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Underworld U.S.A. (1961)

Fourteen-year-old Tolly Devlin sees four hoods beat his father to death. Twenty years later, the killers have risen to the top of the crime syndicate and Tolly has a plan for revenge.

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
Tolly Devlin
Dolores Dorn ...
Cuddles
Beatrice Kay ...
Sandy
Paul Dubov ...
Gela
...
Earl Connors
...
John Driscoll
Richard Rust ...
Gus Cottahee
Gerald Milton ...
Gunther
Allan Gruener ...
Smith
...
Tolly - Aged 14
Tina Pine ...
Woman (as Tina Rome)
Sally Mills ...
Connie Fowler
Robert P. Lieb ...
Officer
Neyle Morrow ...
Barney
Henry Norell ...
Prison Dr. Meredeth
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Storyline

Fourteen-year-old Tolly Devlin sees four hoods beat his father to death. Twenty years later, the killers have risen to the top of the crime syndicate and Tolly has a plan for revenge. Written by Erik Gregersen <[email protected]>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

A Sensational Film That Puts the Finger On Today's Biggest Business... Crime! See more »

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

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Release Date:

March 1961 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Alles auf eine Karte  »

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Westrex Recording System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Finnish censorship visa # 58211 delivered on 14-6-1974. See more »

Quotes

Sandy: Why don't you take a good look at yourself. What do you see? A doctor? A scientist? A businessman? You see a scar-faced ex-con. A two-bit safecracker. A petty thief who don't know when he really made the big time. Where do you come off to blast her? No matter what she's been, what she's done. She's a giant! And you wanna know why? Well, I'll tell ya. Because she sees something in you worth saving. If only one tenth of one percent of all the good in her could rub off on you, you'd be a giant, ...
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Connections

Featured in The Best of Film Noir (1999) See more »

Soundtracks

The Anniversary Waltz
(uncredited)
Written by Dave Franklin and Al Dubin
Hummed by Mrs Farrar when Tolly visits her
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Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
Action and intensity make up for some second rate aspects...
4 August 2010 | by (United States) – See all my reviews

Underworld U.S.A. (1961)

Sam Fuller's movies have an edgy, reckless quality to them, as if lacking propriety. Which is good. What Underworld U.S.A. lacks in subtlety it makes up for in surprise and a kind of sultry sizzle, something very different than more usual "romance" that other crime and noir movies have. There is some second rate acting throughout, but if you accept some of this as "style" and go with the flow, it's click along nicely. In fact, the lack of star power makes the film a hair more everyday, and therefor a hair more realistic in a good way. And the lead male going solo through much of it is first rate, Cliff Robertson.

Not that this is actually believable--it feels contrived all the way--but it has a modern interpersonal selfishness and sometimes cruelty that is fun to watch. The plot? Great enough. But the searing looks, the slaps, the brooding closeups. This is movie-making! Certainly an influence on Tarantino.

As a black and white crime film with a slightly low budget feel, this naturally comes labelled as a film noir. And there are some similarities. But it's also a crime drama, more directly, and it explores (and exploits) the violence of cops and robbers circa 1960. There a lot of unsavory types involved, and some crisp filming. If you like other Sam Fuller films, you'll like this one.


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