The Enforcer (1951)

8/10

Humphrey Bogart and Film Noir....what more could you want?!

planktonrules7 January 2009

Warning: Spoilers

In 1949, Humphrey Bogart starred as a prosecutor in KNOCK ON ANY DOOR. The movie, in my opinion, was pretty lousy, as Bogart was amazingly "touchy-feely" and the film complained about how society is to blame for young hoodlums. However, with THE ENFORCER, once again Bogey was a prosecutor but with a much harder and clearly Film Noir edge. Instead of crusading to understand why young punks kill, this prosecutor was concerned with unraveling an organized crime racket whose income came through contract killings--talk about a change!

The film begins with the only witness against the head of this organized crime ring practically crawling out of his skin because he's so worried about being killed before he can testify in court. Through an accident, he does die and the case against "Mr. Big" seems dead. So, Bogey and his assistant review the case from the beginning and then all the things leading up to the current prosecution are shown step-by-step. It's a nice way to see how the process works and it manages to be tense and entertaining throughout. Because of the great camera work, snappy dialog and gritty no-holds-barred approach, this is clearly a Noir film.

The only negative about the film, and it's a tiny one, is that while Bogart's character is the prosecutor, he sure acts like a police detective! No sane prosecutor is going to take such risks and go on cases to investigate, as that clearly was the job of the cops. Still, if you ignore this small detail, it makes for a very dandy and satisfying film. Oddly, while an excellent movie, it is probably among the actors least famous and recognized films.

Finally, get a load of Everett Sloane in the film. This unassuming character actor sure plays against type in this movie--and it was surprising to see him in the role of Mr. Mendoza.

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8/10

Bogie is a bow tie wearing prosecutor...

AlsExGal22 December 2021

... in a very suspenseful but oddly constructed noir. The first part is centered on prosecutor Martin Ferguson's (Bogart's) attempt to keep star witness Rico alive until the murder trial of Albert Mendoza the next day. Rico arrives in an armored truck with cops armed with rifles surrounding him. The fact that Ferguson spends the rest of the film in flashback, wondering if he possible missed a potential witness who could replace Rico on the stand, will tell you he failed. How he failed I'll let you see for yourself. The flashback is Ferguson thinking back to the beginning of what became the Mendoza case and how everything unfolded, starting with a guy wandering into a police station saying he just killed his girlfriend, and that he was made to do it, yet he cannot lead the police to a body or produce a motive as to why anybody would want this girl dead, if she ever existed in the first place. One investigating cop thinks he is crazy, the other does not. They take this case to Ferguson, and thus the investigation begins.

One interesting thing that is done is that Mendoza is not shown until the very end. He is discussed at length, so you build up an image of this guy in your head. And then they deliver somebody as Mendoza that does not look like what you are probably expecting and who comes up with a horrific idea for a new criminal enterprise with the dispassionate logic of an accountant. This film is relatively unknown among Bogart's filmography, and that is probably because he doesn't get to display any trademark Bogart traits in his performance such as paranoia, cynicism, or bravery. Instead he is a bit of a cog in a police procedural wheel, but he still delivers.

Bretagne Windust was supposed to direct this film, and he did start out doing so but then illness caused Raoul Walsh to direct about 90% of it although he did not take credit.

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8/10

The Commerce of Killing...

Xstal13 August 2023

There's a new business and it's opened up new doors, but there's no entrance, exit, this firm has no floors, though it has a telephone, it's got men who can dethrone, means you're alibi is solid, without flaws. Albert Mendoza is the head of all affairs, behind bars, but he don't really seem to care, as Martin Ferguson pursues, those who were in on the whole ruse, to get the evidence, to send Albert, to the chair. Told in flashback it's engaging and intense, your investment will return good recompense, great performances all round, with a colourful confound, plus a little bit of tension and suspense.

