| The Enforcer | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster |
|
| Directed by | Bretaigne Windust Raoul Walsh (uncredited) |
| Produced by | Milton Sperling |
| Written by | Martin Rackin |
| Starring | Humphrey Bogart Zero Mostel Ted de Corsia Everett Sloane |
| Music by | David Buttolph |
| Cinematography | Robert Burks |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | January 25, 1951 |
| Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Enforcer is a black-and-white 1951 film noir starring Humphrey Bogart. Based on the Murder, Inc. trials, the film is largely a police procedural directed by Bretaigne Windust with uncredited help from Raoul Walsh, who shot most of the film's suspenseful moments, including the ending. The opening narration is voiced by Estes Kefauver who, at the time, was chairing a US Senate investigation into organized crime.
Contents |
Although largely fictional, the film is based on the real-life investigation into a group of hired killers dubbed by the press as "Murder, Inc." (the film was released under that title in the United Kingdom). It was during this investigation, and the Kefauver hearings, that terms like "contract" (a deal to commit a murder) and "hit" (the actual killing itself) first came into the public knowledge. The gangsters used such codes in case of eavesdroppers or phone tappings by the police.
Bogart's ADA Martin Ferguson is based on Burton Turkus, who led the prosecutions of several members of the Murder, Inc. gang.[1] His book on the case was published at about the same time the film was released.
Ted de Corsia's Joe Rico was probably inspired by Abe Reles. Like Rico, Reles was about to testify against a major crime lord but, although under heavy police guard, was found dead after falling out of the Half Moon Hotel in Coney Island on November 12, 1941. It has never been established for sure if Reles' death was murder, accident or suicide.
The action is set in an unnamed American city and is told mainly in flashback, and flashbacks within flashback.
Under heavy police protection, gangster Joe Rico (Ted de Corsia) arrives late at night at the courthouse to testify against crime lord Albert Mendoza (Everett Sloane). There have been several attempts on Rico's life and he is a bag of nerves, but lead prosecutor ADA Martin Ferguson (Humphrey Bogart) reminds him that he himself faces plenty of charges that could "burn you a dozen times". Ferguson is bound and determined to get Mendoza "in the chair" and stresses to Rico that Mendoza will "die, he's got to die, and you're going to kill him."
After yet another attempt on his life, Rico gives his bodyguards the slip and tries to escape by reaching the fire escape on the eighth floor of the building, but he falls off the ledge and is killed on impact when he hits the courtyard.
Rico was the only evidence Ferguson had against Mendoza who will walk away in the morning as a free man. However he believes that something else came up in the course of the investigation that might make the case if only he could remember it. He and police Captain Nelson (Roy Roberts) decide to go through the evidence hoping that something will come up.
The case began when a man called James "Duke" Malloy (Michael Tolan) burst into a police station and claimed to have killed his girlfriend, under pressure from others. At the crime scene, which is out in the countryside, the police find an empty grave. Malloy, overcome with grief, bitterly explains that his girlfriend was a "contract" and a "hit", terms which mean nothing to the officers. He later commits suicide in his cell.
Ferguson, the ADA in charge of homicide, is brought in on the case. Malloy only had convictions for petty crimes, not murder, but checking on his associates leads the investigators to "Big Babe" Lazick (Zero Mostel). When Ferguson threatens to jail his wife and put his little son into care, Lazick confesses that he is part of a "troop" (a group of killers) operating under the orders of Joe Rico who gets requests to commit murders over the telephone from a third party. The gang uses terms like "contract" (a request to commit murder) and "hit" (the actual killing) in case of others listening in. The killers get a regular salary (even if they go to jail), their families are looked after if anything goes wrong and bonuses are paid for actual killings. Only Rico knows who the top boss is.
The killers carry out murders for profit, the idea being that they are hired to kill someone at the request of someone else (the person's spouse or business partner, for example). The killer will have no motive for committing the crime and thus will not be suspected by the police, while the client with the motive will have a perfect alibi. Furthermore, the client has to keep contributing money in case of exposure.
