99 and 44/100 Percent Dead

Plot

John Frankenheimer's bizarre, satirical gangster film is not for all tastes but has acquired a minor cult following. Elderly mobster Edmond O'Brien hires a hitman (Richard Harris) to eliminate his rival (Bradford Dillman) in a dystopic setting of not-quite reality. There are albino alligators, skillful chase scenes, and Chuck Connors as a one-handed psycho who can fit various deadly weapons on his stumpy arm. None of it makes much sense, and mainstream viewers may end up scratching their heads in bewilderment, but fans of more esoteric films should find it a lot of fun. It would likely have ended up as a big hit on the drive-in circuit if it hadn't been directed by Frankenheimer, from whom most people expect better. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

Review

This could very well be the most offbeat gangster movie ever made. In fact, 99 and 44/100 Percent Dead doesn't really feel like a gangster flick -- it's more a deconstruction of the form. Robert Dillon's script mixes comic-book violence, tough guy archetypes and a hefty dose of eccentric humor into a distinctly post-modern take on the genre. The cast mostly plays it straight, with Richard Harris and Chuck Connors giving amusingly deadpan turns as mortal enemies in the film's surreal crime-world. However, Bradford Dillman has a blast camping it up as a crime boss with a childlike manner (and pattern of speech). Finally, John Frankenheimer films it all in a stylish manner, delivering the action with verve and handling the dialogue in a manner that is conscious of the humor without ever getting too self-aware. That said, potential viewers should note that 99 and 44/100 Percent Dead is not for all viewers -- though it has plenty of action, the film is strange enough that it will turn off the average viewer and its deadpan weirdness won't appeal to every stripe of cult movie fan. Still, those who can lock into the film's funhouse-mirror take on the gangster genre will find 99 and 44/100 Percent Dead to be one of a kind. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi

Cast

• Richard Harris - Harry Crown
• Edmond O'Brien - Uncle Frank
• Bradford Dillman - Big Eddie
• Ann Turkel - Buffy
• Constance Ford - Dolly

Chuck Connors - Marvin "Claw" Zuckerman; Kathy Baumann - Baby; Tony Brubaker - Burt; Janice Heiden - Clara; Roy Jenson - Jake; Karl Lukas - Guard; Chuck Roberson - Gunman; Jerry Summers - Shoes; Bennie E. Dobbins - Driver; Max Kleven - North; David Hall - Tony

Credit

Herman A. Blumenthal - Art Director, Ron Talsky - Costume Designer, Kurt Neumann - First Assistant Director, John Frankenheimer - Director, Harold Kress - Editor, Henry Mancini - Composer (Music Score), Alan Bergman - Songwriter, Marilyn Bergman - Songwriter, Henry Mancini - Songwriter, Ralph A. Woolsey - Cinematographer, Michael Borofsky - Producer, Joe Wizan - Producer, Theodore Soderberg - Sound/Sound Designer, Glenn Anderson - Sound/Sound Designer, Robert Dillon - Screenwriter

Previous:	99 Wounds (1931 Film), 99 Women (1969 Film)
Next:	99.9 - The Frequency of Terror (1997 Film), 995 Days (1989 Film)