The Mob (1951) User Reviews (56)

Bartenders Know Everything

[wes-connors · 7/10 · 25 August 2007]

Broderick Crawford is terrific as a police detective going undercover as a longshoreman. The film begins with Mr. Crawford, while off-duty, investigating a shooting; when he arrives, he's told to watch the victim by another detective - only to be left holding the victim (so to speak). After his "error", he is assigned to undercover as longshoreman at a mob-infested dock, and locate dangerous mob boss "Blackie".

On the docks, the film really takes off - the story gets very exciting, with hardly a misstep. The camera is a sharp match for the players and script. Note, Ernest Borgnine throws a swell party. Broderick says "Oh, please…" like he was born yesterday. "The Mob" has enough twists and turns to keep the interest brewing... to a tight ending.

******* The Mob (1951) Robert Parrish ~ Broderick Crawford, Richard Kiley, Ernest Borgnine

Strong Cast of Unknowns Helps Good Crawford Programmer

[boblipton · 8/10 · 26 August 2007]

The title of this review says it all. In 1951, who knew who Ernest Borgnine, Richard Kiley and Charles Buchinsky were? But in this Columbia noir, made after Broderick Crawford became an unlikely star because of ALL THE KING'S MEN has the lead going undercover to investigate racketeering on the docks, we see how good actors can overcome a basically decent script overloaded with 'snappy' dialog, cheap sets and unexceptional directing. The actors are, frankly, amazing and this is as good as a movie can get with a major flaw like this -- ace DP Joseph Walker can't do much with the studio sets and back projection, but he makes a good effort with a highly mobile camera.

Broderick Crawford Making the Docks Safe for Us All

[Henchman_Number1 · 7/10 · 7 July 2013]

Off duty police detective Johnny Damico (Broderick Crawford) lets a killer slip through his hands after witnessing a mob hit. Damico is given a chance to redeem himself by going undercover to break up a waterfront crime racket and find the kingpin that ordered the hit. Damico under the assumed identity of small time New Orleans hoodlum Johnny Flynn, infiltrates the docks to find the 'big guy' known only as Blackie Clegg. Along the way Damico comes across an assortment of characters played by, at the time, relatively unknown actors like Ernest Borgnine, Neville Brand, Richard Kiley, and John Marley. Look for Charles Bronson in one of his earliest screen appearances in an uncredited role as a dock hand.

Director Robert Parrish works what might have been routine police procedural crime drama into an edge of the seat mystery. A lot of the credit has to be given to writer William Bowers who Parrish teamed up with on his previous movie Cry Danger starring Dick Powell. Both enjoy a fast paced script with tongue in cheek banter, hinting of the same style that Bowers would use almost twenty years later when he wrote the script for Support Your Local Sheriff! While an actor like Powell would seem better suited for this type role, Crawford just off an Oscar win for All the Kings Men two years before, comes off surprisingly natural as a wise cracking undercover cop.

The Mob though listed as film noir really isn't noir in the classic sense though it does have some of the elements. The Mob is an enjoyable 1950's style mystery crime drama. The run time of 87 minutes breezes by and keeps you guessing. Fans of the genre will enjoy this one.

Good quality cops vs. mob picture

[woodway77 · 6/10 · 26 August 2007]

Consistent with its simplistic title, "The Mob" is a straightforward cops vs. mob story starring the reliably tough Broderick Crawford. He goes undercover among the longshoremen after being 'suspended' from his police-detective job. He's trying to find the big cheese controlling extortion and payoffs on the docks, and meets up with several shady (or actually criminal) characters along the way. Crawford is his usual no-nonsense self, working his way into the scene with an abrasive coating over a good-cop personality. Neville Brand and Ernest Borgnine have a few scenes as mobsters, and Crawford's dockside pal is played by Richard Kiley. The only confusing part for me was that the TCM description stated that Crawford's character goes "from California to New Orleans" to discover the mob crime, but as far as I can tell, he leaves "town" (wherever that is) briefly, then returns by ship in his undercover mode to the place where he started. Overall, a good-quality crime-fighter movie, worth watching on Saturday night for a B/W movie fan.

