***SPOILERS*** Odd kind of crime flick that has a director Fritz Lang "M" movie like look to it about a small time racketeer Shubunka, Barry Sullivan, who's about to be put out of business not by the law but his fellow criminals. With crime boss Connell, Sheldon Leonard, muscling in on Shubunka's territory in the Neptune Beach section of Brooklyn he's given a choice in joining the party, Cornell's mob, as a $80.00 a week collector or check out of town for good. But before Shubunka makes his exit Cornell want's him to hand over a list of those businesses on the beach who pay him off for protection.
Determined to hold on to his criminal enterprise Shubunka tried to recruit outside mob members, from Detroit Cleveland & Chicago, to keep Cornell and his mobster off his back but doesn't have the funds or cash to do it. As it turns out one of Shubunka's costumers and good friend ice cream and soda shop owner Nick Jammey, Akim Tamikoff, starts to crack under the pressure of the Cornell Mob and soon is forced, in order to save his life, to join them. Everything starts to fall apart for Shubunka's attempt to hold on to power and the final domino to fall is his girlfriend showgirl Nancy Starr, Belita. It's Nancy who after trying to get Shubunka to quit the crime business joined his bitter rival Cornell just to get away from the now paranoid and self destructive hood.
****SPOILERS**** What was the final nail in Shubunka's coffin was something that he was totally innocent of the brutal murder of his friend soda & ice cream owner Nick Jammey. It was accountant Karty, John Ireland, who embezzled his brother in law's business whom he worked for by fixing the books who went first to Shubunka, who turned him down cold, then to Jammey for cash to prevent from getting his legs broken. In a crazed and mindless assault on Jammey, who also refused to give him the money, Karty bash his head in and killed Jammey with a frying pan. With Cornell thinking that it was Shubunka who did in Jammey for joining his outfit he out a hit on him not realizing that Shubunka was totally innocent of his murder. By now Shubunka didn't care what happened to him and with the skies opening up and the rain pouring down on him he just meekly walked out on the dark and rain soaked streets of Neptune Beach to meet what fate has in store for him and thus get his final reward.
Determined to hold on to his criminal enterprise Shubunka tried to recruit outside mob members, from Detroit Cleveland & Chicago, to keep Cornell and his mobster off his back but doesn't have the funds or cash to do it. As it turns out one of Shubunka's costumers and good friend ice cream and soda shop owner Nick Jammey, Akim Tamikoff, starts to crack under the pressure of the Cornell Mob and soon is forced, in order to save his life, to join them. Everything starts to fall apart for Shubunka's attempt to hold on to power and the final domino to fall is his girlfriend showgirl Nancy Starr, Belita. It's Nancy who after trying to get Shubunka to quit the crime business joined his bitter rival Cornell just to get away from the now paranoid and self destructive hood.
****SPOILERS**** What was the final nail in Shubunka's coffin was something that he was totally innocent of the brutal murder of his friend soda & ice cream owner Nick Jammey. It was accountant Karty, John Ireland, who embezzled his brother in law's business whom he worked for by fixing the books who went first to Shubunka, who turned him down cold, then to Jammey for cash to prevent from getting his legs broken. In a crazed and mindless assault on Jammey, who also refused to give him the money, Karty bash his head in and killed Jammey with a frying pan. With Cornell thinking that it was Shubunka who did in Jammey for joining his outfit he out a hit on him not realizing that Shubunka was totally innocent of his murder. By now Shubunka didn't care what happened to him and with the skies opening up and the rain pouring down on him he just meekly walked out on the dark and rain soaked streets of Neptune Beach to meet what fate has in store for him and thus get his final reward.