Pay or Die (1960)

A beautifully rendered factbased crime film about a crusading Italian policeman battling Black Hand extortionists in New Yorks Little Italy is back on the big screen In addition to Ernest Borgnines brilliantly sensitive portrayal as Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino this engrossing picture is deftly photographed by Lucien Ballard beautifully scored by David Raksin with a stellar supporting cast including Zohra Lampert and Alan Austin Literate suspenseful and emotionally moving this memorable film remains the definitive depiction about the emergence of the Mafia in America