Did Elia Kazan know about this movie when he made "On the Waterfront"?

[jdeureka · 7/10 · 28 January 2014]

I got to ask -- because so much of the plot of "On the Waterfront" is here. Broderick Crawford is first rate (not as good as in "All the King's Men"); because Crawford has none of the depth and range of Brando. Plus, this is not a longshoreman's movie -- it's the cops' movie. The police are the key players; they get the full camera foreground and background. But how could "On the Waterfront" (1954) have existed without "The Mob" (1951)? All the character and story leads are here -- plus our hero gets a threatening backseat ride in the car with a gun pointed at his gut. The police forensic details are excellent; not hokey (and probably based on WW2 techniques?). It's surprising this movie isn't better known. Again, quality-wise, it's not "A+" as a film -- more like "B+". It's got long, excellent passages that are then followed by filler, Hollywood product (like the scenes with Ernest Borgnine). But what's great about "The Mob" is how when it works it rings true about the life and struggles of blue collar Americans just after the victory of WW2. Where's their victory? Except for the cops. In sum, tough minded doozie of a film.

Tough Crime Movie with Dialogue Reminiscent of the Star's Real Mother

[Handlinghandel · 7/10 · 26 August 2007]

Broderick Crawford plays a cop in this excellent crime drama. (I wouldn't call it a film noir but I'd say it got to the location of "On the Waterfront" first. And, in my very humble opinion, pulled together a better story.) The dialogue has a snappy edge that isn't found much in gangster movies of this period. The guys -- and it's mostly all guys here -- have a sarcastic way of communicating. They talk like athletes or construction workers. I've been both and I know. A lot of calling each other cheerleaders and other ways of joking about their masculinity. But it's done in a good-natured, blue collar. There is no hint of anti-gay sentiment.

Broderick Crawford generally seems so different from his mother it's hard to imagine they were related in that way. But here we pick up his casually comic timing.

Crawford is excellent as a policeman who goes undercover on the docks. Richard Kiley shines as one of the guys -- giving nothing away, here -- he deals with. And Matt Crowley is fine as another. (I checked on him and he played Walter Burns in a TV version of "The Front Page in 1945. Wow! I didn't know there WAS TV in 1945.) The actress playing Crawford's girlfriend isn't bad. She plays a nurse and she seems wholesome. Wholesome and dull. She seems to have few film credits.

This has an authentic feel. And it's different, too. It's definitely a keeper.

Realism With Panache

[Maliejandra · 9/10 · 30 May 2014]

I saw The Mob at Cinevent in 2013 and it was the best film of the weekend. This tight noir is filled with great one-liners and unexpected twists.

Broderick Crawford plays a cop who goes undercover as a hoodlum to try to take down a crime ring. We constantly question whether he is totally legit because his mouth is just as tough as the criminals' he's working to put in jail. The story keeps moving and if you blink you might miss something, but the plot never quite gets away from the viewer. This is realism done with panache. It is unfortunate that this movie has had no formal release because it is certainly worth seeing.

Impostures galore

[MikeMagi · 7/10 · 26 May 2015]

Rarely has a movie had as many impersonations as "The Mob." Let's see...it starts out when a cop shoots a hood but it turns out that the cop wasn't a real policeman, just a gunzel with a stolen badge. And the hood was actually an undercover detective. So Broderick Crawford is sent to the waterfront to investigate, disguised as a longshoreman from New Orleans. That brings him together with Richard Kiley who isn't the dock worker he pretends to be, a bartender known as Smoothie who's leading a double life and even a local cop with an alternate identity. The odd thing is that despite the impostures, it's a very entertaining movie with a tough, brash performance by Crawford and first-rate support from Richard Kiley, Neville Brand and Ernest Borgnine.

