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Humphrey Bogart stars as a crusading district attorney working against the clock to prosecute a mob boss in this suspenseful picture that should appeal to crime completists and fans of the iconic actor.Based on actual court cases, the plot unfolds largely in flashback as Bogart reviews his case against vicious racketeer Everett Sloane, who has killed off anyone that has threatened to testify against him. Capably directed by Bretaigne Windust (with uncredited help from Raoul Walsh, who shot most of the film's most suspenseful moments, including the nail-biting conclusion), The Enforcer's standard law vs. the mob plotline benefits greatly from its unusual structure, as well as Bogart's solid presence and a terrific supporting cast, which includes an early turn by Zero Mostel. The opening narration is provided by Estes Kefauver, who was chairing a Senate investigation into organized crime at the time of the picture's release. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Bogart at his best.
Stark sets, simple dialogue and a straight-forward plot help Bogart dominate this crime film. Every gesture, from his face to his hands, and the way he walks, and every word he says, makes an even bigger impression against this minimalistic backdrop.

The sets at the start are immensely black with long shadows in the dead of night. But as the film progresses and light is let in, through city and through country, things open up. It's a gritty world of immigrants and the unfortunate fear of people with names like Mendoza and Olga.

The character actors do memorable things with their lines and there is a more than effective use of flashbacks in the plot.

The music of a Romantic European orchestra, all heavy with strings and blaring brass, once again adds to a Bogart movie.

This may all seem rather tame and simple-minded to viewers raised on more recent crime films. But I find these old black-and-white pictures by Bogie and Cagney to be perfect in their own way.

Their "unrealistic realism" is less cluttered, more like art, but not pretentiously so. And they show an understanding of human nature, especially violence and the allure of the gun, which later films lack.

More than anything, this film has the greatest screen presence of them all, the dominating force that was Humphrey Bogart.

Good crime thriller
This is a decent thriller circa 1950 with Bogart in the role of DA for the jurisdiction. Well acted with a decent script it delivers. With language such as "hit" and "contract" now commonplace in the action/thriller genre it's a little odd to hear them used as if they were new term (and they were then).

The story centers around the breaking of a crime syndicate whose work consists of murder for hire. Much of it is told in flashback with few flagging moments. This isn't Bogart's best, but you won't be disappointed. This is a water-down version of a real life event based in the mid-40's in NY City. Another film, Murder, Inc with Peter Falk is a grittier tale of the same incident.

Look for Zero Mostel in a supporting role and for the work of Raoul Walsh who has several uncredited directing scenes.

A Huge Bogart Fan...couldn't watch the whole thing.
The plot drags. Bogart is magnetic, but seems bored, and the film tries to milk his presence instead of working the plotline or magnifying the other characters.

I actually turned it off, and I love to watch Bogart films.

Don't bother, unless you have to watch them all.

Amusing crime story
This obviously is not Bogart's most famous or memorable film, but it is an entertaining film noir that holds your interest from start to finish. They don't make 'em like this no more. The plot involves Bogart as a D.A., whose star witness in bringing the head of a murder racket to justice dies before the trial. In a lengthy flashback, Bogart retraces the case from the beginning, looking for some bit of testimony that might help him nail the killer before he goes scot free. Bogart is good as his usual tough-guy self, and it's fun to watch the erie black-and-white cinematography. While it's nothing to write home about, it is a good cheap thriller, much better than many of the big-budget ones that have come out since then. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Flawed technical job, but a reasonable price
As a tiny tot I vaguely remember being mesmerized by this colorful children's production. Today I am able to see how contrived and staged a production it was. Nonetheless, it is a classic of the period.

If you are spoiled by some of the beautiful sight and sound restorations of old films available on DVD today, this one will leave you disappointed. On the DVD I purchased, both the film and soundtrack are filled with artifacts. During one production sequence called "Prestige" film frames are dropped and the sound is severely truncated, even going out of synch in one section. This may be the only source print available, however.

The DVD is also flawed by poor DVD authoring. The menu index does not correctly correspond to the film's content. In fact, the true Chapter I of the authoring is not accessible via the DVD menu at all on my copy. This is poor technical work and totally avoidable.

