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.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

From the Bullet-Riddled Pages of the Best Seller Comes the True Story!

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Average Shot Length = ~10.5 seconds. Median Shot Length = ~10.1 seconds.

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Goofs

(at around 48 mins) During the "take" speech, Falk throws a liquor glass at a door behind him. The glass leaves a dent and opens it a few inches. In the next shot, the door is nearly closed and there is no dent. In the next, it's open wider again and the dent is there.

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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.
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in The Notorious Landlady (1962)

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Soundtracks

Hey! Mister
Written by George David Weiss (as George Weiss)
Performed by May Britt and chorus girls

User Reviews

Peter Falk's debut

Thank God for Turner Classic Movies for digging up obscure stuff like this, not available on video or DVD, that would otherwise disappear. Not that it's that great a movie; it isn't. There are much better gangster films. However, it is notable for two things: it is Peter Falk's debut film, and it names names, something most gangster films before and after didn't do, unless the film was set well into the past. Of course, all the gangsters whose names are given are conveniently dead: Abe Reles, Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, and Albert Anastasia. A notable omission is Meyer Lansky, who was alive at the time and thus could have sued for libel. But a pretty good overview of organized crime in the 30s and 40s. Albert Anastasia, by the way, was the real life model for Johnny Friendly, played by Lee J. Cobb, in "On the Waterfront." He was gunned down in a barber's chair while he was getting a haircut in a New York hotel barbershop in 1957. 8/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 1960 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Murder, Inc.

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