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Post 1950 police noir with flashbacks inside of flashbacks.

max von meyerling7 September 2003

This is a perfect example of the typical post-1950 noir which tended to be told from the point of view of the police rather than the criminal so they are less existential than the classic pre-1950 noir. Blame it on the blacklist. Anyway, it retains the noir virtues of a simple story economically told and expressively photographed. Only the garishness of containing a super star and being directed, uncredited, by Raoul Walsh , lifts this film to 'A' status but in fact this is a 'B' picture all the way.

There are plot holes aplenty, cars which are fifteen years out of date, an unusually high body count and police procedures which would give the ACLU, if not the Supreme Court, apoplexy. That said The Enforcer is a lot of fun and a satisfying little picture. Connoisseurs of character actors will have a field day as the picture contains a who's who of heavies and henchmen.

THE ENFORCER is one of the few noirs with the hyper classic devise of a flashback inside of a flashback. In fact there are three of them. The body of the film is D.A. Humphrey Bogart and cop Roy Roberts reviewing their notes for a case against a murder for hire racket. During the review they recall the arrest Zero Mostel who tells a story about joining the gang of killers. Then they listen to a dying man who tells a story of a failed hit. In another flashback a man who we already know to be dead tells a story of the organizations first hit. There have been more convoluted flashback structures (there are some with flashbacks inside of flashbacks inside of flashbacks) but at least add THE ENFORCER to the list of noirs with flashbacks within flashbacks.

P.S. Ted de Corsia should either try to stay away from high places or else get a good pair of sneakers- c.f. THE NAKED CITY.

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7/10

The Racket That Pays Best

bkoganbing26 October 2006

Although the star of the film in terms of first billed in The Enforcer is Humphrey Bogart, the film's main character is Ted DeCorsia in what is probably his best screen performance.

Taking a lot of inspiration from Citizen Kane, District Attorney Humphrey Bogart and his two police investigators, Roy Roberts and King Donovan try and piece back together a case against Everette Sloane who has started a new racket, murder for profit. The chief witness is Ted DeCorsia who after an attempt on his life, falls to his death while trying to escape from a window.

After DeCorsia's demise the night before the trial was to commence, Bogart and Sloane start listening to hours of tape from several witnesses to see if they can salvage the case. Like Charles Foster Kane's life, the story of the racket is told in flashback through the tapes.

DeCorsia is the main character because all roads lead to him as the number two guy, but only he can finger Sloane. DeCorsia is seen as the frightened witness and also as the tough racketeer. It's almost two characters in the same film, but DeCorsia delivers on both.

Everette Sloane is one chillingly evil villain. He's decided to sell the services of killers to those who need them. To other racketeers and to outsiders as well. No motive, the police can't track down the ] perpetrators. The words of this racket, like 'contract' and 'hit' are all familiar terms now, but then it was something fairly new.

Bogart's function is like the reporter{s} who pieced together the life of Charles Foster Kane. It's essentially passive, he's one of the few people whoever played a District Attorney in films who never got a courtroom scene. But in the end, frantically trying to find and protect a crucial witness, he becomes quite proactive to say the least.

Of course this is all borrowed from the stories about Murder, Inc. and it was familiar to the movie going public. But The Enforcer is a really taut crime drama that never lets your interest flag.

It's so good that I can almost forgive a major plot flaw. Through some gross stupidity on Bogart's part, Sloane realizes there's a witness out there who can nail him and he takes appropriate steps. I can't see in real life how that could have happened.

Still The Enforcer is a personal favorite of mine for Humphrey Bogart films and I think you'll like it too although when you see it you will see what Bogey did that almost blew the whole case.

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9/10

Great film noir, superb cinematography, Bogart at the top of his game

adrianovasconcelos23 March 2020

B Windust and Raoul Walsh's direction is first class, B&W cinematography scintillating, good screenplay, Adelaide Klein's elegance and beauty is timeless, and Bogart in good form, ably supported by Mostel, di Corsia, and the rest of a robust cast.

Very neat ending, too.

