Main Cast: Tony Curtis, Anjanette Comer, Michael Callan, Warren Berlinger, Gianni Russo
Release Year: 1975
Country: IL/US
Run Time: 109 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Tony Curtis stars as the feared leader of "Murder Incorporated" in this underworld drama based on the life of Louis "Lepke" Buchalter. Lepke began his criminal career as a petty thief in his teens; a stretch in prison taught him the finer points of life on the wrong side of the law. After getting out of jail, Lepke and his pal Gurrah Shapiro (Warren Berlinger) join a gang who hire themselves out as strikebreakers, and the vicious but clever Lepke soon rises through the ranks. Lepke makes powerful friends with mob kingpins "Lucky" Luciano (Vic Tayback) and Albert Anastasia (Gianni Russo), and when high-ranking but deranged gangster "Dutch" Schultz (John Durren) announces he's going to kill District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey (Richard C. Adams), Lepke is chosen to rub "Dutch" out. Lepke handles the assignment well, and he's able to strike up a deal with the various Mafia families -- he'll form a separate organization to handle executions and assassinations, and he'll hire out his services to any mobsters who need it, provided the mob bosses approve the killings. Between "Murder Incorporated" and a drug ring operated with Luciano, Lepke has become a wealthy and important man in the underworld, but ironically he finds soon himself himself investigated by the man whose life he unwittingly saved -- Dewey. Lepke also features comedian and impressionist Vaughn Meader as the voice of Walter Winchell. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Menahem Golan's take on the life of the titular Jewish gangster is a curious but interesting fusion of Hollywood epic and b-movie thrills. The script toys with some facts to achieve a melodramatic effect but mostly offers an interesting, well-documented take on the history of organized crime in the U.S. from a Jewish perspective. It also keeps an eye on the box office by delivering plenty of shoot-'em-up action scenes, multiple assassinations and even a dollop of sex. Golan's direction lacks the subtlety that Francis Ford Coppola brought to the first two Godfather movies (obvious models for Lepke) but Golan makes up for that with plenty of energy and style. He excels when dealing with the action -- a highlight is a shootout that involves a carousel - and he gets an all-around strong level of performances from a well-chosen cast. Tony Curtis clearly relishes getting the opportunity to play against type as a gangster and gives it plenty of charismatic vigor. There is also solid, slyly humorous work from Warren Berlinger as Lepke's right-hand man and an unexpected dramatic turn from Milton Berle as his father-in-law, a bit of stunt-casting that pays off in a surprisingly strong and understated performance by the erstwhile comedian. The film drags a bit near the end when it gets caught up in the fugitive days that led to its antihero's end but the majority of the film is well-paced and entertaining. Ultimately, Lepke never manages to be the Jewish answer to The Godfather that it clearly wants to be but it delivers plenty of gangster-movie intrigue for fans of the genre and acquits itself nicely as a solid programmer with a unique take on gangster mythology. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Vic Tayback - Lucky Luciano; Milton Berle - Mr. Meyer; Jack Ackerman - Little Augie; Lillian Adams - Mama Meyer; Simmy Bow - Tannenbaum; Guy Christopher - Reporter; Albert Cole - Gross; John Durren - Dutch Schultz; Matt Greene - Skinny; Louis Guss - Max Rubin; Jon Ian Jacobs - Big Hesh; Zitto Kazann - Abe "Kid Twist" Reles; Joseph Kim - Lin Phoo; Wesley Lau - Detective; Vaughn Meader - Walter Winchell; Barry Miller - Young Lepke; Johnny Silver - Schwartz; Jack Tesler - Feldman; Mary Wilcox - Marion; Crane Jackson - Judge; J.S. Johnson - Mendy Weiss; Thomas Castranova - Policeman
Credit
Jodie Lynne Tillen - Costume Designer, Menahem Golan - Director, Dov Hoenig - Editor, Aaron Stell - Editor, Ken Wannberg - Composer (Music Score), Bruce Miller - Musical Arrangement, Vince Cresciman - Production Designer, Jackson de Govia - Production Designer, Andrew Davis - Cinematographer, Yoram Globus - Producer, Menahem Golan - Producer, Vince Cresciman - Set Designer, Cliff Wenger - Special Effects, George Wilbur - Stunts, Wesley Lau - Screen Story, Wesley Lau - Screenwriter, Tamar Simon Hoffs - Screenwriter
