What set The Godfather and The Sopranos apart from normal gangster projects was their exploration of a mobster’s crime family and home family. Can a man that controls a region’s underworld also be father of the year? Decades before Tony Soprano and Vito Corleone depicted mafia dads with troubled kids, New York Confidential presented an almost sympathetic mobster father. The audience couldn’t hiss the screen because he cared about his daugher. They also couldn’t embrace a guy that had no problem ordering executions. New York Confidential delivers as both a crime boss thriller and a family melodrama.
Charlie Lupo (Broderick Crawford) needs help at the office and back home. He call in a hitman to take care of a rival that stepped on his turf. Nick Magellan (Richard Conte) isn’t the normal thuggish gunman. He’s got fashion sense. He’s also a quick learner. He quickly bonds with Charlie to the point where he won’t be taking the return flight home. Sticking around makes him help in Lupo’s other problem: his daughter. Kathy (Anne Bancroft) can’t stand being a mafia princess. Her boyfriends carefully dump her for fear that her old man will have them vanish if they upset her. Eventually she runs away from home and assuming a new identity. Charlie’s heart is broken at his daughter’s flight. Little does he know that Nick has found her. Nick is like Mary Poppins if she packed heat instead of an umbrella.
Nick gets sent to straighten out the Brooklyn office. The “regional manager” is too distracted by cheap dames to bring up his numbers. Nick’s message kicks off a physical flame war. Nick’s most dangerous task is avoiding the clutches of Charlie’s girlfriend. She’s thinks Nick is going to take over the operation in record time. She’s ready to line up her next gangster sugar daddy. Nick knows better than to do anything with the boss’ woman besides be polite. He only has eyes for the boss’ daughter. Can Nick be the help that Charlie needs to secure his criminal empire and family? Or will he be taking over the Syndicate?
Since this is a gangster film made in 1955, there’s little chance for a real happy ending. There’s not even a case of the screen going to black while the trio eat onion rings. It’s a nasty ending as the law must work against this crime family. New York Confidential paved the way for the domestic gangster drama. While the movie deals with the Italian mafia, the actors don’t go out of their way to be Italian. Some may consider this a letdown, but do we really need Broderick Crawford speaking like Chico Marx? This is a case of less acting equals more enjoyment from diminished embarrassment. Conte trail blazes as a hitman who isn’t pure gorilla goon. He brings a certain level of sophistication to the role. New York Confidential should be publicly shared in your family room.
The video is 1.85 anamorphic. The framing gives plenty of head space. The black and white transfer looks good for the age. The audio is Dolby Digital 2.0. The levels are good and clear so you won’t lose track of what Broderick Crawford’s saying.
Audio Commentary by film historian Alan K. Rode and writer, Kim Morgan dips into what makes this a seminal crime film.
Photo Gallery (1:45) is a montage featuring production stills and lobby cards.
Original Trailer (2:41) swears a shocking expose of the multi-millionaires of the underworld.
Before and After Restoration (0:46) is a split screen demo showing off the amazing work done to enhance the picture.
New York Confidential allows a mob boss to be human on the silver screen. We see that he’s a family man hustling to keep his business profitable. The hitman also proves to be more than just a mysterious character with a gun. This is a gangster film with heart and bullets.
VCI Entertainment presents New York Confidential. Directed by: Russell Rouse. Starring: Broderick Crawford, Richard Conte and Anne Bancroft. Running Time: 87 minutes. Released on DVD: June 29, 2010.