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7/10

Stunning entertainment with twisted intrigue , thrills , realist frames and based on the real-life ¨Murder Inc.¨case

ma-cortes18 August 2014

After years of chase , Assistant D.A. Martin Ferguson (Humphrey Bogart) has an important case against Murder, Inc. whose boss results to be a gangster named Albert Mendoza (Everett Sloane) . As the assistant district attorney goes after an organized band of murderers and to condemn Mendoza as well as put his gang behind bars . Meanwhile , Mendoza is in prison and his lieutenant Joseph Rico (Ted De Corsia) is going to testify . But Rico falls from a building to his death and Ferguson along with Capt. Frank Nelson (Roy Roberts) must work through the night going over everything to study the issue anew .

Exciting and thrilling picture with a complex intrigue , nice character studio , suspense , a lot of killings and full of flashbacks . One of the most grueling of even Bogart's mobster movies all done in gripping realism and shot in semi-documentary style . Interesting and moving screenplay by Martin Rackin . The picture has a Noir treatment of the real-life ¨Murder Inc¨ case , being narrated by means of flashbacks . There are murders galore ; as grisly killings by : hanging , razor , knife , falling heights , point blank shot and by pick axe filmed in hypnotic realism . Faint-heart people of the 50s were impressed for killing galore , horrific scenes and strong images by that time . According to the New York Times' Feb. 16, 2014 article on films influenced by the Kefauver hearings, Sen. Estes Kefauver appeared in a prologue for this film . It's splendidly played by Humphrey Bogart ; he was in his best period of the early 50s when he starred classic movies such as ¨The Caine Mutiny¨, ¨Sabrina¨, ¨Beat the devil¨, ¨The African Queen¨, ¨Sirocco¨, ¨In a lonely place¨, ¨Chain lightning¨, ¨Knock on any door¨ and this ¨The enforcer¨. The main star is backed by a host of fine support cast such as Zero Mostel , Ted de Corsia , Everett Sloane , Roy Roberts , Michael Tolan , King Donovan and the cowboy Bob Steele . Evocative and adequate cinematography by Robert Burks , Hitchcock's usual . Appropriate as well as atmospheric musical score by David Buttolph adds impact to the action .

The motion picture produced and distributed by Warner Bros. was compellingly directed by Bretaigne Windust . After several days of filming, director Bretaigne Windust fell seriously ill and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Humphrey Bogart asked his old friend, director Raoul Walsh, to come in and shoot the picture until Windust recovered. Unfortunately, Windust was more seriously ill than most realized, and his recovery took several months, during which Walsh finished the film. However, Walsh refused to take screen credit for it, saying that the picture was Windust's big break and he wasn't going to take it away from him . Rating : Better than average . Worthwhile watching . The film will appeal to Humphrey Bogart fans .

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9/10

Playing to packed houses in Paris

Don Ediger2 March 2003

The Enforcer, whose French title is La femme à abattre, plays often to packed houses in Paris. More than one French critic has called the film a gem (un joyau) among film noir classics. Indeed, its popularity in France says lots about pure plot lines and straightforward characterizations which make the film accessible to non-English-speaking audiences. As many readers know, the French are crazy about American film noir, and it's common to see parents bring their children to see movies like The Enforcer. I recently sat next to such a family when the film played in March 2003 at the Grand Action cinéma in Paris. It was almost moving to hear the father explain to his son that they would be seeing a film which, in his words, is a classic with great insights in the American psyche. Hearing them speak made me wonder how many American families use films of decades past to teach their children about the world in which we live.

By the way, the three cinémas in the Action chain in Paris regularly play American films noirs and other classic American movies, many of them in newly restored versions.

Don Ediger

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7/10

Murder Incorporated?

hitchcockthelegend5 April 2009

Finally after lots of hard work, Assistant D.A. Martin Ferguson has a good case against Murder Inc big wig, Albert Mendoza. But while Mendoza is in jail, the man lined up to testify against him loses his nerve and falls to his death, thus leaving Ferguson little to no time to rebuild a case against the crime lord.

