Review of The Mob (1951) by Steven P — 10 Jun 2014

Wednesday, June 11, 2014.

(1951) The Mob.

CRIME THRILLER/ MYSTERY/ SUSPENSE.

Based on a novel written by Ferguson Findley called "Waterfront", the first few minutes has homicide cop, Johnny Damico (Broderick Crawford) coincidently come across a shooting after buying an engagement ring. Because it was rainy and dark, Johnny managed to point his gun from behind, and at the same time demand him to show his identification by throwing it toward him from behind. Showing only his back, the perpetrator then throws him a police badge, and this convinces Johnny that the guy that was doing the shooting was really a cop. He lets him go and instead of looking at what this guy really looked like, he then went toward the body instead. The perpetrator who Johnny thought was a cop then informs him that he's going back to the store to call for police reinforcements. And by the time the police did come, they tell Johnny that no one called them at all, and that they were just passing through. Johnny then rushes back into the store where the unknown assailant told him he was going to be and finds him to gone with the store clerk telling him that he only came in only so that he can leave in the back door. Later, it is soon revealed that the guy that shot this guy in cold blood wasn't really a cop after all, but is really a witness. Instead of punishing Johnny for not seeing what this guy looked like first, they then order him to go undercover to work as a longshoremen since that is where this guys death is connected to. So when Johnny agrees, the police then give him a new identification, going by the name of Tim Flynn ordered to complete two objectives 1) to find out the actual identification of a unknown gangster nicknamed "Blackie Clay" and to expose the corruption as well as the people who were part of the longshoreman racket.

From watching this movie, it looked like that it was influenced by another well known movie also about corruption that occur in longshoreman work called "On The Waterfront" directed by the much popular Elia Kazan, but viewers will see that "The Mob" was really made three years earlier. The other thing that is notable is Charles Bronson uncredited small screen appearance as one of the longshoreman workers- it's that small. And because viewers don't see Oscar winning actor, Broderick Crawford in many likable roles, this is rather a nice change for him as he's playing a principled hardboiled cop, showcasing some of the believable tactics police officers used to practiced to nab the bad guys back in those days. This movie is tough, gritty and shouldn't be missed.

3 stars out of 4.