rooney) played his role as an ignorant stooge and thus garnered more sympathy, than admiration. Finally there was Dan O'Hererlihy, terrific as many an Irishman, but overbearing as a corrupt cop. Ultimately, the story of Arnold Rothstein, social criminal and despicable character, will have to wait until, Hollywood finds somebody, deplorable enough to be hated for what he really was. That surely was not my favorite thespian. **