Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond

Play trailer Poster for The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond 1960 1h 41m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
71% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
The New York killer (Ray Danton) goes from mob bodyguard to mob boss to mob target.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond

Critics Reviews

View More
Richard Brody The New Yorker 07/13/2015
A strange, cold, sordid movie about a strange, cold, sordid gangster. Go to Full Review
John Beifuss Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) 09/16/2011
3/4
Director Budd Boetticher and screenwriter Joseph Landon are as fast on their feet as their hoofer-turned-gangster protagonist; the efficiency and momentum of their storytelling should be models of inspiration for today's filmmakers. Go to Full Review
Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television 08/10/2011
Strange and often grim gangster film, notable for some off-trail approaches. Go to Full Review
David Kaplan Kaplan vs. Kaplan 03/01/2008
3/5
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 06/11/2005
3/5
Andy Klein Los Angeles CityBeat 04/07/2005
4/5
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
01/02/2020 Sometimes overlooked, The Rise And Fall of Legs Diamond is one of the better crime bios of the 1950s (released in 1960). Ray Danton is magnetic in the title role of a psychopath Legs Diamond who holds no remorse for the multiple killings, betrayals and broken hearts he was responsible for. Unfortunately, most of the rest of the cast fails to match Danton's magnetism. See more 02/02/2019 The best gangster movie ever made! See more 11/29/2015 You don't have to tell me you love me, I know you don't. Jack 'Legs' Diamond and his sick brother hold up in New York and begin a life of petty crime and thievery. When Jack gets arrested, he decides to step their game up a notch and become a crime boss. He quickly climbs the ranks but gets a little too confident. "Are you married?" "Yes. Yes, but not to her." Budd Boetticher, director of Seven Men from Now, The Tall T, Ride Lonesome, Comanche Station, A Time for Dying, The Cimarron Kid, and Bronco Buster, delivers The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond. The storyline for this picture is very well done and contains some fantastic shootouts. The script is solid and very well delivered. The cast includes Ray Danton, Karen Steele, Elaine Stewart, Simon Oakland, and Dyan Cannon. "Everybody wants favors." "I'm not asking for a favor." I saw this picture on the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) schedule some time ago and DVR'd it. I finally got around to watching it and thought it was very clever and well done. This isn't perfect, but is a worthwhile addition to the classic gangster genre and in-line with Bogart classic gangster pictures from this era. "I already have a partner tonight." "I'll get rid of him." Grade: B See more s r @ScottR 08/25/2015 Interesting, but not something I need to see again. See more 07/13/2013 Tough little Budd Boetticher crime picture, telling the story of prohibition gangster Legs Diamond. Filmed in the style of a 1920s Warner Bros gangster film, with terrific photography by Lucien Ballard, the film does an excellent job balancing action and genuinely interesting character drama. A must see for Boetticher fans and classic gangster film fans. See more 05/24/2012 BEST GANGSTER MOVIE EVER!!!!! See more Read all reviews
The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Johnny Cool 50% 48% Johnny Cool Watchlist The Lineup 86% 83% The Lineup Watchlist Breathless 95% 90% Breathless Watchlist Party Girl 83% 57% Party Girl Watchlist The FBI Story 60% 47% The FBI Story Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis The New York killer (Ray Danton) goes from mob bodyguard to mob boss to mob target.
Director
Budd Boetticher
Producer
Milton Sperling
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
United States Pictures
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 3, 1960, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 41m
Most Popular at Home Now