The Damico Dilligence.

[hitchcockthelegend · 8/10 · 31 January 2014]

The Mob is directed by Robert Parish and adapted to screenplay by William Bowers from the novel written by Ferguson Findley. It stars Broderick Crawford, Betty Buehler, Richard Kiley, Otto Hulett, Matt Crowley, Neville Brand, Ernest Borgnine and Jean Alexander. Music is by George Duning and cinematography by Joseph Walker.

Cop Johnny Damico (Crawford) is fooled by a mob killer during the slaying of a witness and is chastised by his superiors. Sent undercover to infiltrate the waterfront organisation to flush out the killer, Damico faces danger at every turn.

He's a cop who is hell bent on atoning for what could basically be a career ruining error. It's this core essence that really oils the pistons of this tough and under seen slice of crime cinema. Awash with characters so shifty it's hard to locate a moral compass in the mix, director Robert Parrish (Cry Danger) takes a standard under cover plot and elevates it to a riveting tale of corruption, paranoia and the search for redemption at any cost.

William Bowers' script positively pings with the sort of dialogue you could cut a joint of beef with, with most of it spat from the mouth of the excellent Crawford. No matter what the situation, what the danger, Damico has a quip or a put down to always exude a calm and carefree menace, he literally is a sardonic miserablist who is unflappable. It's a wonderful characterisation that's helped enormously by a screenplay that contains some surprises, with a nifty plot line standing out that sees Damico hired by the mob to enact a hit on himself! Wonderful.

Parrish keeps the atmosphere side of things on the boil, always ensuring that Damico could be snuffed out at any moment, while Walker's (The Velvet Touch) photography is tight to the plotting. Around Crawford are a raft of familiar faces from film noir, with the villain roll call considerably boosted by Borgine and Brand. From the quite excellent opening murder played out in the nighttime rain, story unfolds in a whirl of sarcasm, set-ups, machismo, stand-offs and mobster machinations. The Mob, under seen and under valued, add it to your "to see lists", especially if you be a fan of Brod Crawford. 8/10

Unusual Hollywood Movie

[RoundTripTicket · 7/10 · 18 January 2022]

Imagine a movie where all the leads are ugly, overweight, and old, and the bit players (Bronson) are the handsome ones. No need to imagine anymore! I especially enjoyed Crawford, who could school Clint Eastwood in how to be a man.

Great fun.

A Great Variety of Talent and Soon to be Stars, Kind of like a 5 Pound Box of Fine Chocolates of the Movie Screen!

[redryan64 · 9/10 · 26 August 2007]

Broderick Crawford won the Oscar for Best Performance for ALL THE KING'S MEN(Columbia, 1949). This crime drama, THE MOB, was undoubtedly planned as a vehicle tailor made for him.

We see that this film is classified as Film Noir, of which it does seem to have the dark, brooding and the impossible situations for there to be any successful conclusion/happy ending. But this ending is sort of up beat, and it's even one that would fit as the fade-out finale of one of the Chester Morris/Columbia Pictures' BOSTON BLACKIE entries.

The beginning of the movie is done in a somewhat slowly revealing, deliberate and methodical scene that keeps the audience guessing about the integrity of main character,Police Detective,Johnny Damico(Broderick Crawford). His quick paced banter with a jeweler over a diamond ring and its value is just vague enough to lead us to believing It to be some sort of shady deal. Ultimately we learn that Det. Damico and Mr.Jeweler are well acquainted, even friends. The Detective is shown to be a man and an Officr of the Law who has good, decent beliefs and behaviour.

Quite by accident, Det. Damico runs into an on-view shooting. The shooter identifies self as a Police Detective Lieutennant and presents Shield and ID to Damico. It is dark, rainy and the "Lieutennant" manages to split from the scene.

After all is found out, the Police Commissioner assigns the Detective to go underground to ferret out the cause of recent killings, including including that of the real Police Lt. whose shield was used by the unknown killer.

