KANSAS CITY MASSACRE

US, 1976, 95 minutes, Colour.
Dale Robertson, Bo Hopkins, Robert Walden, Scott Brady, Matt Clark, Harris Yulin.
Directed by Dan Curtis.

Kansas City Massacre is a companion piece to the same production company which made the 'Legend of Machine Gun Kelly'. Dale Robertson repeats his performance as Melvyn Purvis. This film in not so strong as the previous film. Perhaps this is due to John Milius being the writer of the Kelly film. Milius has written such films as Jeremiah Johnson, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. He has also written and directed 'Dillinger' with Warren Oates and Ben Johnson as Purvis.

1. The impact of this telemovie: theme, style? Impact on an American audience, non-American audience? The audience at home responding to the themes?

2. The tradition of the gangster films over the various decades. How did this film fit into the traditions, similar, different?

3. The American interest: history, the contrast with the present, the role and personality of gangsters in the thirties, the social comment? Which predominated in this film?

4. The contribution of the special effects: the re-creation of the thirties in countryside and city, the violence and the shooting, the care and the crashes? The sequences at the railway stations etc.? The look and the sound of the thirties?
5. The atmosphere from the narrative by Purvis himself? The personality of Purvis and the G-men? Hoover and the F.B.I. and the stamping out of the gangsters? The personality of Purvis with his personal style, dress, eating, smoking? His skills and his sharp mind? His carrying out his job? His kindness especially in buying presents for Floyd's child, his saving of Floyd's wife? How was he a hero for the film? His place in the social order of America of that day? His seeking of glory in routing the criminals? His personnel especially his assistant and his loyalty?

6. The portrayal of the police, self-glorification and foolishness, double-crossers and letting the criminals go, seeming to be fools?

7. The insight into the world of gangsters? The reasons for their being gangsters? Their look behaviour? Audience sympathies for or against them? The good and evil in them? Personally, for society? Their robberies, the money they gained, their double-dealing, violence? Their sanity - the various gangs and the editorial comment by Purvis on the personalities?

8. The focus on Floyd as a person, gangster, loyalties? His family? His bonds with his friends especially Nash? His relationship with Purvis - the telephone calls etc.? Gratitude towards him? Purvis warning him not to kill? Purvis saving his life and yet pursuing him after letting him go?

9. Richetti and his association with Floyd? His relationship with a girl? The night club sequence? The hit sequence at the station? His anger and his death?

10. The portrayal of the various gangs, an amateurs, an professionals? The various types? The roll call and Purvis's comments? The atmosphere of the opening with Nash in prison, escaping, rejoining Floyd? Nash as typifying the gangster who was not a leader? The deals with the money? His being captured, killed?

11. Miller and his background, type? Cold-blooded killer, shrewd? His talking too much especially with Lazia? The set-up and his hitting of Nash? His hiding and being shot by Lazia? The clash with the girl and her helping him escape? The violence of the escape and the shooting? His killing his girl friend, Richotti? The confrontation with Floyd on the root and his being taken away?

12. The criminal in upper class circles as Lazia? His style, his hold over the Police Commissioner? The personality of the Police Commissioner and his shrewd manoeuvres and his blustering? His final exposure?

13. The background of American politics, the governors and the influential citizens wanting the gangsters eliminated? Clash between Federal and State police?

14. American themes on society, wealth and poverty, gangsters, justice, law and order? The value of presenting this on television?