THE ENFORCER (1951, USA, 87m, PG) ***½
Crime, Film-Noir, Thriller
dist. Warner Bros.; pr co. United States Pictures; d. Bretaigne Windust; w. Martin Rackin; pr. Milton Sperling; ph. Robert Burks (B&W | 1.37:1); m. David Buttolph; ed. Fred Allen; ad. Charles H. Clarke.
cast: Humphrey Bogart (Dist. Atty. Martin Ferguson), Zero Mostel (Big Babe Lazick), Ted de Corsia (Joseph Rico), Everett Sloane (Albert Mendoza), Roy Roberts (Capt. Frank Nelson), Michael Tolan (James (Duke) Malloy (as Lawrence Tolan)), King Donovan (Sgt. Whitlow), Bob Steele (Herman), Adelaide Klein (Olga Kirshen), Don Beddoe (Thomas O’Hara), Tito Vuolo (Tony Vetto), John Kellogg (Vince), Jack Lambert (Philadelphia Tom Zaca).
Dark and moody crime thriller in which crime boss Albert Mendoza (Sloane) has been running a notorious ring of hired hit men and District Attorney Martin Ferguson (Bogart) has been hunting him down. When Ferguson cuts a deal with Mendoza’s henchman Joe Rico (De Corsia), the mob boss is finally arrested. However, a fearful Rico dies before he can testify leaving Ferguson to re-examine years of potential evidence, desperately searching for something to incriminate the gangster with. Straight telling of the story in a series of flashbacks leaves little room for characterisation but makes for an efficient thriller. Burks’ shadowy photography helps build atmosphere and the tension is held throughout by Windust’s (and Walsh’s) sure direction. Mostel puts in a good performance as a nervy bystander and Bogart adds his usual authority to his role of the obsessive DA. Raoul Walsh stepped in to direct (uncredited) when Windust was taken ill. UK release title: MURDER, INC.
