Across 110th Street **** (1972, Anthony Quinn, Yaphet Kotto, Anthony Franciosa) – Classic Movie Review 9422

Director Barry Shear’s 1972 Across 110th Street stars Anthony Franciosa as Mafia man Nick D’Salvio, who retaliates furiously when small-time thieves Jim Harris (Paul Benjamin) and Joe Logart (Ed Bernard) steal $300,000 of his Italian mob’s money, killing two Italian mobsters, three black gangsters and two policemen, prompting NYPD cops Captain Frank Mattelli (Anthony Quinn) and Lieutenant Pope (Yaphet Kotto) to have to intervene urgently to investigate.

Across 110th Street is an extraordinarily violent revenge thriller, but it is taut, fast-moving and atmospheric, with a real sniff of life and death. Shear makes something special out of a good genre potboiler, and there is interesting handling of race clashes and the Harlem locations. It mixes blaxploitation film and neo noir elements.

Its violence was criticised by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission when it was shown on British TV in the 80s, but Channel 5 screened it in 1997 and 1998 without problems, although about three minutes were removed before the BBFC allowed the film to be shown.

Also in the cast are Paul Benjamin, Ed Bernard, Richard Ward, Antonio Fargas, Norma Donaldson, Gilbert Lewis and Tim O’Connor.

It is written by Luther Davis, based on the novel by Wally Ferris.

Across 110th Street is written by Barry Shear, runs 102 minutes, is made by Film Guarantors and Serpe-Said, is released by United Artists, is written by Luther Davis, based on the novel by Wally Ferris, is shot by Jack Priestley, is produced by Anthony Quinn (executive producer), Barry Shear (executive producer), Ralph B Serpe and Fouad Said, is scored by J J Johnson and is designed by Perry Watkins.

It was filmed during the heat of July 1972 in Harlem, leading to sweaty-looking actors.

Executive producer Anthony Quinn stepped in when John Wayne, Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas turned down the role of Captain Frank Mattelli.

Tim O’Connor died in April 2018: Actor best known for Peyton Place was 90.

Paul Benjamin, actor in Do the Right Thing, died at 81 in July 2019.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9422

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