Across 110th Street – Review

A 1965 Cadillac Coupe de Ville cruises into Harlem. As it parks, out steps a couple white mafiosos, heading up into a cash counting room in a small block apartment. They join a few black hoodlums flipping through bills. Jim Harris (Benjamin), a convict dressed as a cop, wraps on the door, with a similarly outfitted cohort in tow. The men bust in and whip out machine guns. This is an armed robbery.

One of the money counters goes for his gun, and Harris lights up the two group of gangsters. Both Harlem and Little Italy will feel the effect of these gunned down thugs and missing loot. As the two fake cops make their escape to their getaway ride, a real patrolman runs up, only to catch hot lead. Another one is cut down moments later when the car stalls. Finally, the thieves are in the wind, after much damage done.

This violent criminal event sets off a chain of nasty reactions. Cops are out for revenge, and both Harlem gangsters and Italian thugs hit the concrete looking for their own blood and street justice. Don Gennarro tells his ace man Nick D’Salvio (Franciosa) that they worked too hard to get Harlem, and they need to send a message.

At the crime scene arrives Captain Frank Mattelli (Quinn). Seven bodies. Ugh. Mattelli gleans scene details, but no witnesses provide useful info, despite a plethora of them. He meets Lieutenant William Pope (Kotto), a newer investigator who asks ‘what else brings whites to Harlem, but business.’

Mattelli and Pope butt heads, as the white Captain gets pissy over top brass wanting the black Lieutenant to handle the case for the optics. This forms a contentious working partnership for the cops, who must try and solve the impending violence between the Italian mafia and the black mob of Harlem.

Based on a novel, Across 110^th Street is a solid, yet bleak, crime tale of murder and betrayal, featuring multiple parties and points of view all with a background of social observations and commentary. The setting and characters are interesting, while the dialogue feels authentic.

Don’t be a punk errand boy, and check it out.