Pagare o morire

In the early 1900's police detective Lieut. Joseph Petrosino (Ernest Borgnine) forms a special squard to combat the menacing Black Hand in New York City in this tough and convincing drama based on actual events. Hardworking store keepers are threatened with torture, death and destruction if they don't come across with "protection" money. Other than Borgnine's fine performance there's good support from Zohra Lampert (an actress who should have risen to the top), Al Austin, John Duke, Renata Vanni and John Marley (Hollywood mogul Woltz in "The Godfather"). The essence of the period is captured with the stunning black and white photography.

Smoothly done crime drama based on an actual New York crime fighter. Police Lt. Petrosino (Borgnine) is proud of his Italian heritage, but rues presence of Mafia elements in New York's Little Italy. Thus he dedicates himself to cracking open the secret web that extracts money from honest shopkeepers. There is, of course, some violence but it's not spread on thickly, which keeps the story in central focus. Petrosino's personal life is somewhat complicated by an Italian girl (Lampert) whom he's attracted to. (At least that gets a pretty girl into what's otherwise an all male cast!) Trouble is he's middle-aged while she's attracted to a younger guy. So, all in all, will he be able to get beyond crime's chokehold on the neighborhood and maybe help his private life at the same time.

Borgnine delivers in robust fashion appearing in most every scene. His cop is likable, maybe too much so for the toughness he must display—but that's debatable. Lampert's a pleasant surprise as the neighborhood girl. I can see why the cop was stuck on her. Too bad actress Lampert didn't have an A-list career; she certainly had the talent. It's also a strong supporting cast of ordinary looking guys that fit their part, including familiar stalwarts like Simon and Marley. There's also a general and well-placed refusal to glamorize anybody or anything. Little Italy thus comes across as a struggling ethnic neighborhood looking for a chance to enter the American mainstream, but held back by criminal elements carried over from the old country.

All in all, it's an engaging movie with a few surprises that holds interest despite a lengthy runtime. Just as importantly, it shows that a lead actor doesn't have to be handsome in order to win an audience.

(In passing— It was about this time (1960) that the similarly themed The Untouchables with Robert Stack started its popular run on TV (1959-63).)

This 1960 crime drama was directed by Richard Wilson, who had just made a highly successful film on the life of Al Capone the previous year, and does another fine job with this one, set in New York's Little Italy in the early twentieth century. Ernest Borgnine is the hero, a policeman who takes on the dreaded "Black Hand" that was terrorizing shopkeepers and various other innocent, law-abiding people by forcing them to pay "protection money" (or else). It's the usual cops and robbers story, but with more heart than most, and with an unusual setting, stunningly realized by set designer Darrell Silvera. That the story happens to be based on fact gives the movie gravitas. Although it's filmed as melodrama the film is in many respects a semi-documentary of tenement life, much of it sadly true. There's nothing romantic about the Mafia depicted in this movie. They're presented as the brutal thugs they really are, without a trace of sentimentality. The sympathy here is all for the poor people of the streets, and for the man who was their champion.

I am the great half niece of Lt. Petrosino. I have seen the movie many years ago and have been trying to purchase it on either video or DVD for many years now. Ernest Borgnine did a great job playing the part of Lt. Petrosino. If anyone knows how to purchase this movie, could you please email me? I have tried to contact the Petrosino Lodge (Sons of Italy) without success and have been searching many websites. It is something I would love my children and grandchildren to see and to have. I can remember my Uncle Joe Petrosino, who looks much like Lt. Guiseppe Petrosino, who now all go by Petrosine. Thank you for any input... Please email me at lindarae1948@aol.com

To me Pay or die was one of the greatest pictures of all time, I am very sorry it hasn't been shown much since 1969. Ernest Borgnine is one my favorite actors, and this picture really describes what really went on in the early 1900's on the Lower East Side of NYC.

It's a picture that should be shown more often and available on DVD everywhere, and also one you can rent from your video store.

I would like to see this picture shown more often on TV especially on the fox movie channel or Turner Classic movies or even if PBs shows it.

This movie was the best movie pre-Godfather, and Ernest Borgnine gave a great performance as Lt.Joseph Petrocino