Murder, Inc. (1960)

The rise and fall of a 1930's Brooklyn crime syndicate, known as Murder Incorporated, led by mobster Lepke Buchalter.

Directors:

Burt Balaban, Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

Irve Tunick (screenplay), Mel Barr (screenplay)

Stars:

Stuart Whitman, May Britt, Henry Morgan

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stuart Whitman	...	Joey Collins
May Britt	...	Eadie Collins
Henry Morgan	...	Burton Turkus
Peter Falk	...	Abe Reles
David J. Stewart	...	Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter
Simon Oakland	...	Det. Sgt. William Tobin
Sarah Vaughan	...	Singer
Morey Amsterdam	...	Walter Sage
Eli Mintz	...	Joe Rosen
Joseph Bernard	...	Mendy Weiss
Warren Finnerty	...	Bug Workman
Vincent Gardenia	...	Lazlo
Helen Waters	...	Mrs. Corsi
Leon B. Stevens	...	Loughran
Howard Smith	...	Albert Anastasia (as Howard I. Smith)

Storyline

Based on the true-life book of lawman Burton Turkus, this movie chronicles the rise and fall of the organized crime syndicate known as Murder, Incorporated. Focusing on powerful boss Lepke and violent hitman Reles.

---

Plot Keywords:

true crime | organized crime | crime boss | new york city | brooklyn new york city | 

---

Taglines:

The Most Notorious Killers-for-Hire in History!

---

Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 1960 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Asesinato S.A.

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Princess Production Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min 99 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The feature film debut of Sylvia Miles.

---

Goofs

During the credits, when Abe Reles' first victim is shown lying on the stairs dead after being shot, he is clearly breathing.

---

Quotes

Abe "Kid Twist" Reles: Hey, Joe, c'mon in, we've been waitin' for you.
[Reles lets Joey Collins into the luxury apartment he has been using]
Joey Collins: Eadie, I'd like to talk to you.
[to his wife sitting in the living room]
Abe "Kid Twist" Reles: Hey, Joe, listen, Joe, I was just telling Eadie, that you know, you're both friends of mine and I like ya, what I'd like to do is I'd like for you and Eadie to have this apartment.
Joey Collins: We don't want it.
Abe "Kid Twist" Reles: What do you mean, you don't want it?
Joey Collins: Well, just what I said.
Abe "Kid Twist" Reles: Well, maybe, Eadie wants it.
Joey Collins: Well, she doesn't.
[...]

---

Connections

Referenced in Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

---

Soundtracks

Fan My Brow
Written by George David Weiss (as George Weiss)
Performed by Sarah Vaughan

User Reviews

Minor b&w gangster picture with a memorable debut performance from Peter Falk.

An uneasy mix of fact, fiction and melodrama that purports to explain and expose the rise of organised crime in America. Real names are used for those that had - at that point in time (1960) - died.

Hollywood's relationship with the mob is an interesting one. Not just the host of obvious stories that could be turned in to easy box office or TV shows, but also the way the mob was used by the Hollywood studios to get what they wanted. Which was usually getting a film made with as few problems as possible. One of the ways the "Cali Crew" earned a few extra dollars was controlling extras (sometimes through crooked unions) - because without extras no film can be made.

The fact that they put money in gangsters pockets makes any condemnation rather dubious.

Falk seems to represent a whole group of (real life) mad killers who did the dirty work for the big bosses. Morality to one side, these mad killers built the mob by wiping out those awkward souls that didn't want to play ball and to prove they meant business.

Ironically Falk (in his debut role!) has a certain charisma that doesn't really fit the role totally and this weakens him as a gangster/killer who simply "takes what he wants" - and that includes women! The film starts well enough and involves the fairly common theme of the innocent (or the more innocent) being dragged in because of debt or social situation. Of headline interest, David J Stewart plays Lepke a gangster that gets double crossed by the authorities (or his own side if you want to believe that version of history) and gets the electric chair.

This isn't a spoiler because this is a side plot. Indeed several of the side-plots have their own film - Lepke (with Tony Curtis) being the most obvious.

While just about keeping ahead of cheap melodrama and cliché the film has too much baggage. The most heavy being the portrayal of the police as honest as the day is long (oh yeah!) There is also a tragic romance (involving May Britt - who later married Sammy Davis Junior) which seems to take over the production at the half way point.

By the 1960's America had had enough of rackets and petty criminals that wanted to pick everyone's pockets. While the mob carry on today, the harsh light of publicity has made their job harder - you can't run secret societies when everyone knows about them. This film makes a statement that these people are no longer welcome and "something must be done." Because of this there is no real grand climax - the film just ends at a point of minor poetic justice.