Samuel Fuller built a lingering reputation as director, producer and screenwriter thanks to 1950s films like PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET, STEEL HELMET, PARK ROW, and by 1961 he was still going strong with UNDERWORLD USA.
With excellent cinematography by Hal Mohr, this plot follows a young criminal - Tolly Devlin, played by David Kent, who does indeed look like a very young Cliff Robertson - who watched the ambush that saw his father killed, and identified one of the assailants.
Devlin then embarks on a lifelong quest to hunt those murderers down and have them individually disposed of, preferably by other members of the American underworld - which is when the spectator is introduced to sinister-looking characters like Gela (played by Paul Dubov), hitman Gus (Richard Rust), and top villain Connors (smug portrayal by Robert Emhardt, physically reminiscent of Sidney Greenstreet).
On the positive side, he has the mother-like love of older woman Sandy (Beatrice Kay), who tries to counsel him against revenge and taking part in criminal actions - sadly, Devlin pursues his devilish route and ignores her well-meaning, caring advice.
To hedge his chances, Devlin gets police inspector Driscoll (Larry Gates) involved in his scheme, without showing his whole hand, playing Driscoll against Coonors. Along the way, he finds a cuddly broad in Cuddles (Dolores Dorn) but he seems in two minds as to whether he should build serious relation with her.
Fuller's script does not help Cliff Robertson, who is a better actor than this performance suggests, perhaps because of Devlin's often contradictory feelings and views.
Once revenge is complete (the swimming pool sequence is coldly, memorably done), he decides rather thoughtlessly to call it a day. He has listened neither to Sandy nor to Driscoll, and failure to heed carries a massive price tag in the underworld. I found the final sequence excessively melodramatic, but the film remains eminently watchable. 7/10.
With excellent cinematography by Hal Mohr, this plot follows a young criminal - Tolly Devlin, played by David Kent, who does indeed look like a very young Cliff Robertson - who watched the ambush that saw his father killed, and identified one of the assailants.
Devlin then embarks on a lifelong quest to hunt those murderers down and have them individually disposed of, preferably by other members of the American underworld - which is when the spectator is introduced to sinister-looking characters like Gela (played by Paul Dubov), hitman Gus (Richard Rust), and top villain Connors (smug portrayal by Robert Emhardt, physically reminiscent of Sidney Greenstreet).
On the positive side, he has the mother-like love of older woman Sandy (Beatrice Kay), who tries to counsel him against revenge and taking part in criminal actions - sadly, Devlin pursues his devilish route and ignores her well-meaning, caring advice.
To hedge his chances, Devlin gets police inspector Driscoll (Larry Gates) involved in his scheme, without showing his whole hand, playing Driscoll against Coonors. Along the way, he finds a cuddly broad in Cuddles (Dolores Dorn) but he seems in two minds as to whether he should build serious relation with her.
Fuller's script does not help Cliff Robertson, who is a better actor than this performance suggests, perhaps because of Devlin's often contradictory feelings and views.
Once revenge is complete (the swimming pool sequence is coldly, memorably done), he decides rather thoughtlessly to call it a day. He has listened neither to Sandy nor to Driscoll, and failure to heed carries a massive price tag in the underworld. I found the final sequence excessively melodramatic, but the film remains eminently watchable. 7/10.