A Reel Retro Review: MURDER, INC (1960)

Reel Speak’s Retro Reviews will randomly review a classic film every week, with the intention of introducing some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

 

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of Disney and Pixar’s MONSTERS, INC (read Reel Speak’s writeup HERE). When that film was in its early stages, long-time Disney animator Joe Grant, whose work stretched back to SNOW WHITE from 1937, suggested the title MONSTERS, INC…which was a play from the 1960 gangster film, MURDER, INC. 

 

Brooklyn, 1930. Hitman Abe Reles (Peter Falk), is hired by mob kingpin Lepke (David J. Stewart) to carry out hits. Abe forces Joey (Stuart Whitman), and his wife Eadie (May Britt), to help him carry out a job to help pay off their loan debt. 

 

Directed by Burt Balaban and Stuart Rosenberg, and based on the true-story book of the same name by Burton Turkus and Sid Feder, MURDER INC. unfolds over the course of a decade, as Abe, under the command of Lepke, carries out hits all across their territories in NYC while evading the long arm of the baffled law. These are early days for organized crime, with prohibition just ending and a second world war still some years away. The cops (at least at the very beginning of the film), have no idea what organized crime is or how far it is spread out across the country…which allows Abe to carry out his hits with ease. 

 

Eventually the law, led by Turkus (Henry Morgan), is able to turn the heat up on the mob, which immediately causes switching allegiances. Eadie is more than willing to give them all up, while Joey is eager to keep his mouth shut. It’s a story of early mob activities with some of the first batch of rats deserting the ship. 

 

As a mob movie, MURDER, INC. works very well. The film has more than its share of violence as guys are stabbed, shot, and thrown out of windows…and a rape scene that is a shock. The film also seems to inspire THE GODFATHER films, with hitmen unscrewing light bulbs and bosses sitting behind large mahogany desks. 

 

Acting is terrific with Peter Falk leading the way in his first role in a major feature. May Britt spends most of the film in a bad mood but is still great to watch. 

 

MURDER, INC. has several instances where the story jumps ahead in time with documentary-style narration to catch everyone up, which is jarring at first but we get used to it. The film serves as good drama while also a slice of history about the American mob in its youth. At a tight 103 minutes the film is no monster, but does a fine job in blending facts with Hollywood drama. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

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Reel Facts:  MURDER, INC. was filmed in and around New York City, with a cast of actors from the off-Broadway theatre. Peter Falk would be nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and would later earn TV fame as Columbo in the long-running series of the same name.