"Pay or Die!" is a very good film....not the least of which is because it's amazingly accurate for a Hollywood biopic. It's about Lt. Joseph Petrosino (Ernest Borgnine), the first Italian-speaking cop in New York City...and a crusader against organized crime.
When the story begins, various members of the Italian-American community are being harassed and threatened by 'the black hand'...an Italian organization based on extortion. The problem is that despite the damage they cause the community, everyone is afraid to cooperate with the police for fear of reprisals from this group. What Petrosino doesn't realize, however, is that the problem is much larger and well organized than he thinks and is actually part of the Mafia. To combat this, Petrosino starts an Italian Squad--a group of Italian-American cops who integrate undercover into the community to get the goods on the mob. What's next? See the film.
Why did I score this one so high? Much of it is because the acting is so good...as is the writing. The characters seem real and you really find yourself caring about Petrosino and his friends. Additionally, the film generally sticks to the true facts and is a nice history lesson. Well worth seeing...and quite exciting.
