The Mob (1951)

A police detective (Broderick Crawford) goes undercover as a dock worker to investigate the killing of the chief investigator and a witness on a waterfront crime case. Based on the novel WATERFRONT by Ferguson Findley and stylishly directed by Robert Parrish (CRY DANGER). This is a better than average mix of film noir and gangster movie. It's a compact film with some twists and turns, some easy to guess and others no so easy. The film is focused on the narrative with very little padding (like romance or comic bits) and has a nice texture to it that reflects the grittiness of police work and life on the docks. Crawford is very good here and he gets some good support from Richard Kiley as a fellow dock hand. It may not be anything special but it's a good solid example of a crime/noir film. The striking B&W lensing is by Joseph Walker (HIS GIRL FRIDAY). With Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Neville Brand, Betty Buehler, Frank DeKova and Matt Crowley.