But, it is not an expensive issue and it does provide an opportunity to see some classic performances by Claude Rains, Van Johnson, and Jim Backus. The film includes a wonderful guest performance by Kay Starr.

This is a piece I'd like to see a fine team of restoration experts tackle. But for less than 10 bucks it isn't a bad deal. It's no worse than watching old film prints on Sunday afternoon local affiliate TV stations.

'Pied Piper is a treat for all ages!'
This Alpha Video DVD of 'The Pied Piper Of Hamelin' is the best source print of this film I have ever seen.
'Pied Piper Of Hamelin' (1953) is a family treat for all ages and for all holidays. First filmed in color as a Hallmark TV special, it is a masterful, musical re-telling of the fairy tale using the beautiful mysterious, music of Edward Grieg with new lyrics.
The cast is first-rate, with movie great Van Johnson brilliantly playing the strange and often frightening piper, as well as the kind school teacher Trueson, who is also the village concience. Legendary movie villain Claude Rains is absolutely wonderful as the clever, sneering, corrupt lord mayor of Hamelin. Rains has a ball playing him like Prince John of 'Adventures Of Robin Hood' (1937) in retirement! He even does a comical, show-stopping song and dance! Jim Backus also appears as the King's messenger, and his comedy is badly needed as this fairy tale goes dark in it's second half.
One highlight of the film, is Van Johnson as the Pied Piper, leading the rats out of Hamelin to their deaths in the river. He is playing on his pipe the haunting 'In The Hall Of The Mountain King' from Grieg's 'Peter Guint Suite', as the cleverly animated rats march to oblivion!
Unlike the fairy tale, this 'Pied Piper Of Hamelin' has a happy ending with a lesson for everyone about greed, selfishness, and false pride. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I beg you, RELEASE IT NOW!!
So maybe I'm a bit of a nerd to get upset with TVLand when they have their marathon weekends and I have to miss out on the Beav. But enough already! So I can't watch it on television most weekends anymore . . . I NEED the DVD.

"Leave it to Beaver" is really the only program on television I have ever faithfully watched, and with much amusement too I have to say. I'm only 29 and society says I should be watching "Friends"....but what do they know? I think that kids should be forced to watch "Leave it to Beaver" in the classroom! I can't think of a better example of kids learning good values, learning to be conscientious and learning from their mistakes.

And for the record, to the person down below, I happen to be one of the farthest Americans from the "far right" as one can possibly be. My love for the Beav has nothing to do with my extreme liberalism and I doubt it does for many other people either.

I can't wait!!

I Can't Wait for This to be Released!
"Leave it to Beaver" is one of my all-time favorite shows. It will be great to have this series on dvd. I would certainly be a customer for each and every season that is released on dvd. What a pleasure it will be to watch this show complete and uncut. Long live the Cleavers!

Gotta have The Beav on DVD
I sure hope the first,second, and third season of Leave it to Beaver is put on DVD. I can remember watching this show over and over on rerun and I still do on TV Land but I would sure love to own the series on DVD and watch it at my leisure. Sure was a simpler time and it is nice to look back at those characters and relate some of their antics to my own life. Lots of fun and good family entertainment. It would be a winner. Thanks

Attack of the pod people
Lucy Ricardo and Laura Petrie had spunk and were not afraid to show it, but this show is HORRIBLE. I decided to torture myself one afternoon and try to see what the American far right likes in this infamous series. I came away with an exacerbated toothache and a headache.

From the opening credits (mom is serenely waking up her kids!!) to the end, the only redeeming quality is 'bad' boy Eddie Haskell. Poor scripting decisions unfortunately prevent the character from telling off the insipid Cleavers and he is reduced to sickening compliments. I know people like these at my current workplace, and when they comment on your dress that frequently, they are not doing it out of genuine niceness.

June is a housewife, but looks perfectly coifed all day long. That creeps me out even more than the robo-voice she greets her 'boys' with in nearly every other minute of the show. The Cleavers do not have enough money to hire domestic help, so the viewing audience is encouraged to believe she is spotless after performing chores all day. Yeah, right...this series was clearly made by people who never set foot in a kitchen unless they were eating food. ... Read more