The Enforcer is based upon the whistle blowing of one Abe Reles. Who opened eyes up to an organised crime mob called Murder Inc. Fusing that period of history with the subsequent Kefauver Committee investigations that followed Reles' reveals, The Enforcer is a tough and gritty picture that many view as the key switch from Noir into the grizzled crime obsessed 1950s. At the time of writing this I have yet to have it confirmed, but it's thought that this Bretaigne Windust directed picture is the first mainstream picture to deal with the complexities of organised crime? Certainly the dialogue is now common speak (courtesy of Martin Rackin (Riffraff 1947), but back in 1951 it surely would have raised eyebrows and intrigued the watching public.

Excellently photographed in stark black and white by Robert Burks, who of course is well known to Hitchcock devotees, the picture positively seeps with an underworld vibe, perhaps even coming into the realms of being documentary in structure. Starring Humphrey Bogart (Ferguson), Everett Sloane (Mendoza) and the excellent, and wonderfully named, Zero Mostel (Big Babe Lazich), it's also thought that Raoul Walsh had quite a hand in the final product. This to my knowledge, is still unconfirmed, but when viewing the picture as a whole, it certainly boasts the feel of Walsh's better known pictures. Highly engrossing and a template movie of sorts, The Enforcer is definitely one to catch if at all possible. 7.5/10

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8/10

Good crime thriller from the 50's

HarryLags15 February 2017

This obviously is not one of Bogart's most famous films, it should be cause it is an entertaining film noir that holds your interest from start to finish. They don't make 'em like this anymore. The plot involves Bogart as a D.A., whose star witness in bringing the head of a murder racket to justice dies before the trial.

In a lengthy flashback, Bogart retraces the case from the beginning, looking for some bit of testimony that might help him nail the killer before he gets set free.

Bogart is good as his usual tough-guy self, and is trying to prosecute the boss man of a Murder Incorporated type of crime organization but keeps running into road blocks with people getting killed. Bogie plays it well although Bogie could play Mary Poppins and make it look good.

At the end Bogie does what Bogie does well. This is a great movie. If you are a Bogart fan, this is a must have.

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7/10

Tough as nails

Leofwine_draca26 July 2020

Warning: Spoilers

THE ENFORCER is a classic slice of film noir starring the one and only Humphrey Bogart who brings a burning intensity to the role of a crusading district attorney determined to bring down one of the city's biggest crime bosses. It's a tough and gritty production from the outset, no nonsense throughout, with a particularly effective and nihilistic first half which shows the odds stacked against the good guys. A fine supporting cast and expert direction adds immeasurably to what is one of the genre's toughest productions.

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8/10

excellent and unusual

marktayloruk11 May 2020

Warning: Spoilers

The double flashback.Interesting to see Mostel in a serious role. Gripping to the end - especially as, like me, you recognise the real life parallels.

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7/10

History repeats itself!

JohnHowardReid21 June 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Copyright 1960 by Burt Balaban Productions, Inc. Worldwide release through 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Victoria: 28 June 1960. U.S. release: June 1960. U.K. release: 5 February 1961. Australian release: 20 October 1960. 9,178 feet. 103 minutes. Australian release title: SHADOW OF FEAR.

NOTES: A remake of "The Enforcer" (1951) with Humphrey Bogart in the Morgan role and Everett Sloane as Lepke. Remade in 1975 with Tony Curtis as Lepke.

VIEWER'S GUIDE: Although based on historical fact, this movie is most unsuitable for children.

SYNOPSIS: In the 1930s, New York's underworld is ruled by the infamous Louis (Lepke) Bucholter, the murderous kingpin of organized crime. Under his reign of terror legitimate businesses are forced to pay "protection" money or face professional killers such as Abe Reles. Caught up in the violence is one Joey Collins, who, because of a debt to Reles, is being forced to assist the gang in carrying out their "contracts."

COMMENT: So far as I'm aware, this is the second of the only two films made by radio-TV comedian, Henry Morgan. His debut was in "So This Is New York". Needless to say, many computers and reference books simply add these two movies to the credits of Henry "Harry" Morgan. It was certainly an off-beat piece of casting, and it is reasonably effective, though the movie's dominant performance is provided by Peter Falk. Hero Whitman is merely adequate, whilst May Britt is wasted in a nothing role. (Both she and Whitman are fictitious characters too, whereas most of the other players can get their teeth into real people).

