THE BLACK HAND

US, 1950, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Gene Kelly, J. Carrol Naish, Teresa Celli, Marc Lawrence, Barry Kelley.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.

Black Hand is an early film about the Mafia, using the words Mafia and Camorra in the screenplay. It was directed by Richard Thorpe, a standard director of a variety of MGM films from the 30s into the late 50s. He was soon to direct a number of spectaculars with Robert Taylor including Ivanhoe, Knights of the Round Table, Quentin Durward.

The film recreates the atmosphere of early 20th century New York, the slums where the Italian families lived. It also shows the social conditions where protection rackets were able to harm the families and keep them under control.

The film is the story of a young boy who resents the murder of his father for being an informer against the Mafia. He and his mother flee to Italy but he returns as a young man for vengeance. His meets his childhood sweetheart who tries to persuade him for other means of bringing down the Mafia. This includes a friendship with a local policeman, played by J. Carrol Naish, who goes to Italy to try to get records of criminal activities about the Mafia members resident in New York. He is murdered in Naples – but is able to post the details to New York. However, the Mafia chiefs abduct the young woman’s brother and force him to reveal where the post box is. Needless to say there is a final confrontation, where the young man uses the knife that he initially brought from Italy for revenge.

The film is interesting insofar as Gene Kelly plays the young Italian, with a wig of curly black hair, an Italian accent – quite different from his days as singer and dancer.

1. The popularity of the gangster films of the 30s and 40s? The transition to showing the Mafia in New York City?

2. The role of the Mafia, Camorra, in New York, in Italy?

3. The sets for New York City, the dinginess of the slums? The scenes in Naples? Sets – but creating atmosphere? The musical score?

4. The casting, Gene Kelly as Johnny, J. Carrol Naish as Louis Lorelli? Marc Lawrence as the sinister Mafioso?

5. The introduction to the characters, the Columbo family, Roberto, his work, the pressure from the Mafia, his going to the police, his being killed, the fake police? The effect on the family? On Johnny, on his mother, their going to Italy?

6. The presentation of the Mafia chiefs, the sinister hold? The henchmen? The bosses – and the final revelation of the Capo dei Capi? The trust that the Columbo family put in him? His sinister behind the scenes manoeuvres?

7. Johnny’s return from Italy, vowing vengeance, the knife? Coming back into his home district? Gradually revealing himself? The meeting with Isabella, in love with her, their past? Her caring for her brother? Her trying to urge him to a calmer approach?

8. Louis Lorelli, work as a policeman, against the Mafia? The discussions with Johnny, other ways of bringing the Mafia down? The frustrations in New York? His going on holidays to Naples, his search, the police, collaboration? The Mafia connections in Napoli? His being killed? Posting the letter before his death?

9. The Mafia, wanting the letter? The threat of police action against them for their criminal records in Italy? The abduction of the boy? His being held? Pressure on him? To reveal the post box address?

10. The final confrontation, the information for the police, Johnny and the head of the Mafia, his henchmen? The fights, the violence, deaths?

11. The resolution? The film showing the possibilities of combating the Mafia despite the pressures and their success in America?


BLACK HAND

US, 1949, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Gene Kelly, J. Carroll Naish, Teresa Celli, Marc Lawrence.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.

Black Hand is a late '40s melodrama about the Mafia at the turn of the century in New York. It precedes The Godfather by more than 20 years.

It is a small budget production with Gene Kelly in a serious role. The strength of the film is in the performance by J. Carroll Naish as a serious policeman trying to eradicate the Mafia. The film re-creates New York and Naples in studio sets, shows something of the way of life at the time, the tensions among the Italians and the reputation of the Mafia as well as their dealings amongst one another. The film is optimistic in its hopes for eradicating the Black Hand and the influence of the Mafia. Direction is by Richard Thorpe, director of many action features and of many M.G.M. spectacles like The Knights of the Round Table during the '50s.

1. Interesting film about the Mafia? A '40s perspective on half a century earlier? In the light of later films about the Tafia?

2. Production values, support feature, black and white photography, the re-creation of New York and Naples in the sets? Musical score?

3. The title, the symbol, the Mafiosi? The origins in Italy, criminals? Emigrating to America? Bringing their codes? Blackmail, terrorising, violence? The action for eradicating the Black Hand?

4. The opening, the lawyer going to testify, the irony that the Mafia had murdered the policeman, and heard his confession, his murder? The effect on his wife, her resignation? Religion? Johnny and his swearing vendetta? The return to Italy?

5. Johnny's return? Gene Kelly's suitability for the role? His wanting vendetta? His finding Louis again? Louis urging him to work within the law? The meeting with Isabella and Rudy? The further deaths? The frustration? The court cases and witnesses being terrorised? The cable from Italy and the arrest of the accused and his deportation? The possibility of Louis going to Naples and identifying the criminals? Johnny and his support? Louis' death, the kidnapping of Rudy, the Mafia chiefs and their hold, taking Johnny, Isabella’s plea? Imprisonment, torture? His bargain? Letting Rudy go? In the shop, seeing the explosives, lighting the fuse? The pursuit of the chief and killing him? Getting the list? His achievement? His initial attempts to form a society, the people gathered, the deaths? The later heritage of the Mafia and its continuance?

6. Louis, his work as a policeman, the frustrations? Friendship with Johnny? Helping bin with the assembly, its failure? The court case and his success, drinking? Deciding to go to Naples, the attempts on his life, identifying the photos? His murder, posting the letter? His contribution?

7. Isabella, Rudy, caught up in the atmosphere in New York, the dangers, the meetings, the kidnapping of Rudy, Isabella's outburst? Rudy and the torture, release, The reconciliation?

8. The Mafia and Black Hand personnel, in the ordinary shops in the streets, extortion money, the gangsters and their killings, the dead bodies at meetings? The murders in Naples and the connections? The purpose of the Black Hand? Criminal types? American law trying to cope?

9. Interesting melodrama, melodramatic style? A perspective on the Mafia from the past?