Crime, Inc. (1945)

Director:

Lew Landers

Writers:

Martin Mooney (novel)
Raymond L. Schrock (writer)

Release Date:

15 April 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

MONEY TALKS... but Big Money Sings A SIREN SONG!

Plot:

A crusading reporter uses his friendship with a mobster to expose the machinations of organized crime in his city.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Leo Carrillo	...	Anthony Charles 'Tony' Marlow
Tom Neal	...	Jim Riley
Martha Tilton	...	Betty Van Cleve, aka Betty Egan
Lionel Atwill	...	Pat Coyle
Grant Mitchell	...	Wayne Clark
Sheldon Leonard	...	Capt. Ferrone
Harry Shannon	...	Police Commissioner Collins
Danny Morton	...	Bugs Kelley aka Mike Egan
Virginia Vale	...	Trixie Waters
Don Beddoe	...	Deputy District Attorney Dixon
George Meeker	...	Barry North
Rod Rogers	...	Henchman Val Lucas
Ed Cronley	...	Sgt. Hayes
Jack Gordon	...	Jud Stecker
Monk Friedman	...	Convict
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Chandler	...	Bill the cab driver
Harry Harvey	...	City editor
Carl O'Bryan	...	Undetermined role (unconfirmed)
James Seay	...	Grand juror
Herschel Bernardi	...	(uncredited)
Wade Crosby	...	Mobster (uncredited)
Crahan Denton	...	Vannie Denton (uncredited)
Sam Flint	...	Judge Poole (uncredited)
Earle Hodgins	...	Carnival Barker (uncredited)
I. Stanford Jolley	...	Mobster (uncredited)
Michael Mark	...	Lutz, Cafe Waiter (uncredited)
Stanley Price	...	Eddie Garr (uncredited)
Jack Rockwell	...	Prison Guard (uncredited)
Gene Roth	...	Big Ed Johnson (uncredited)
Robert Strange	...	(uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	District Attorney Conroy (uncredited)

Directed by
Lew Landers

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Martin Mooney		novel
Raymond L. Schrock		writer (as Ray Schrock)

Produced by
Leon Fromkess	....	producer
Martin Mooney	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Walter Greene

Cinematography by
James S. Brown Jr.		(as James Brown)

Film Editing by
Roy V. Livingston		(as Roy Livingston)

Art Direction by
Paul Palmentola

Set Decoration by
Harry Reif

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lou Perlof	....	assistant director

Art Department
Eugene C. Stone	....	property master (as Gene Stone)

Sound Department
Max M. Hutchinson	....	sound (as Max Hutchinson)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elsie Eppich	....	wardrober: women
Morrie Friedman	....	wardrober: men (as Morris Friedman)

Other crew
Herman Rotsten	....	dialogue director (as Herman Rotztein)

Production Companies

• Producers Releasing Corporation

Distributors

• Producers Releasing Corporation (1945) (USA) (theatrical)
• Madison Pictures (1951) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1993) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Crime Incorporated

Runtime:

75 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Producers Releasing Corporation

Trivia:

Film debut of Danny Morton.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After Crime Inc. assassin Eddie Garr decides to become a state's witness, he is stabbed to death in prison with a knife to the left chest. In his story on the murder, reporter Jim Riley states that he was stabbed in the back.

Quotes:

Jim Riley: I'm convinced that crime in our city is incorporated like big business.

Soundtrack:

I'm Guilty

The Crime Reporter Strikes

Jim Riley is a columnist who writes his daily Crime Reporter column discussing the moves and killings of noted racketeers. Riley gets much of his information from gangster Bugs Kelly, a friend, who is trying to leave the underworld and its business organization Crime, Inc. by testifying at a grand jury hearing on the organization. The heads of Crime, Inc. learn of Bugs' motives and put a hit out on him eventually nailing him at a carnival. Riley, now under investigation since Bugs was a close confidant of his, decides to turn states' evidence and appear before the grand jury. Crime, Inc. plans to be a bit more sadistic with the rubbing out of Riley by using Riley's sweetheart (and Bugs' sister) nightclub singer Betty Van Cleeve. Average and interesting poverty row gangster film with a good story and plot that does have some interesting twists. The ending does not seem to deliver the explosiveness promised from the earlier parts of the film but the crime does not pay mantra does take effect. Actors are decent here (surprised to see Carillo play a non-Hispanic speaking role here) but nothing special. Rating, 5.