The Case Against Brooklyn (1958)

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The Case Against Brooklyn (1958) – P. Wendkos

Based on a true story, Darren McGavin plays the rookie cop who is assigned to go undercover to expose a bookie ring that has protection from a group of corrupt cops (who receive a pay-off).  It starts out Dragnet-style as a police procedural, seemingly narrated by the Chief of Police or District Attorney.  But at a certain point, the narration is left behind and we stick with Private Pete Harris (McGavin) as he tries to get evidence against the local “horse shop” and to find out who the kingpin is. The interesting twist is that Harris is not really a nice guy.  When he needs to get some information out of a widow whose husband has committed suicide after being roughed up by the bookies for big debts, he doesn’t hesitate to romance her, even telling is partner that he would “go all the way” if he had to.  His wife wouldn’t need to know – although, of course, later she finds out, when the widow suspects Pete is not all he suggests he is (an out-of-town businessman) and looks him up in the phone book (he is using his real name!) to find his home address. At any rate, after his partner is killed and things go even more sour on the case, Pete turns in his badge and goes rogue (something Jackie Chan has also done on a few occasions) -- yes, it is a cliché and this late noir is full of them (including stealing some plot twists from Lang’s The Big Heat, 1953).  It all plays out a bit like a TV drama but with added violence (for the time).  However, with no real sympathetic characters, it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.  As noir should.