To sum up, this is not a pleasant movie, although it is somewhat softened by a number of extraneous scenes, including a nightclub visit with "singer" Sarah Vaughan.

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5/10

Great Start, But Disappointing After That

ccthemovieman-15 June 2006

This starts off powerfully, with a very interesting scene and some excellent film- noir photography, but after the witness dies, so does the movie in many respects.

From that point on, it's just a bunch of flashbacks. When the "live" scenes reappear, they are not always easy to discern what's going on. The film also becomes too talky too often.

However, the characters are tough and generally interesting, with some good acting. Film-noir-wise, despite the presence of superstar Humphrey Bogart along with guys like Zero Mostel, Everett Sloane and Ted de Corsia, it's average fare for the day. it could - and should - have been better.

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Technically good crime story

bob the moo8 February 2002

District Attourney Ferguson loses his only witness in the trial of Albert Mendoza - the head of Murder Incorporated, an organisation of killers. With hours to go to the case is dismissed, Ferguson decides to go back over the evidence from the start to try to find something else that could be used to try him.

This film is not very famous and is never listed when people talk of Bogart. This is mainly because it's not part of his film noir, hard boiled batch and it doesn't have a strong romantic subplot. However it's still got much to cheer about. The story feels very basic by today's standards - however this was one of the first films to bring in the language of hitmen, even though now everyone knows what a "hit" and a "contract" means. The story unfolds in flashbacks, and involves flashbacks within flashbacks - so it's not as simple as you think. At it's time it was very different to other films.

The performances are all good, the group of hitmen in particular stand out in their portrayal of tough guys who turn to fear and mistrust when the law closes in. Bogart is good in a straight role but despite his billing he is not the best role. De Corsia, Sloane, Mostel et al are the real stars and are very good in their hitmen guises.

The film was based on the discovery and cases of the real "murder inc" in the 40's and is told in the crime story style that would become more used in the 1950's. Due to our familarity of the hitman scene in movies nowadays, it won't set the screen on fire but it's still very enjoyable to watch.

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6/10

Bogart and Burks (the photographer) are first rate...the rest tags along

secondtake9 February 2011

The Enforcer (1951)

Humphrey Bogart makes this film, and if you like him, you'll love this. If you don't know or care about Bogart, you'll see what he's all about here. The rest of the film is good, very good, but it's standard fare. And it has a few moments of just incredulous stuff, like toward the beginning when they are protecting a key witness and they ignore the obvious problem of having the witness sit in front of a window across from a hotel. Naturally, a sniper takes a shot at him. I won't say whether he succeeds, but it sets you up to be suspicious of the director and writer from there on.

But there's Bogie, the relentless investigator. He needs to put a terrible crime boss in the chair, and sets off to find proof against him, running up against mobsters who seem to be one step ahead, covering up or wiping out (with bullets) anything or anyone who might know something. It's good stuff, but not great stuff. Director Bretaigne Windust had done some Broadway and a couple of films, but he doesn't pull this together. I'm surprised a Bogart film at the top of his career was handled by Windust, but at this time Bogart had been battling the Hollywood Communist lists and blacklists, and he got his independent Santana production company going, and I'm guessing that he was working against a lot of the Hollywood mainstream at this point (as was John Huston, who used Bogart in "African Queen" the next year).

But this is Bogart at his best, really, just after "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" and "In a Lonely Place." The photography is first rate (Robert Burks was by this point doing a whole bunch of Hitchcock films, too). In all, a decent, well made if unexceptional film.

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10/10

Another Spectacular Film Noir of Humphrey Bogart

claudio_carvalho31 January 2004

Dist. Atty. Martin Ferguson (Humphrey Bogart) has the chance for sending the criminal Albert Mendoza (Everett Sloane) to the electric chair. He depends on the testimony of Mendoza's right arm Joseph Rico (Ted De Corsia), who is so scared that commits a mistake and dies. Ferguson reads all the case again and again trying to find a new evidence or witness and through flashbacks, the viewer sees what has happened until the death of Rico. Will Ferguson find a missing point?

