Customer Reviews

King of the Roaring 20's [VHS]

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I originally saw this on Television as a kid and it was titled "The Big Bankroll" at that time. It concerns the story of Arnold Rothstein who was known as "The Man Who Fixed The World Series" during the 1910's and 20's. I enjoyed the film so much that I searched out the book to gain a better understanding of the character in the film. For many years the film has been very difficult to find but then idiot that I am I was looking for it under it's original title! It is a fast paced story and you may have to re-watch it or pause the DVD if you miss anything but if you are interested in history of this period of America it is very good and amazingly accurate.

King of the Roaring 20's (hereafter, KR20s) - The Story of Arnold
Rothstein (1961) is great for those keen on the perspective of
the 50's generation about events at the turn of the 20th century,
during prohibition and Wall St.

KR20's is a professional, serious and respectable portrayal of the
1920's and 1930's era in the USA, albeit sugar-coated and spun
lite. This is the case, from the feminine audience in mind, and a
desire in never losing sight of its entertainment objective.

David Janssen as Arnold Rothstein, Dianne Foster as Carolyn
his wife, Mickey Rooney as Johnny his childhood pal are
remarkably sincere actors, and connect astoundingly well with the
audience, and a natural charisma, also the case for Jack Carson
as officer O'Brien.

KR20's succeeds in demonstrating the tremendous wealth of
Rothstein and his family, a workoholic nature, an infinite number
of luxuries, furniture, jewelry, clocks, chandeliers, silverware,
opulent decorations, silk pijamas and night gown, tuxedos and 3
piece suits, in between underlining the social etiquette of rich
folk, high-end parties (charleston dance, live big band, string
quartets), mannerisms s of communicating. This angle is
underlined as well with the frequency of scenes showing AR and his
wife being waited on, as patrons, and AR owning racing horses and
part of a stables, and gambling on track competitions,

The personal life of AR centers on the seduction of a dancing girl
(Foster), not before hiring a P.I to look into her schooling,
friends and background. The old values of Rothstein's family, is
exposed when his father reveals concerns of the nature of the
girl's career, parents (or lack thereof) and intensity of her
Faith. Those clash with AR's own business ethics and personal
values.

Part of the story bravely goes into backroom deals needed before
the go ahead to any underworld investment (the law taking an
active part, in return for some profits or career promotions),
brow beating and physical intimidation, etc, while at the same
time, showing the vulnerability of the most powerful men in face
of being front page news and the object of a public outcry.

The accuracy of the script, is an open question, especially the
part of Johnny being a business partner, having started with crap
and dice games on the streets, later bookie operation taking bets,
and other rackets.

Paradoxically, AR's upstanding moral character depicted from being
of rich folk, is counterpoised with his passion for the street
rackets, riding with hoodlums, buying off officers, etc. It is
also defined through Rooney's character, shown as having
an ease in spilling secrets, drinking, lacking composure.

AR is said to habitually walk in public with tens of thousands of
dollars in his pockets, despising the banks which he labels as
shady. AR is also said to run boilerrooms, employing high
pressure salesmen pulling in whales for various penny stock
promotions. The gambling operations include roulette games, some
of which are run by his own croupiers, dealing cards or games to
conspirator or patsy players, bleeding the casino dry. He is said
to have thrown a World Series.

Overall, the picture is time well spent, as this clever, modern,
insidious businessman and city slicker meets his maker, soon
before the Great Depression.