Bloody Mama (1970) Reviews

• Makes one understand why the Academy held back Shelley's "Poseidon" Oscar.

  Poseidon-32004-06-22

  Looking only ounces lighter than after her alleged 40 pound weight gain a year or so later for "The Poseidon Adventure", Winters portrays the title character, an outlaw mom based far more on legend than fact. The real "Ma" Barker was reportedly just a rather dense hillbilly who, though she loved, covered for and fostered her criminal sons, was not in any way a mastermind or the instigator as she is shown here. (One theory has her reputation created AFTER she was gunned down to lessen the stigma of the FBI blowing holes in little old ladies.) Winters plays her as a scornful, driven woman who will do virtually anything to escape her run-down, pitiful existence. She runs roughshod over her brood of four sons, slapping them when they sass her and taking them to bed with her in turns! Stroud plays the ringleader of them and suffers the most neuroses and inner turmoil. De Niro escapes from his existence through drugs of any kind. Kimbrough is the least developed (and least famous actor) of the four, but comes off as the sensitive one. Walden does time in jail and winds up as a sexual partner to equally criminal-minded Dern. This quintet, along with Stroud's hooker/girlfriend Varsi, rides across the Midwest holding up banks, kidnapping rich men and just generally causing mayhem anywhere they go. Though certain scenes and certain images linger in the memory (Winters scrubbing her grown boys in a washtub, afro-haired Varsi trotting around topless, De Niro tripping out on glue and dope, Winters packing a machine gun and playing Simon Says with it....) the film remains a fairly disjointed, sloppily constructed affair. It isn't terrible, but it falls short of excellence. The script doesn't seem focused enough and the editing is sometimes rocky. Stroud gives a very intense and thoughtful performance. Winters is way, way over the top (and her hair color varies wildly throughout the film at inappropriate times.) She indulges herself in some extreme Method acting which isn't always pretty to watch, though she does catch one's attention. Seeing her sometimes similar mannerisms and vocal mumblings in this film casts a slight pall over her better received work in "Poseidon". It's so jarring to see De Niro in such a minor part (not to mention seeing him alongside some of these costars!) that it's sometimes a distraction. Varsi has to have earned a place as one of the all-time career slides. ALLISON MACKENZIE! Then here she is blankly wandering around with awkward tan lines and her nipples at full attention, looking basically out of her head. (She purportedly didn't give a hoot about film stardom, career, et al and it shows!) Dern does a great job. His initial scene, in which it becomes clear that he has more in mind for Walden than just a bunkmate, is delicious. The decent parts just don't add up to a cohesive, enjoyable whole. However, the curiosity factor of seeing that cast together (and doing what they're doing!) calls for at least one viewing. Incidentally, the paperback novelization of the screenplay is quite possibly one of the most vulgar and shocking tomes ever to come out as a movie tie-in!

• psycho

  RanchoTuVu2005-07-28

  Some movies romanticize the life of crime, or make the criminals into sympathetic characters, but Roger Corman's "Bloody Mama" goes in the opposite direction with its depiction of the Barker crime family of the 30's and their ruthless murders, sadism, incest, drug addiction, and insanity. It's a morbidly colorful mixture of negative southern poor white trash stereotypes, encapsulated in a family of sociopaths, with a vintage Shelly Winters bringing her trademark intensity to the role of Ma Barker and a great cast as her sons and their associates, including Don Stroud, Robert Walden, Bruce Dern, Diane Varsi, and Robert DeNiro. A mishmash of humor and repugnancy, it's definitely not for the squeamish.

• Leaves Something to Be Desired

  gavin69422012-07-15

  This film is Roger Corman and Sam Arkoff's answer to "Bonnie and Clyde". But not only did they take the theme of Depression-era gangsters, they also borrowed the idea of completely eradicating the facts. I would be hard-pressed to name one thing in this film that was based a real event. That being said, it has some historical merit. Shelley Winters gives a good performance, and has said she was proud of the film (which she oddly enough promoted as a film denouncing violence, despite its clearly violent nature). She even allegedly took a punch to the face, resulting in a nose injury bad enough to get X-rays. Bruce Dern and Robert DeNiro give some of the earliest performances of their careers, and any DeNiro fan who has not seen him in this is really missing out on his humble beginnings. These days, he is past his prime, making cheesy comedies. But have you seen him before his prime? Perhaps most interesting, this was the big-screen debut of cinematographer John A. Alonzo. While he may not be well-known, he did go on to film "Harold and Maude", "Chinatown" and "Scarface" and snagged an Oscar nomination. Not bad for a graduate of the Corman School.

