Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Enforcer

Play trailer Poster for The Enforcer 1951 1h 27m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
89% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
For as long as crime boss Albert Mendoza (Everett Sloane) has been running a notorious ring of hired hit men, District Attorney Martin Ferguson (Humphrey Bogart) has been hunting him down. But Ferguson cuts a deal with Mendoza's henchman Joe Rico (Ted De Corsia), and the mob boss is finally arrested. However, Rico dies mysteriously before he can testify against Mendoza, and Ferguson must reexamine years of potential evidence, desperately searching for something to incriminate the gangster with.

Critics Reviews

View More
Richard Brody The New Yorker 07/26/2021
Walsh... endows the film's deadly violence with stylishly macabre flourishes. Yet the movie's originality is mainly in its script, by Martin Rackin. Go to Full Review
Virginia Graham The Spectator 06/20/2018
[The Enforcer] is a very good film indeed, and one which must appeal to anyone who happens to have a base instinct about him. Go to Full Review
Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television 01/01/2011
Vivid film noir, with many images that recall other Raoul Walsh thrillers. Go to Full Review
Steve Crum Video-Reviewmaster.com 02/23/2008
4/5
Fine latter day Bogie (1950), and the title says it all. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/04/2005
3/5
Thomas Delapa Boulder Weekly 08/25/2004
2/5
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Steve D 06/24/2023 Not a fan of Bogart but this one works. See more steven a 01/14/2023 Straight telling of the story in a series of flashbacks leaves little room for characterisation but makes for an efficient thriller. Burks' shadowy photography helps build atmosphere and the tension is held throughout by Windust's (and Walsh's) sure direction. Mostel puts in a good performance as a nervy bystander and Bogart adds his usual authority to his role of the obsessive DA. See more paul d @PaulusLoZebra 01/03/2022 Bretaigne Windust and Raoul Walsh deliver the goods in The Enforcer, a well-made crime drama. The cinematography has just enough artistry to make this an atmospheric film, not among the standout film noirs of its generation, but a very good one. Humphrey Bogart is playing his usual tough guy, but this time in favor of the law. The villains are well-drawn characters, with particular kudos to Ted de Corsia, and a very good Zero Mostel. The film has a large cast of fine character actors. The dramatic tension is sustained; there isn't a hint of romance, comedy, or sentimentality to distract us. See more @MilloTPue 05/03/2020 Not at the same level of other Bogart productions, but it is a solid film noir. See more 10/15/2014 a classic crime film noir movie with excellent acting and noir lighting and cinematography. See more 10/14/2014 Solid crime drama. Bogart is his usual badass self, even in a suit. See more Read all reviews
The Enforcer

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Knock on Any Door 69% 57% Knock on Any Door Watchlist Where the Sidewalk Ends 100% 87% Where the Sidewalk Ends Watchlist The Racket 30% 44% The Racket Watchlist The Street With No Name 100% 58% The Street With No Name Watchlist The Mob 80% 75% The Mob Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis For as long as crime boss Albert Mendoza (Everett Sloane) has been running a notorious ring of hired hit men, District Attorney Martin Ferguson (Humphrey Bogart) has been hunting him down. But Ferguson cuts a deal with Mendoza's henchman Joe Rico (Ted De Corsia), and the mob boss is finally arrested. However, Rico dies mysteriously before he can testify against Mendoza, and Ferguson must reexamine years of potential evidence, desperately searching for something to incriminate the gangster with.
Director
Bretaigne Windust
Producer
Milton Sperling
Production Co
United States Pictures
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 25, 1951, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 23, 2017
Runtime
1h 27m