"The Enforcer" is one of those unforgettable films that you can see many times since there are many details. It is a masterpiece with a tight story, top-notch screenplay and excellent performances, with another great direction of Raoul Walsh. The plot is constructed like a puzzle through flashbacks; the black & white cinematography is fantastic, with the use of shadows specially in the exterior scenes; the conclusion is tense. Fans of film noir and police story will certainly enjoy this unknown jewel. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): 'Um Preço Para Cada Crime' ('A Price For Each Crime')

Note: On 09 October 2016, I saw this film again.

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7/10

A D.A. has trouble putting a crime boss away

blanche-28 February 2013

For some reason, I thought this film was a lot earlier than 1951. The reason is that it looks for all the world like a B movie and sounds like one. It's possible Bogart owed Warners a film, though what his excuse was for making "The Two Mrs. Carrolls" I've never figured out. He must have owed them a lot of films. Apparently the director became quite ill and Bogart asked Raoul Walsh, who refused to take any credit, to take over. This helps the film to come off well, but to me it still seems like a B movie with an A list star and director.

"The Enforcer" is a crime noir, with Bogart as Martin Ferguson, a frustrated District Attorney who loses yet another witness against a crime boss, Albert Mendoza (Everett Sloane). Ferguson's witness (Ted de Corsia) is due to go into court the next day, but he panics and tries to leave via a window too many flights up.

Ferguson stays up the night before the trial with Captain Nelson (Roy Roberts) going over the case incident by incident, trying to figure out if there is anybody else who can help him put this killer in prison.

There are flashbacks within flashbacks here as different people tell a story about the organization.

I liked the denouement of this movie. I found it effective and also suspenseful. However, I've seen too many crime films. At one point the witness stood right in front of a window, and another time stuck his head out a window to get some air. And everyone is terrified this guy is going to be killed.

Bogart, as usual, is great, as the no-nonsense DA, and he has good support from Zero Mostel, Sloane, King Donovan, and Michael Tolan, among others.

Good crime drama.

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8/10

Compelling Story & Early Version of Murder Inc.

mdudnikov20 October 2009

In 1960 there was a movie called Murder Inc., telling the story of that infamous organization. The book by that name actually came out in 1951 and also inspired this movie. Humphrey Bogart plays the Burton Turkus character, who was so successful in putting away many of the members of Murder Inc. and sending to the electric chair the only major mob boss ever to be executed, Louis (Lepke) Buchalter. Turkus was an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn who became known to the mob as Mr. Arsenic because of his incorruptibility and ability to convict organized crime figures. He was also referred to in the press as the only honest man in New York City, an exaggeration, but perhaps only a slight one. Even Turkus' old boss, William O'Dwyer, who rode Turkus' good work into election as the city's mayor, was later forced to resign among charges of massive corruption and mob connections. Everett Sloane is excellently cast as the brilliant, brutal Lepke like character, a small, slight, but terrifying man, who one policeman described as having the eyes of a doe.

The movie is wonderful in revealing to audiences of the day the machinations of the mob. We see that these are not men of honor, but in reality a society of hoodlums whose every move is motivated by a desire to enrich and empower themselves, and where the rule for bosses on the run is kill everyone, friend and foe alike, who could conceivably incriminate them. We also see how the mob, now concerned about electronic surveillance has come up with code words like contract and hit to confuse law enforcement.

Bogart's device of confronting the incarcerated Sloane with reminders of his victims almost backfires, but instead sets up the film's climax as it demonstrates the long reach possessed by crime chieftains even behind bars. And though seemingly all of his witnesses have been murdered or otherwise neutralized, we see a way for Bogart to eventually prosecute his protagonist.

One moment in the film that is simultaneously comic and chilling comes when Rico is on the way back from a murder. Riding in the back of a truck with the victim in a laundry cart that is nearby, Rico, who is the chief, looks at one of his subordinates, Vince, who is acting very nervously. Concerned about a possible weak link, he turns to Vince and says, "You know, I think there's room for you in the basket too." With that he casually kills the man, as the group of thugs just calmly continue on.