Lazick leads the police to the body of Nina Lombardo, whose murder started the investigation. It emerges that she was a contract whom "Duke" Malloy was supposed to kill, but that he instead fell in love with her. He tried to cover it up but his associates caught up with them and forced him to kill her. Nina's roommate, Teresa Davis (Patricia Joiner) tells the detectives that Nina's real name was Angela Vetto and that she was in hiding since her father's death. Ten years beforehand Angela and her father, a cab driver, witnessed the murder of John Webb, a café owner.
The police eventually find a mass grave filled with dozens of bodies. As the authorities close in on them, the gang begins to break up. Some go into hiding, fearing for their lives as others are killed by other members from out of town. Rico himself is hiding in a farm with his last remaining accomplices. He calls his boss whose answers do not reassure him. Rico pretends to go to town for a contract but instead parks his car behind some bushes. He later witnesses his accomplices being killed by other killers sent by the boss.
Rico contacts Ferguson. In return for being spared the death penalty, he offers to testify against his boss, Albert Mendoza. Rico first met Mendoza when the latter tried to interfere in a bookmaking racket run by Rico's previous employer. Impressed by the beating he got from Rico, Mendoza took him to a café and explained the concept of his new business: murder for profit. To prove his point he killed the café owner, John Webb, for which he received $500. However the killing was witnessed by Tony Vetto (Tito Vuolo) and his daughter. Mendoza and Rico got away, but years later Vetto recognised Mendoza as a cab fare and was murdered before he could go to the police.
With Rico now dead, Mendoza will walk. Frustrated, Ferguson goes to Mendoza's cell and leaves him with photos of his victims, warning him of the nightmares that they will give him. He then returns to the evidence room and listens to the tapping of Rico's confession — which is not admissible in court. In it, Rico describes Vetto's daughter as having "big blue eyes", whereas the body of Nina Lombardo (assumed to be Angela Vetto) had brown eyes. On the other hand her roommate, Teresa Davis, does have blue eyes. Ferguson concludes that Nina was pointed out as Duke's contract by mistake. Teresa told the police that Nina was Angela Vetto as a hint: to get them on the trail of the killers without getting involved herself; she even tried to leave town, but Ferguson warned her against it.
However, from Nina's photo, Mendoza has come to the same conclusion and, through his attorney, sends two of his remaining men after the real Angela Vetto. Ferguson and Nelson arrive at her house to learn that she has gone shopping. The streets are too crowded for them to find her, so Ferguson uses a music store's street-side loud speakers to warn her that her life is in danger and to contact him at the store. Angela does so and Ferguson sets off to meet her, followed by the killers. In the subsequent shoot-out, Ferguson kills one of the gangsters and the other is arrested. He then escorts Angela Vetto to testify against Mendoza and put him in the chair.
Director Bretaigne Windust, an accomplished Broadway director, fell seriously ill during the beginning of shooting, so Raoul Walsh was brought in to finish the film. Walsh refused to take the credit, calling it Windust's work.
This was Bogart's last film for Warner Bros., the studio that had made him a star. Warner only distributed the film. It was produced by United States Pictures, and is now owned by Republic Pictures, a division of Paramount Pictures.
Humphrey Bogart ... Assistant District Attorney Martin Ferguson
Zero Mostel ... "Big Babe" Lazick
Ted de Corsia ... Joseph Rico
Everett Sloane ... Albert Mendoza
Roy Roberts ... Capt. Frank Nelson
Michael Tolan ... James "Duke" Malloy (billed as Lawrence Tolan)
King Donovan ... Sgt. Whitlow
Bob Steele ... Herman (billed as Robert Steele)
Adelaide Klein ... Olga Kirshen
Don Beddoe ... Thomas O'Hara
Tito Vuolo ... Tony Vetto
John Kellogg ... Vince
Jack Lambert ... Tom "Philadelphia" Zaca