The Purple Gang

Good, solid gangster movie from the black and white era. When you watch this you have to understand a few things. First, it is an anti-crime propaganda movie. Much like the anti-Hitler movies made just prior to WW2. The writers and director try and make Barry Sullivan out to be an anti-crime hero that gives up his personal life to stop the Purple Gang. Yeah right...like that would EVER happen. Secondly, this movie was made in the heydey of "psychological explainations" for EVERYTHING. So they blamed the members of the Purple Gang and especially the leader, Robert Blake's character, as being mentally unstable and having a poor upbringing. It was kinda cool to see the Purple Gang rub out the shrink that was trying to protect them with her psycho-babble.Robert Blake was just plain AWESOME as the leader of the Purple Gang. You end up hoping he will beat the cops and not get caught. But since this is a message movie of "crime doesn't pay", you know in advance that will never happen. Blake is at his best playing the cold, cruel gangster shooting up the competition. The psycho scenes and a terrible ending that makes no sense are the worst parts of the movie. In one scene one of the gang members suggests they leave town for a while to let things cool off. Blake tells him "and let the Mafia take over? Besides, that's what lawyers are for". That is exactly what a gang member would say. But then at the ending, the propaganda takes over and Blake is a crying baby cowering in the corner after Sullivan slaps him. A more real ending would have been for Blake to say "Forgetaboutit, see my lawyer" and sneering in Sullivan's face.

One of my favorite movies as a kid. It made a big impression on us as kids. This movie was about a youth gang who had ambition about getting into the big time in the adult world of crime. It takes place in Detroit.There was a bunch of kids who saw this movie as kids in Italian Harlem. They wanted to do the same thing. They called themselves the NY Purple gang and did the exact same thing in real life. This movie was impossible to fine until relatively recently.

This film was made in 1959, released in January 1960, a B&W throwback 1930s period piece. Nothing about it will surprise you, I'd guess, if you're familiar with the genre or with The Untouchables TV series (1959-63). Same vibe. I bought it because it features Robert Blake as the villain, and I was a big Baretta fan as a kid in the '70s. It was interesting to see in his performance many of the same gestures, expressions, etc., that were central to his Baretta characterization, years later. Fun to see, but unless you're a BIG fan, you might be happier renting the video vs. buying it.

This is a classic gangster movie that I saw when I was a kid. It is well worth watching and I certainly enjoyed watching it again, since it has been so many years since its debut in 1959.

Robert Blake has always been a dedicated actor and an outspoken personality.He began acting in "Our Gang" comedies in 1939, and deserved an Oscar forenacting real-life mass murderer Perry Smith in 1967's "In Cold Blood." WhenBlake would guest on The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson would just throw up his armsand laugh helplessly at Blake's hilarious rantings and ravings about myriad topics.And of course, he was the defendant in both criminal and civil murder trials forthe shooting death of his second wife. Blake walked away freed but bankrupt.In 1960, Blake had a good young adult role as Honeyboy Willard, the coldblooded,ruthless, milk-drinking leader of Detroit's 1930's Purple Gang. Honeyboy startshis criminal career leading robberies of mom-and-pop grocery stores, then graduatesto muscling his way into the lucrative bootlegging of Canadian whiskey. Along theway are such sordid episodes as the rape and murder of a "progressive do-gooder"juvenile social worker; the physical terrorizing of a pregnant woman by maskedhoodlums; Willard's tommy-gun mowing down a trio of rival gangsters; and his callousfitting of his mistrusted best friend with a "cement overcoat." Between these eviltidbits are screen montages of blazing guns, whirling gambling wheels, and model-Tcar chases and crashes. Big. tough Barry Sullivan plays the honest police detectivewho must endure a despicable attack on his own family and bring the jabbering andclaustrophobic Honeyboy to justice."The Purple Gang" was one in a rash of gangster movies to appear in cinemas afterthe huge T.V. success of "The Untouchables." Such frequent "gangster actors" asJoseph Turkel and Paul Dubov strut their stuff, uttering tough bromides to Blake.It's not a world-beater, but should satisfy addicts of prohibition crime dramas,where women are as likely as men to get blasted.

I have always admired Robert Blake as an actor. I have not seen this movie for over 30 years. Just loved watching it again.

Old school gangster movie

My mom will love it she has a thing for gangster movies

It is a black and white B-Picture about the Purple Gang of Detroit. I saw it at the movies when it came out and the characters are totally ruthless. But it has a reality to it that many gangsters movies doesn't have.