Murder, Inc.
Directed by Burt Balaban and Stuart Rosenberg
Written by Irve Tunick and Mel Barr based on a book by Burton Turkus and Sid Feder
1960/USA
Princess Production Corporation
First viewing/Amazon Instant
[box] Abe “Kid Twist” Reles: [shouting angrily] Take, you see, what you can get your hands on, you take! Don’t ask questions! Take! What you want, take! What I want, I take! Nothing means nothing unless I got it! What do you got hands for! Huh? TAKE![/box]
Peter Falk received a Supporting Actor Oscar nod for his performance in this, the film in which he was “introduced”. Since he is utterly fantastic and has more screen time than anyone else, the movie is more enjoyable than it has a right to be.
It is mid-1930’s America. Prohibition has been repealed. The film is based on the true story of the rise of the organized crime Syndicate, its activities, and efforts to wipe it out. The plot focuses on Lepke Buchhalter (David Stewart), the crime boss in Brooklyn) and the gang of paid assassins that became known as Murder, Inc. This is led by Abe Reles (Falk). Reles is a cold-blooded killer but can be explosive if crossed even slightly.
Reles needs the assistance of small-time singer Joey Collins (Stuart Whitman) to lure one of his first contract hits out into the street. Thereafter, he unwillingly becomes one of his right hand men and Reles makes the lives of Joey and his wife Eadie (May Britt) a misery for several years.
We follow a series of hits and then the long efforts of Assistant D.A. Burton Turkus to bring them to an end.
All the good acting is within the crime family, making the first half of the movie the most entertaining. When we start focusing on the good guys and enforcement, things get a bit dull. May Britt is frankly bad and Whitman is just bland. But whenever Falk appeared on the screen it lit up, and I emerged from the experience feeling thoroughly entertained. Recommended for the curious.
Clip from early in the film