In real life Lepke does get executed along with two of his chief henchmen, Mendy Weiss and Louis Capone (no relation to Al). Loyal to the end both men chose the same final meal as the boss, a chicken dinner.

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7/10

Almost a Perfect Film - The Enforcer

arthur_tafero29 July 2021

Bogart made a lot of films; some of them mediocre, and some of them classics. This one is a classic, and it's not even because of Bogart. What makes this film a classic is its unique content (for the time), and it device of using flashback sequences the way flashback should be done (like Lawrence of Arabia and other great flashback films). The production values are excellent, and there are several chilling scenes, which I will not spoil for you. It is absolutely not your run of the mill crime drama. The character developments of a few of the heavies in the piece is rarely found in most crime films. Most of the time we get nothing but the life of the hero and how he overcomes adversity. This film does not fall into that hackneyed trap. We do learn that motive is the most important element of crime, however. Not to be missed.

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9/10

An unfairly neglected Bogart film.

CoolidgeCorner25 June 2002

This little movie may not be any Maltese Falcon, but it's a more than decent post-Casablanca Bogie flick. Quite well done and worth your time. Supposedly Raoul Walsh directed much of it, uncredited. While I don't know if this is true, it would certainly explain why the film is so entertaining.

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6/10

Very violent

pderocco4 July 2003

at least for the Fifties. Tense story, lots of killings, terrified witnesses, ruthless thugs. Ted de Corsia impresses as the second-in-command gangster who mutates from a steel-nerved tough into a panicking coward when things go wrong. Bogart plays what by now has become a familiar character of his, the crusading lawyer, this time as a DA trying to break a murder-for-hire ring.

It does have its flaws, however. Is it really possible that in 1951 the police didn't know what a "contract" or a "hit" was? And most of the secondary characters are basically cardboard cutouts. The climax comes too late, literally ten seconds before the ending. But the black-and-white cinematography, the shadows and the mist, the wanton spilling of blood just out of camera range, make this an effective movie nonetheless, at least visually. Worth a look.

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8/10

Crime, Kefauver & Killing By Contract

seymourblack-116 January 2010

Warning: Spoilers

"The Enforcer" is a gripping tale about an investigation into the activities of a crime syndicate boss and the efforts of an Assistant D.A. to bring him to justice. The criminal in question was the head of a group of contract killers who carried out murders to order and avoided detection because their operatives never had any connection with their victims and so there were never any known motives or obvious leads for the authorities to follow up in their investigations. This concept, although very familiar to audiences today, was something very topical at the time of the film's release and also a matter of great public interest.

In the period immediately before the release of "The Enforcer", Senate Committee hearings on organised crime were chaired by Senator Estes Kefauver. These hearings were given national television coverage during a period when the medium was very new to most viewers and the revelations about the pervasive nature of organised crime and the existence of the outfit known as "Murder Incorporated" attracted extremely large audiences. It was during these broadcasts that the general public first became aware of some of the jargon used by hired killers and "The Enforcer" is credited as being the first movie to feature the words "contract", "hit" and "fingerman" in this context.

After a four year investigation into the activities of crime boss Albert Mendoza (Everett Sloane), Assistant D.A. Martin Ferguson (Humphrey Bogart) has a witness who has agreed to testify that he saw Mendoza kill a man. When the witness, Joe Rico (Ted de Corsia), dies suddenly as the result of an accident, Ferguson and Police Captain Frank Nelson (Roy Roberts) undertake a meticulous review of their investigation to date to try to find another piece of information which could lead to them being able to get Mendoza convicted.

The case files confirm that the investigation started when a frantic young man called "Duke" Malloy (Lawrence Tolan) visited a police station and reported that he's been forced to kill his girlfriend. It transpired that he was a hired killer who'd fallen in love with his intended victim and when he'd initially refused to go through with the job, he'd been pressured by other gang members into completing the contract. The overwrought Malloy hanged himself in a police cell and the investigation that followed involved police officers in gathering information from a variety of people including Malloy's fellow gang members.

