Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960)

Let No Man Write My Epitaph
Directed by Philip Leacock
Written by Robert Presnell Jr. from a novel by Willard Motley
1960/USA
Columbia Pictures Corporation
First viewing/YouTube

[box] Let no man write my epitaph… When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then shall my character be vindicated, then may my epitaph be written. Robert Emmet[/box]

It’s official – I love Burl Ives.   I have mixed feelings about some elements of this solid juvenile delinquent drama.

The story begins in 1950.  Nellie Romano (Shelley Winters) is raising her son Nick in the roughest part of Chicago.  She works as a waitress and has not yet informed her son that his father died in the electric chair or that they were unwed.  She has made a family from a group of friends all of which are suffering from addictions or living lives of petty crime or both.  Chief among them is dipsomaniac “Judge” Bruce Mallory Sullivan (Ives).  At a Christmas celebration, Nellie’s friends vow to protect Nick so that he avoids the fate of his father.

Segue to nine years later.  Nick has grown up to be James Darren.  Nellie encourages him to practice for hours a day to become a concert pianist.  Nick is constantly getting into fights in defense of his mother’s honor.  She now works chatting men up for drinks in a clip joint.  Nellie’s friends all continue to look out for him.

Nick’s explosive temper eventually gets him in trouble with the law.  On the bright side, the Judge introduces him to the lawyer who defended his father and his pretty daughter Barbara (Jean Seberg).  Nick finds love and finally gets an audition for the Conservatory of Music.  Nellie’s life takes a turn for the worse when she meets drug pusher Louie Ramponi (Ricardo Montalban).  Her troubles threaten to drag Nick down with her.  With Ella Fitzgerald as a junkie.

Many moments, particularly the drug parts, feel very cliched but basically this is heartfelt and well-acted.  It has the feel of a TV “problem” drama of the period.  I had not seen Fitzgerald act before and I thought she was convincing.  She also sings a couple of songs which is a plus.