The first film directed by Samuel Fuller and it already bears some marks of his celebrated aesthetic, most jarringly with a point of view shot of someone taking a punch to the face. The film is feisty and cerebral, even if it's hampered somewhat by some staginess that betrays its era. Especially interesting are the thoughtful digressions on the ways in which celebrity mingles with notoriety. It's not a great film, but there's clearly talent shaping that action on the screen.

Bob Ford's character arc is interesting but the dull acting and meandering storytelling make this watchable at best. There are a couple of really nice scenes, but otherwise pretty forgettable.

For the first 15 or 20 minutes I wasn't really digging it. After the assassination though, the movie picks up quite a bit. A lot of the acting is pretty dated, but John Ireland is terrific as the tormented Robert Ford. Fuller shows some early talent in a few stand-out scenes (the bar fight near the end is great), and even if the entire thing isn't overly remarkable, it's a brisk and easy watch.

I wasn't expecting a love triangle from a film with this kind of sensationalist title, but I gradually warmed up to it. If there are flaws in the film it's that it still feels somewhat antiquated (narrative, acting!, dialogue) -but the situations are still all Fuller, and all fantastic. There's much to recommend, including a Jesse that looks like a James and less like a Pitt.

Fortunately it's still early in his career, so the touches of Sam Fuller hokum are relatively sparse. But they're still there.

Overlooked and underrated. Fuller's first and - in some respects - one of his best.