At this point, the story really takes off as Damico feigns the role of a trouble making bad guy from New Orleans. The undercover role takes him to the Waterfront and taking the position as a Longshoreman.

Now at this point, it appears that the film was a story of Labor Racketeering and the corruption that flows from the scene of such an unsavory operation. It sort of resembles, ever so briefly, the not yet made ON THE WATERFRONT(Columbia,1954).

But no dice, once again the Director and production shifts gears and the storyline skews toward resemblance to the Detective Stories that populated the Pulp Magazines and those Radio Dramas which were adapted from the Pulps.

Once again, we see a variant on the theme as the new source of inspiration appears to be the Comic Book cops-n-robbers story as exemplified by Will Eisner's THE SPIRIT.* The chase and the eventual revealing of the Hide-Out HQ and, especially the true identity of the Underworld big shot are especially reminiscent of an Eisner written and illustrated story.

But, then again, we see another aspect of this story in the inclusion of some ultra modern,"Super Scientific",electronic crime-bustin' technology. They seem to take a queue from the James Cagney starring film, WHITE HEAT (Warner Brothers 1949). At a late point in the story, tracking a vehicle via the use of infra red light and pinpointing a location by radio Tri Angulation is introduced.

The film has an interesting cast of people who DON'T look like movie stars. They look very ordinary and much like a cast of characters that you would see in the real world. But that does not mean that there was not talent on display. The Acting Abilities of the cast members are super abundant, as shown by the rise in prominence of so many of the players in the subsequent years.

So, we are treated to performances by the likes of: Mary Kierman, Richard Kiley,Otto Hulett,Matt Crowley**,Neville Brand, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Frank DeKova, Lawrence Dobkin and others.

And, please don't you think that it the purpose of this writer to pan or degrade this film, far from it. The only thing that I can say is: "Hey 'MOB', where have you been all my Life?"

* Much like THE SPIRIT, this offers its moments of levity and the Story is propelled along at a good clip, powered by some clever, witty and even funny dialog.

** Is this the same Matt Crowley who enjoyed a fine career as a Radio Actor, portraying among others, BUCK ROGERS?

ADDENDUM: 9/23/09. The answer is (after all this time is a most emphatic "YES!" It turns out that the multi-media actor was active in Radio (BUCK ROGERS), the Movies (THE MOB), Broadway Stage (THE FRONT PAGE)as well as a multitude of TV Shots too numerous to list here.

Gritty, Fast-Moving & Well-Written

[seymourblack-1 · 7/10 · 8 January 2019]

Based on Ferguson Findley's novel "Waterfront", this crime thriller about an undercover police investigation is gritty, fast-moving and well-written with some wonderfully sharp dialogue and a well constructed plot that features interesting characters and plenty of surprises. It also doesn't pull any punches in the way that it depicts the hard and often violent conditions experienced by the longshoremen who have to work on a city's waterfront where corruption and rackets are rife.

Off-duty Detective Sergeant Johnny Damico (Broderick Crawford) is walking home one rainy night when he witnesses a shooting by a man who produces a police badge and identifies himself as a Lieutenant from another precinct before rushing off to call for assistance. Damico initially tries to help the victim but when the shooter doesn't return, becomes suspicious and telephones his own precinct to report the incident. Damico gets reprimanded for being taken in by the killer and threatened with the loss of his pension. His senior officer, Lieutenant Banks (Otto Hulett) explains that the murder victim was due to testify before a grand jury investigating crime on the waterfront and the shooter is believed to be the man in charge of the waterfronts rackets.

Damico is offered the chance to redeem himself by going undercover as a dock worker so that he can investigate how the rackets work and identify the top man. The tough cop readily accepts the offer and an article that's placed in a local newspaper to announce that he's been suspended from duty is accompanied by a photograph of someone else. He's also given a new identity as Tim Flynn, a New Orleans petty criminal who's looking for work on the docks. Damico rents a room at "The Royal" hotel on the waterfront and soon befriends a longshoreman named Tom Clancy (Richard Kiley) and the hotel bartender, Smoothie (Matt Crowley).

