IMDB Rating: 4.1/10

Country: USA, 86 minutes

Spoken Languages: English

Genre(s): Action

Director: Bill Brame

Cast: Frank DeKova, Paul Harris, Frances E. Williams, Reginald Farmer, Don Edmondson

Medium: Unknown

Plot Outline: This is a low budget, made on the cheap film that does possess somecharm. The problem is that it meanders all over the place and neverpicks up any real steam. The plot begins with a sit down between Pashaand his Italian gangster counter part Big Tony (played by the topbilled Frank DeKova aka Chief Wild Eagle from F-Troop in the first ofhis two scenes). Tony tells Pasha he has to hand everything over to himand his boys or they will kill him. Pasha's girl kills Tony's man,which you would think woulds spark a gang war, it doesn't, instead itspurs the Mayor to try and close Pasha down. This leads to the numbersoperation being moved, police raids and some talk about fighting back.The Italian mob does try to kill Pasha but it never amounts to much.This is a black-ploitation crime drama that is short on action.The problem seems to be that they had almost no money to make thismovie. its suppose to be set in 1956 but people wear clothes from the1970's and the streets are filled with cars made well after 56. I'mguessing that they couldn't afford any money for blanks, or if they didthey didn't have very many. What violence there is tends to be fistfights or beatings, which can be very bloody. Its disappointingespecially after the opening scene. I had the sense while watching itthat this was suppose to be a larger, more detailed story (there aredetails hanging off the screen that seem to connect to a longer story)and it wasn't filmed because of money or the film was unfinished.Its a messy movie but I liked it. The writing is at times sharp andwitty, even if the cast isn't up to it. There are numerous lines ofdialog that deserve to be quoted. You have a bunch of interestingcharacters that seem very real. I also liked that the plot never wentwhere you expected it to go, even though it became clear early this washeaded for left field by a completely new route. Its best described asa low budget attempt at something other than your typical crime drama(black or white). No it won't win any awards but if you're anadventurous film goer it deserves to be seen, if for no other reasonthan to imagine it remade by Mario Van Peebles, Quentin Tarantino orthe Hughes Brothers. You probably won't rave, but it will stick in yourhead.

Location: VD9/Action

Loaned: No