moonspinner55 Fifth-rate 1920s crime spree with Fabian Forte cast as real-life Prohibition-era crook John Ashley who, along with his girlfriend Laura and assorted pals, preceded even Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker in the bank robbing field. Luke Moberly directs with a wink and a smile; he must have known this threadbare outing was no "Bonnie & Clyde", though he was clearly inspired by that film in visual terms, and his picture gets off to a decent start. However, with very green and inexperienced actors in front of the camera--and poor cinematography and sloppy editing going on behind it--the picture loses steam even before the halfway mark. Bill Walker's inappropriate score and some terrible quasi-period tunes on the soundtrack make the film unbearable to hear, much less to watch. It is inconceivable that rising star Karen Black, having already earned attention for her performances in "Easy Rider" and "Five Easy Pieces" (for which she was Oscar-nominated), should appear in such a low-rent production. Black and Forte are really the only cast members with legitimate acting experience (Forte had recently portrayed 'Pretty Boy' Floyd in 1970), yet their performances are just as lousy as everyone else's (like the script, perhaps they were simply confused as to how to proceed). The early scenes give hint that maybe Moberly was onto something with his approach, but he loses his footing quickly--and the movie doesn't so much crash and burn as it does disintegrate on impact. * from ****

Woodyanders The Florida Everglades in the 1920's. Shrewd, handsome John Ashley (a surprisingly solid turn by 50's rock'n'roll teen idol Fabian Forte, who also played Pretty Boy Floyd in Larry Buchanan's "A Bullet for Pretty Boy") and his sweet, flighty steady gal pal Laura (a charming performance by the ever-radiant Karen Black) are the leaders of an outlaw gang. The wild'n'rowdy bunch achieve considerable notoriety by robbing banks, running booze, breaking out of jail, and eluding the cops while embarking on a jolly crime spree in the southeast. Directed with a reasonable amount of flair and style by Luke Moberly and Bob Woodburn (who also wrote the colorful and eventful script), this picture sizes up an an immensely enjoyable little "Bonnie and Clyde" cash-in copy. Fabian and Black make for a rather unlikely, but genuinely appealing and attractive criminal couple. Nice supporting contributions by Ken Miller as lecherous gang member Hanford, Paul Gleason as a hard-nosed sheriff, and Ivy Thayer as Laura's forlorn, regretful mother. Cliff Frates and Evie Karafotias are extremely cute and endearing as John and Laura as little kids in touching flashback sequences. Edmund Gibson's pretty, picturesque cinematography, Bill Walker's jaunty swing band score, the flavorsome period atmosphere (the sepia-tinted black and white opening newsreel with a stern Walter Winchell-like narrator is especially tasty), and several rousing shoot-outs all likewise hit the spot. My sole criticism: the frequent groovy modern rock songs and music are painfully inappropriate and anachronistic. That minor quibble aside, this film overall rates as a tremendously fun and spirited romp.

jgpony "Little Laura and Big John" was not based on Bonnie and Clyde, but on the true story of the capture of the infamous Ashley Gang at the Sebastian inlet bridge in Florida. It is not particularly well done, however, it is very interesting to residents of the Treasure Coast because of its historical significance. The movie depicts the gang as they rob banks and kill on a northward path along the Gold and Treasure Coasts of Florida, running just ahead of the then sheriff of Palm Beach County, who was determined to end their violent rampages. In addition to the well known professional cast, numerous local citizens (amateurs)took extra parts as deputies, bystanders, etc. While this was great fun for the locals, the practice of utilizing so many amateurs did nothing to enhance the quality of the film. The movie is something Karen Black probably wishes she had never done. It is poorly acted, poorly directed and generally as captivating as a high school video class's production.

theeht It's hard to believe that Karen Black appeared in this terrible, extremely low=budget travesty, when she was already established as a star. Perhaps it was filmed years earlier and released after she became popular. Filmed in Florida, it's pretty torturous to sit through, and is recommended only for Karen fans, since she does look especially attractive, in black eyeliner. Aside from this, there's little else to remark on.