Damico witnesses rackets such as workers being compelled to donate to a phony collection for an allegedly-injured co-worker in order to be given two days work and having gained the impression that someone called Castro is influential on the waterfront, uses his boss' name to get work and is given a job driving a forklift. Culio (Frank DeKova), the driver that he replaces, gets very resentful and soon after Damico (aka Flynn) comes in for some unwelcome attention from the seemingly crooked Joe Castro (Ernest Borgnine) and his henchman Gunner (Neville Brand). Things soon get worse however, after he gets framed for Culio's murder and brutalised by a corrupt police detective before eventually discovering the real identity of the waterfront's crime boss.

"The Mob" is intriguing because so many things in it are not as they seem and that old film noir motif, "characters with unreliable identities" is exploited to the full. Broderick Crawford, who is equally convincing as Damico and Flynn, is a perfect choice for his dual role and this is vital to the success of the film because he's so central to everything that happens Considering its status as a minor film noir, most people will probably find it far more entertaining than they expect it to be.

"You can buy a lot of smiles with $10,000."

[brogmiller · 5/10 · 20 October 2021]

Having previously edited 'All the King's Men' which elevated Broderick Crawford from 'B' to 'A' status, Robert Parrish makes his directorial debut here with Mr. Crawford again in the lead.

Although classed as 'Film Noir' this is essentially a gangster film featuring the sociopaths, psychopaths, sadists and assorted low-lifes that audiences seem to find eternally fascinating. There are only so many plots and here we have a variation on the theme of the cop going underground to expose organised crime. This is very much a man's world in which the dockland setting provides ample opportunity for a lot of tough talking and mucho macho posturing which after a while becomes rather monotonous.

As one would expect the film is technically proficient in terms of editing and musical score but there are alas too many mediocre actors on display. Notable exceptions of course are Ernest Borgnine who was himself soon to be promoted to class 'A' in 'Marty' and one of Hollywood's best 'heavies' Neville Brand. This marks the film debut of actor/singer Richard Kiley whose best work by far was in the theatre where he was able to utilise his excellent baritone. If you blink you are likely to miss an uncredited Charles Bronson as a longshoreman. What can one possibly say of Broderick Crawford? One of cinema's genuine characters (and heaviest drinkers) he excelled within the limitations set by his looks and physique and was fortunate enough to be gifted some fine roles.

Mr. Parrish went on to better things(mostly) and does well here with the material at his disposal.

Not the Usual Noir

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 28 May 2020]

Broderick Crawford is playing and Sgt in the police who gets conned big time. He witnesses a shooting and then believes another policeman did the shooting. He takes a look at the badge from the other guy, and lets him walk into a store to phone it in. Only he walks out the back of the store and gets away.

The next day, he is officially suspended from the force and goes undercover to try and catch the killer. This leads him into a seedy world where his life is in danger. His relationship with his girlfriends and his life is put on hold.

There is a lot of good drama and some pretty fair action in this one. Guest cast includes Ernest Borgnine before he becomes real famous later in Marty. There's a fairly good cast for a film that is pretty much B quality with some A level cast and some A level camera work. The script is pretty decent too.

In a way, this one leads to another feature later where the mustached Crawford would play a mob boss name Lupo who would indeed be the evil side. Broderick does a fine job playing the cop and the mob guy. Check out that other film later to see him show it. (That one features Anne Bancroft)

Does an honest day's work bring an honest day's pay?

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 17 November 2015]

When a cop drops a name, it usually isn't a racketeer's. However, in the case of humiliated officer Broderick Crawford, he's willing to make an exception. Taking on an undercover assignment after allowing a killer to escape because of a fake badge, Crawford manipulates his way onto the rackets of the waterfront where his name dropping gets him an introduction to the big man. Making both friends with the mob and enemies with the law, he manages to get away with his plan, but will his luck continue?

