Did anyone ever see a better gangster than Jack Lambert's portrayal? Admittedly, all the actors did an excellent job and were perfectly cast for their part, but Jack Lambert made his character seem all too aware of the stylings - almost as if a contemporary actor were re-enacting a role in a noir film.
Do The Mussolini! Headkick!
Oh yeah? What about Wally Walker in the Big Sleep? He played one of Mars' thugs... "he said that, that's what the man said." ..heheh.. made Bogie look like a CHUMP..
shareDitto on 'Dum dum'. Great as the "troublemaker" of the gang. He had kind of a Lee Marvin thing going for him -- before Lee Marvin had it!
shareJack Lambert could sure be a menacing character,although I understand he was also asked to play a rare sympathetic character on occasions.Another actor of that period whom I enjoyed as a menacing villain was Robert Wilke.Check him out as one of the bad guys out to eliminate Gary Cooper in High Noon.His face could scare you without uttering a word!One of my favorite present day "mena-
cers" is Michael Madsen(aka Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs)
It was a blatant channeling of Paul Muni's "Tony Camonte" from Scarface.
He was effective in the role, but I'm willing to bet that his entire preparation was watching Howard Hawks' film on continuous loop.
"It's covered ya two-bit redneck peckerwood."~Strother Martin, The Wild Bunch
While it certainly seems that Jack Lambert was doing his best Paul Muni impersonation, it's a very good impersonation. I particularly like this exchange between 'Dum-Dum' and 'Big Jim' Colfax in the hotel room while waiting for Swede:
Dum-Dum: "I don't like to be asked to come up here and then...told I can go. Who do you think you're pushin' around?"
Colfax: "A minute ago we were talking about reputations. You've got quite a reputation yourself. You're supposed to be a trouble-maker. [takes cigarette from mouth] Okay. Make some..."
I just love the menacing way both these guys deliver their lines, particularly the slow way Colfax takes the cigarette out of mouth towards the end of his line.
Three awesome villians are in a movie called Kansas City Confidential.
Lee Van Cleef
Jack Elam
Neville Brand
What are you gonna do? Kill me? Every body Dies. John Garfield (Body and Soul)