This is the first of the several black and white films that Frankenheimer made in the sixties, most of them excellent. Although is not as good as The Manchurian Candidate or The Train it has also his usual rigor in the construction of a plot with political implications. Lancaster has a good performance, his appointments with the members of the gangs are enough believable and the trial scene reaches an adequate climax. The film starts with the murder of a blind puertorican boy by three italians guys, members of a gang. Lancaster, who was born in little Italy and has changed his surname Bellini to Bell has to prosecute them as D.A. despite of one of the italians boys is a former gilrlfriend's son.
This was also one of the first playings of Telly Savalas and is remarkable that his performance as a cynical policeman prefigures his later successful in "kojack", although it wasn´t the most appropiate for this film.
This was also one of the first playings of Telly Savalas and is remarkable that his performance as a cynical policeman prefigures his later successful in "kojack", although it wasn´t the most appropiate for this film.