Great atmosphere provides for an intriguing crime drama that truly is one of the better film noir of the early 1950's. Toss in future Oscar Winner Ernest Borgnine along with recent winner Crawford, here on the right side of the law as opposed to his memorable characters in All the King's Men and Born Yesterday.

Nobody is who they appear to be in this, with lots of shady characters who are really cops and a few on the opposite. A sassy screenplay is filled with delightfully macho tough dialog that keeps dropping feminine comments about various characters who are dropped down a peg or two by various low-lives.

While there are a few women involved in the plot, there isn't an unnecessary romantic plot to pad this out needlessly. This is definitely a guy's film and is clever and complex without being pretentious. Look for Richard Kiley and Charles Bronson.

Surprisingly decent mob drama

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 26 July 2018]

THE MOB is a fine little slice of film noir which stars Broderick Crawford in the best performance I've seen him give. He plays a cop who goes undercover as a dock worker to bring down a crime boss, uncovering murder and corruption along the way. Shades of ON THE WATERFRONT in the setting and photography, although this film predates that one. It's an enlivened little picture thanks to a cracking script full of great tough-guy dialogue and the like, and when you get a cast to make it work, it really works. Look out for a youthful Ernest Borgnine as a baddie and Neville Brand in his usual heavy performance. Despite his size, Crawford delivers an energetic turn and holds his own with the best of them, making this film above average for the genre.

An exceptional lesser-known example of Film Noir

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 28 May 2008]

Broderick Crawford plays a cop who goes undercover to infiltrate the mob. And to make them think he's "their kind of guy" he comes into town with a major attitude and a willingness to slug anyone who gets in his way. However, this is no routine assignment, as there are lots of dangerous twists and turns and repeatedly it appears he's about to buy the farm. I particularly loved the very tense and rather violent ending in the hospital---you just have to see it to understand.

This film has one of the most important ingredients of Film Noir down pat--it has one of the ugliest casts in film history!! True lovers of this gritty genre know that actors in such films can't be "pretty boys" but ugly and cold-blooded killers. That's why when I saw this film starred Broderick Crawford (king of the hard-drinking ugly actors), Ernest Borgnine and Neville Brand (the scariest looking thug in film history) I was thrilled to see it. Now this ISN'T meant as an insult--I am just stating a fact necessary for a good Noir film. Great Noir abounds with ugly mugs like Edmund O'Brien, John Ireland and John McGraw--though the cast in THE MOB is among the ugliest and therefore best in genre history. In addition to ugly and menacing men, the film also features realistic and gritty violence, tough dialog, lots of great shadows and camera angles as well as a taut script--and all are in THE MOB in spades. All the elements needed for exceptional Noir--so it certainly wasn't a surprise that I really enjoyed the film.

If you love Noir, you will love this film. If you don't, then watch this film anyways!! Then, try some other great Noir films like THE KILLERS, DOA, KISS OF DEATH and ASPHALT JUNGLE--then you, too, will most likely be hooked!!

follow the good guy around town

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 11 January 2021]

Broderick Crawford is D'Amico, the cop who agrees to go undercover to track down the leader of the dockworker syndicate. they have the local muscle guys, who enforce a pay to play system if they want to work that day. there are some twists and turns in here, but it pretty much goes off without a hitch. Ernest Borgnine in one of his first film roles. it's good. we follow D'Amico around as he fights and blusters his way into everyone's office. one of the first films directed by Robert Parrish, who had worked his way up the various jobs in film making. Book by Ferguson Findley. it's pretty good. a snapshot of the times.

"I Should Have Gone Fishing..."