Ferguson and Nelson's review eventually brings to light the name of another person who would be a perfect witness but unfortunately Mendoza becomes aware of this person's identity at the same and this leads to a desperate race against time for the police to find the potential witness before Mendoza's men do.

The movie's structure is interesting as an account of the police investigation is given in flashback with the stories of each of the interviewees often constituting a flashback within a flashback. The action is delivered with a good deal of pace and tension and despite the story's closeness to real events, the movie's style is always entertaining and not overly solemn in the way that some docu-noirs can be.

The colourful collection of characters featured in "The Enforcer" are brought to life vividly by the excellent cast and Humphrey Bogart is especially good as a man who is extremely determined and powerfully focused on his task but is nevertheless also very controlled and methodical when necessary.

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7/10

No guns, no cops, no tricks & no ending ?

gullwing59200316 May 2010

Warning: Spoilers

"If you're smart you can be a hero, if you're dumb you can be dead!" Joseph Rico (Ted De Corsia) tells D.A. Martin Ferguson (Humphrey Bogart) in this very dark, intense factual story of a Murder for Profit organization. Rico offers to give Ferguson the top man Albert Mendoza (Everett Sloan) if Ferguson plays ball. Ferguson needs Rico's testimony to convict Mendoza. In the building while under surveillance by Sgt.Whitlow (King Donovan) awaiting trial the next day, Ferguson loses his only eyewitness when Rico falls to his death.

From this point on the movie reveals it's plot & storyline from a series of flashbacks & several times we see flashbacks within a flashback. The flashback device is effective & even adds a dimension to the crime/film noir genre. Despite Bogart's star billing he doesn't dominate the film & is not in every scene & his absence is not missed due to the top notch supporting cast led by Ted De Corsia, Zero Mostel, Bob Steele, Jack Lambert etc.

Though we already know Rico is dead he is very much seen afterwards & dominates the film from the flashback scenes. Eventually when the movie transports us back to the present situation we still hear Rico's voice from a tape recorder.

Bogart's role as the D.A. Martin Ferguson is reminiscent of his earlier role in the 1937 film Marked Woman opposite Bette Davis as D.A. David Graham modeled after real life D.A. Thomas Dewey who convicted Lucky Luciano in 1935. For once Bogart appeared in a gangster film as a crusader of justice & again in 1951 in The Enforcer.

I really enjoy watching this movie but what I find disappointing is the abrupt, unexpected & inconclusive ending that leaves you up in the air. Bogart's exit line is "Alright Miss Vetto you got a date in court, I want to see the look on Mendoza's face when he looks into those big blue eyes again". Well as the viewer I would've also liked to have seen the doom & gloom on Mendoza's face when he see's Angela Vetto's big blue eye's. As Ferguson rebuilds his case with a new eyewitness.

We are robbed & deprived of all this & the subsequent courtroom trial proceedings & the chilling death scene of Mendoza walking his last mile to the hot seat, while a gloating Martin Ferguson watches as he has finally burned Mendoza in the chair in the name of justice. Just like James Cagney's electric chair scene in Angels With Dirty Faces or when he blows himself up in White Heat. 2 very strong endings. No place else to go. The Enforcer is a strong movie with a weak ending that could've been a lot better.

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3/10

Murder most foul

MOscarbradley12 September 2008

Dire! This hard-boiled crime melodrama is about contract killing and it traces, rather naively I thought, the genesis of the whole enterprise and is said to be based on fact. It's distinguished slightly by the use of flashbacks within flashbacks and by some fine, moody cinematography by Robert Burks but, with the exception of Bogart, (and even he is playing well below par), it is appallingly acted. Still, sometimes a bad performance can be even more memorable than a good one and in this respect Ted De Corsia's 'Squealer' ends up stealing the film. On the other hand, both Zero Mostel and Everett Sloane probably reach a career nadir here. As for the direction of Bretaigne Windust, it's perfunctory at best. Inhabiting a vacuum somewhere between "The House on 42nd Street" and "The Phenix City Story", the film is neither fish nor fowl, (it's mostly foul). Missed opportunities all round.

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