Man Against the Mob

Man Against the Mob

DVD cover and poster
Written by David J. Kinghorn
John Rester Zodrow
Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern
Starring George Peppard
Kathryn Harrold
Max Gail
Stella Stevens
Barry Corbin
Theme music composer Artie Kane
Original language(s) English
Production
Producer(s) Paul Rubell
Cinematography Neil Roach
Editor(s) Barrett Taylor
Running time 100 minutes
Distributor

NBC
(USA, TV, original airing) Audio Visual Enterprises
(Greece, VHS)

Lorimar Television
(Brazil, VHS)
Release
Original release
  • January 10, 1988 (1988-01-10)

Man Against the Mob (also known as Trouble in the City of Angels) is a 1988 NBC television movie directed by Steven Hilliard Stern,[1] starring George Peppard, Kathryn Harrold and Max Gail. Man Against the Mob is a precursor of the 2013 theatrical feature Gangster Squad, in that it deals with the post-war formation of a special LAPD unit set up to suppress Organized Crime in Los Angeles. It may have been inspired by the success of the 1987 theatrical feature The Untouchables, a period drama which also depicted an elite law enforcement unit pitted against mobsters. This was designed around the actor George Peppard as a tough LA cop in the late 1940s. A 1989 TV-movie followup, Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders is a sequel that also stars Peppard. The first movie was a pilot of a proposed NBC series entitled City of Angels but ended up panning out as only the two TV movies before George Peppard died in 1994.[2][3]

Background and plot

Investigating a brutal homicide, Peppard discovers that the killing is more than a common sex crime. A trail of evidence leads Peppard to a group of visiting Chicago mobsters, and ultimately to several of Los Angeles' better known citizens. Set in Los Angeles in the 1940s just after the War, the script has some pointed humour and there are witty lines and dialogue exchanges. Kathryn Harrold plays a War widow who is the love interest. He has lost his wife, Kathryn has lost her husband, and they both slowly get attracted to one another. Steven Stern does a satisfactory job of directing. Peppard's character is heroic, straight and honest, and fights the Mob's attempts to come in from New Jersey and infiltrate L.A., and they are being aided by an entire division of corrupt L.A. cops known as 'Metro Division'. Peppard escapes several assassination attempts, won't give up, and becomes pretty much a lone wolf as his few supporters are killed around him. Stella Stevens plays an owner of a nightclub. This film led to a 1989 sequel with Peppard, Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders that also showed on NBC.[4] Part of the shooting of the movie was done at the Drake Hotel in Chicago as well as older historic hotels in Los Angeles in the MacArthur Park area.[5]

Actor Role
George Peppard Frank Doakey
Kathryn Harrold Marilyn Butler
Max Gail Rusty Kitchens
Barry Corbin Big Mac McCleary
Fredric Lehne Sammy Turner
Stella Stevens Joey Day
Norman Alden Capt. Necker
Cheryl Anderson Grace Kitchens
Paul Sylvan Vinny DeMarco

Production information, crew, credits, misc.

Critiques, reviews, ratings

There is an interesting entry by James Robert Parish in his book Prostitution in Hollywood films: plots, critiques, casts, and credits for 389 theatrical and made-for-television releases (1992) talking about the plot and the use of prostitution as part of the two Man Against the Mob TV movies.[6]

"...thanks to George Peppard's performance the film scored excellent ratings when first telecast in 1988. A 1989 TV-movie followup, Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders failed to match the ratings of the first effort." Hal Erickson - Allrovi[7]

Awards

1989 Edgar Allan Poe Awards

References

  1. Roberts, Jerry. Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors. Scarecrow Press, 2009. pp. 569.
  2. Terrace, Vincent. Encyclopedia of Television Pilots, 1937-2012 McFarland (eBook), Jan 1, 2013. entry 2804
  3. Blockbuster Video guide to movies and videos, 1996, Dell Pub., 1995. pp. 719
  4. Drew, Bernard A. Motion Picture Series and Sequels: A Reference Guide (eBook). Routledge. 2013. Entry 477A.
  5. Corcoran, Michael. Bernstein, Arnie Hollywood on Lake Michigan: 100+ Years of Chicago and the Movies, Chicago Review Press (eBook), 2013.
  6. Parish, James Robert. Prostitution in Hollywood films: plots, critiques, casts, and credits for 389 theatrical and made-for-television releases. McFarland, 1992. pp.263
  7. Erickson, Hal. Review and Write up, Allmovie Guide
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