[richardchatten · 8/10 · 14 November 2019]

Three years before 'On the Waterfront' Broderick Crawford was already there busting the rackets in this tough little thriller backed by a big police operation with advanced surveillance technology at its disposal, a wisecracking script by William Bowers, atmospheric photography by veteran Columbia cameraman Joe Walker and a creepy supporting cast of ugly young faces including Ernest Borgnine, Neville Brand, Charles Bronson and John Marley to give big Brod a friendly reception...

I Like When I See Faces I Recognize

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 28 June 2022]

There's something exciting about watching an old movie and seeing an actor in it that you recognize from something a lot later.

The first time I saw Ernest Borgnine on screen was in the movie "Super Fuzz." It's a silly obscure movie about a cop who gained superpowers when he witnessed a nuclear explosion. His powers could only be undone when he saw the color red. I watched the movie over and over as a kid. Ernest Borgnine played the elder partner of the superpowered cop. Now I got to see him as a young gangster. What a thrill.

Ernest wasn't the star of "The Mob" though, he played a gangster named Castro in charge of the docks. The star was Broderick Crawford as Johnny Damico, a cop. While off duty he'd witnessed a cold blooded murder, but let the murderer walk when he showed him a fake badge. That slip up by Damico was enough to get him in trouble with his superiors, though his punishment was a bit untraditional. He was assigned to go undercover to infiltrate the mob and find Blackie Klegg, the mobster responsible for the murder.

First the police released a fake photo of Damico in the paper to throw the mob off of his trail. Then he was to come to town on a boat from New Orleans and pretend to be a hood from there named Tim Flynn. The hopes were that he could get in good with the mob and take them down from the inside.

I liked "The Mob" because of its mystery and role playing. We never saw the face of the killer, so he could've been anyone Damico met while undercover. Furthermore, while Damico was undercover he had to play it up being a hood which meant putting himself in some precarious positions. I think of it as an early version of "Donnie Brasco" or other movies of that ilk.

Free with Amazon Prime.

Entertaining Mob Movie With Some Great Lines

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 7 September 2009]

This was a good film because (1) it was fairly fast-moving; (2) had some humorous and clever dialog; (3) was nicely photographed; (4) and had solid acting. It's tough to ask for a whole lot more.

I'm surprised this film has never been issued on VHS or DVD, at least not to my knowledge. It has well-known actors: Broderick Crawford, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Kiley, Neville Brand and others.

The beginning was very original. Our cop hero, "Johnny Damico" (Crawford) comes across a killing and stops a man in the pouring rain who is standing over a dead body. The upright man has a gun in his hand. Damico stops him, but the man pleads "Don't shoot; I'm a cop" and shows him his badge. "Okay," says Damico, and hands the man back his badge and gun. He then tells him to go over to the nearby drug store and phone this one in while he stays with the body. That's the last our man sees the "cop" who, it turns out, had a fake badge and really was the killer. Unfortunately, the good guy never really got much of a look on the bad guy, too.

Damico, being spared walking the beat for the rest of his life or being demoted to kindergarten monitor - or just plain being kicked out of the force for his (understandable) mistake - is given the option of atoning by infiltrating the local longshoreman's union and getting the goods on the big mobster in town. That part is nothing new in films but it was interesting to see how Crawford talked his way deeper and deeper into the mob.

Also, the characters in this film were colorful. The amount of wisecracks, insults and the like also added greatly to the enjoyment of this film. There were excellent film-noir-type lines in here.Yet, this movie had more of a straight drama or crime film than "noir." The only thing that was odd was when one of the "dames" in here told Crawford a couple of times how cute he was. Broderick Crawford "cute?" Now, there's a first!

"When the tenement crowd go slumming they come here"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 7/10 · 30 April 2017]

'The Mob' stars Broderick Crawford as a suspended policeman who goes undercover down the waterfront to investigate racketeering and find the boss of bosses. It takes time for him to wangle his way into the mob which he does with toughness and intelligence and discover some people who are not what they seem. It is well directed by Robert Parrish and filmed by Joseph Walker. (The initial scene in the rain is excellently shot).

