The Enforcer (1951)

 ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

The Enforcer (1951) – B. Windust & R. Walsh

This later Bogie vehicle finds him uncovering a gang of hit-men, based on the notorious organised crime mob, Murder, Inc., who were exposed in 1941 by former contract killer Abe Reles. It feels surprising that Bogie’s D. A. and all of the cops supporting him have never heard the words “contract” or “hit” in conjunction with murder or the mob, but that’s the way it was. The film takes the now familiar format of a series of overlapping flashbacks, as Bogie recalls the details of the case after his key witness (based on Reles) has died on the eve of the trial of the main boss (played deliciously by Everett Sloane in what is basically a cameo). I suppose I might not be the only one who thought of Leslie Nielsen’s Police Squad spoof of this format when the plentiful scenes of Bogie interviewing various bit players about what they know start to mount up.  Yet the film is nothing less than enjoyable as it moves briskly through its paces (veteran Raoul Walsh stepped in as director when Bretaigne Windust fell ill) with enough noir flavour (courtesy of later Hitchcock cinematographer Robert Burks) to give it grit.  One to watch when you’ve exhausted the well-known Bogart “hits”.