PAY OR DIE no stars

Largely mediocre crime picture, this one dealing with the Black Hand, the early forerunner of the Mafia, and their activities in turn of the 20th century New York, "Pay or Die!" scores on a reasonable plot but falls down in the script department and the lack lustre direction of Richard Wilson. Supposedly based on real events, it tells the story of Joe Petrosino, a real-life New York Italian policeman played by Ernest Borgnine at his most blustering, who almost single-handedly cleaned up the city, at least from the Black Hand. His love interest is that fine and undervalued actress Zohra Lampert who never had a part worthy of her and is no better cast here. Lucien Ballard's black and white cinematography at least adds a modicum of atmosphere.