• Bloody fantastic fun!!

  Infofreak2001-11-11

  I can't believe there is only ONE comment on this classic piece of Roger Corman trash! Corman is known as the King of the Quickies, which gives many people who aren't all that familiar with his work the impression is that all he made was "bad" movies that can only be enjoyed on a camp level. This is not true, and 'Bloody Mama' proves it! Sure it's an exploitation movie, but exploitation doesn't necessarily equate with worthless trash, as the movies of Russ Meyer or Larry Cohen or Sam Fuller show. 'Bloody Mama' tells the story of Ma Barker and her sons, infamous criminals during the Depression. Exactly how much of this movie is historically accurate I don't know, and it doesn't really matter. This is a non-stop action ride, low budget yes, but full of energy, clever touches, and generally strongly acted by the cast, which includes - get this! - cult favourites Don Stroud and Bruce Dern AND a scene stealing performance from a young Robert De Niro. If the thought of those three absurdly talented actors appearing in the same movie isn't enough to get you running to your local video store, then you're beyond help! Add to that the familiar character actors Pat Hingle, Scatman Crothers and the appearance of Diane Varsi from the legendary 'Wild In The Streets', and b-grade film buffs will be ecstatic. Last but certainly not least, Shelley Winters in the title role is outstanding. She has had a long and varied career, but she always gives her best whether she is in a- or b-grade material, a star vehicle, supporting role or a cameo. More power to her! 'Bloody Mama' is a movie to be treasured! Trash with intelligence. Don't miss it!

• Unpleasant and violent movie with a deranged Shelley Winters reenacting murderous Ma Barker

  ma-cortes2009-09-25

  The most colorful epoch of criminality in America during the Depression era is brought to life in this story of a bank-robber family , in a period when any employment, even illegal, was cherished, ambition, money and power originated an interminable cycle of fury and violence. The infamous Ma Barker ( Shelley Winters)'s blood-thirsty gang of the 30s backed by his four rare sons ( Robert De Niro, Robert Walden, Clint, Don Stroud) carry out heists to banks and a crime spree that gets even bigger when she dreams up an abducting plot , its a fast road to ruin. A hooker ( Diane Varsi) appears to be falling for the moronic sibling (Don Stroud as the sadistic mama lover). Later on, they hook up with Robert Walden's (as the homosexual ex-con) prison lover, Bruce Dern. Meanwhile a wealthy businessman ( Pat Hingle) is kidnapped by the grotesques family led by the sadistic mummy. Based on the biography of the violent careers of Ma Barker, named Arizona Clark (1877-1935) and his perverted sons, who roamed the South robbing banks during the Depression as Missouri, Texas, and Florida . They're joined by nefarious criminal Alvin Karpis who doesn't appear at the movie. This is a perverse stew of murders, pronounced bloodshed, sentimental blood bonding, action , lots of violence and with a bullet-ridden ending . Overacting by Shelley Winters as sex-crazed lady killer and machine-gun toting mother. Imaginative musical score and evocative cinematography by classic cameraman John A Alonzo . Director and producer( along with Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson : American International) Roger Corman skillfully blends extreme violence that was highly controversial and some good scenes action. Good camera work, slick edition and nice 1930s period sets in average budget. Followed by ¨Big Bad mama¨ (1974) by Steve Carver with Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, Tom Skerrit and ¨Big bad mama II¨ (1988) with Dickinson, Robert Culp and Julie McCullough. And a remake titled ¨Public enemies¨(96) by Mark L Lester with Theresa Russel Eric Roberts, Alyssa Milano and Frank Stallone. Furthermore, ¨The Grisson gang¨ (1971) by Robert Aldrich with Kim Darby and Scott Wilson.