Crawford is very good and he is ably supported by familiar but welcome actors; Ernest Borgnine, Richard Kiley, Neville Brand, John Marley and Ralph Dumke. Charles Bronson appears very briefly. Betty Buehler as the girlfriend has only a minor role (and only had a very short film career) but is warm and likable in her short scenes.

The main strength of the film is the wonderful hard boiled dialogue delivered enthusiastically by the cast. One wonders how much of it was in the original novel by Ferguson Findley or was added by William Bowers who wrote the screenplay. George Duning provides a good music score.

Cleaning Up The Docks

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 27 August 2007]

After Broderick Crawford won his Oscar for All the King's Men, Columbia Pictures put him into a potboiler called Cargo to Capetown. AFter that he did the second role that is identified with him on screen in Born Yesterday. After that one, Harry Cohn once again gave him a potboiler noir about a police lieutenant going undercover to clean up the docks.

In the beginning of the film Crawford happens to be on the scene of a murder and when the actual killer flashes a badge at him, Crawford lets him go. Turns out the deceased was a key witness in a mob investigation.

Instead of hanging him out to dry with Internal Affairs which would be what really would happen as all devoted watchers of NYPD Blue know, Crawford is assigned to go undercover to ferret out the mysterious boss of the rackets plaguing the docks.

Call me picky, but I would think the last guy they would send undercover would be another material witness to a homicide. Yet that's what happens here.

The premise is so dumb, I can't give this film a higher rating. But in fact The Mob is blessed with an incredible cast of name players just starting out. Neville Brand, Richard Kiley, Ernest Borgnine, even an easily recognizable Charles Bronson who has only one line of dialog are all in this film. Fifteen years later this cast would have cost Columbia Pictures a small fortune and wouldn't be wasted on a black and white B film, souped up for Broderick Crawford.

If you're expecting On the Waterfront, don't be looking at this film.

Undercover Brod

[st-shot · 6/10 · 14 December 2020]

Detective Johnny Damico (Broderick Crawford) in search of a gift for his future wife comes across a murder scene. The killer dupes Damico into thinking he's a cop and skips. Humiliated and in danger of losing his badge he agrees to go undercover along the waterfront and work to break up a corrupt racket more than likely tied in with the murder of a cop.

There's an excess of close-ups in The Mob and when you are dealing with mugs the likes of Brod Crawford, Ernie Borgnine and Neville Brand, a thuggish expressionism evoking Georges Grosz evolves within scenes. The lummox like Crawford depending more on sarcasm than wit looks very much at home as a dock walloper managing to handle a forklift and downing drinks while alienating co-workers and Mr.Big. Not exactly the most deft undercover agent scenes devolve into screaming matches as Johnny looks for new ways to irritate instead of gathering evidence.

Robert Parrish direction is indistinctive outside of the opening table setter scenes and the expressionistic portraiture. It becomes static after that, leaving you rooting for hapless Brod as Johnny while on the look out for sightings of Charles Bronson and John Marley at the very start of their careers along with Ernie.

love the start

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 14 November 2020]

One rainy night, police detective Johnny Damico (Broderick Crawford) is on his way home when a man claiming to be a police detective shots and kills Tony Rogers. The man walks away unnoticed. Tony Rogers turns out to be a witness for a gang related case. Damico is officially suspended. In reality, he is the only one who has seen the unknown murderer and his bosses send him undercover to investigate. He is given a fake identity to infiltrate the underworld.

I love the start and the general premise is pretty good. In general, I like the plotting. Crawford is fine as a cop. The fake identity is supposed to be working at the docks. I'm glad that he shaved the moustache and used his uncle's picture. He does transform himself into a rougher character and that's very commendable. Maybe if he could get more scruff. His face is a little soft. Otherwise, it has the violence and grim to give a sense of the docks and the criminal world. It's a compelling noir in tone, style, and performances.