Old Dude, Old Movies - "Most Dangerous Man Alive"

We get this gem from 1961. It's a B-movie, only 80-some minutes long, but it's fun. 

We lived through a post-ironic period where it was hip & cool to make fun of movies like this, with its' dialogue and special effects. Just watch it, and you'll see how much fun it was. It was sci-fi truly steeped in its time. The dialogue is intense, the scenery is beautiful, the cars are shiny and the people move with a purpose.

Australian actor Ron Randell portrayed mob chieftain "Eddie Candell". Eddie is a show-off, flamboyantly carrying on and bringing unwanted attention to the organization. "Andy", the typical ambitious underling (Anthony Caruso) and his well-dressed confederates cook up a plan to oust Eddie and take over the mob in a more sinister direction. The plan works, Eddie framed for murder, sentenced to death and is in the midst of transport to San Quentin when the unexpected happens.

There's an accident, Eddie escapes, and wanders the California desert. Given that this is the '60s, there's always a military base nearby, messing around with those pesky nuclear weapons. It just so happens a detonation test is to occur at the moment Eddie wanders through the restricted area.

(Interesting take on radiation exposure back in that era. No evidence of the dangers of radiation burns, possible cancer effects or other dangerous situations. Back then, exposure was cool. You could get strange powers, like flight, telepathy or super strength.)

Eddie is changed, and uses his new-found abilities to exact revenge on Andy, Andy's girl "Linda" (Debra Paget) and others in the mob. He also encounters his paramour/close friend "Carla" (Elaine Stewart). Each lady snuggles with Eddie at different times, but each lady disregards the risk of getting close to a guy with radiation exposure issues.

There's more gun play, a chase through the desert and some "beat-the-clock"-style urgency.

Paget was in "Stars and Stripes Forever" and the Charlton-Heston-led "Ten Commandments. Stewart was in "Take the High Ground" and "The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond". Both women are gorgeous in this picture. 

If you're a fan of Cold War-era science fiction, you will chuckle at some of the scenes, but overall you will enjoy this one. I did, and will watch it again.