(1958)
2.5
Craig Butler
While hardly a big budget affair, I, Mobster did provide Roger Corman with a more workable budget than those of many of his earlier (and some later) films. Mobster is altogether only an average film, but it does have some elements that stand out. Steve Cochran's star performance is one of these. Cochran could be a frustrating actor, capable of giving quite fine performances but equally capable of falling into an acting rut; sometimes both sides of him appear in one film. In Mobstr, Cochran appears fully engaged, perhaps due to the role itself or perhaps due to Corman's direction (or both). He understands that Joe Sante is a man of two personalities, one of them a ruthless gangster, the other a human with a strict moral compass. Cochran navigates this difficult dual terrain perfectly, and his work here is very, very good. The complexity of this character is one of the other noteworthy aspects of the film, providing more depth than is often found in this kind of routine melodrama. Also of note is Floyd D. Crosby's photography, which adds considerable depth and atmosphere. There's also a lot to Mobster that's run of the mill, including the rise-and-fall plot; but fans of the genre will find enough original here to keep them engaged.
I, Mobster on AllMovie
I, Mobster (1958)
