I'm surprised that MGM didn't cast Gene Kelly's three time costar Frank Sinatra in his role as while dark haired and determined, Kelly isn't exactly someone who oozes Italiano let alone Siciliano. But he's good, in fact very good, totally serious, and giving one of his best performances as an idealistic first generation Italian American who goes up against an old organization, as old as Italy itself, the mob, here referred to by its old fashioned name, the black hand, an extortion racket that terrified hard working and usually poor American citizens of Italian decent too frightened to fight back.
I'd be frightened too by assassinations of family members and neighbors who went up against them, or brutally beaten and left off much worse than the dead. Kelly has suffered torture after his father was brutally murdered (seen in shadow, and quite disturbing) and his mother sat in grief doing nothing for the remainder of her life. He's beaten when he dares to even begin to question, and involves an honest Italian American cop in his efforts, beautifully played by J. Carroll Naish, leading to more violence and public outcry for the legal system to do something.
This film outside of Kelly focuses on story and atmosphere to tell its important historical saga, only resorting on occasion to stereotypes and subtle comedy. Singer Teresa Celli is nicely cast as Kelly's love interest, playing her role with gentility and no frills. The photography is excellent, especially the night scenes, and the editing tight and no nonsense. Good character performances all round makes this much better than I remembered from previous viewing, upping my rating a notch from good to very good.
I'd be frightened too by assassinations of family members and neighbors who went up against them, or brutally beaten and left off much worse than the dead. Kelly has suffered torture after his father was brutally murdered (seen in shadow, and quite disturbing) and his mother sat in grief doing nothing for the remainder of her life. He's beaten when he dares to even begin to question, and involves an honest Italian American cop in his efforts, beautifully played by J. Carroll Naish, leading to more violence and public outcry for the legal system to do something.
This film outside of Kelly focuses on story and atmosphere to tell its important historical saga, only resorting on occasion to stereotypes and subtle comedy. Singer Teresa Celli is nicely cast as Kelly's love interest, playing her role with gentility and no frills. The photography is excellent, especially the night scenes, and the editing tight and no nonsense. Good character performances all round makes this much better than I remembered from previous viewing, upping my rating a notch from good to very good.