Pay or Die!

"The Threat...and The Picture...You'll Never Forget!"

1960 1h 51m EN

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 10

Crime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A beautifully rendered, fact-based crime film about a crusading Italian policeman battling Black Hand extortionists in New York’s Little Italy is back on the big screen. In addition to Ernest Borgnine’s brilliantly sensitive portrayal as Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino, this engrossing picture is deftly photographed by Lucien Ballard, beautifully scored by David Raksin with a stellar supporting cast including Zohra Lampert and Alan Austin. Literate, suspenseful and emotionally moving, this memorable film remains the definitive depiction about the emergence of the Mafia in America.

“The Threat...and The Picture...You'll Never Forget!”

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Cast

Ernest Borgnine
Police Lt. Joseph Petrosino
Zohra Lampert
Adelina Saulino
Renata Vanni
Mama Saulino
Bruno Della Santina
Papa Saulino
Franco Corsaro
Vito Zarillo
Robert F. Simon
Police Commissioner
Robert Ellenstein
Luigi Di Sarno
Howard Caine
Enrico Caruso

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Richard Wilson
Writers: Richard Collins, Bertram Millhauser
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

66 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Richard Wilson, shot by Lucien Ballard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by David Raksin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Walter Hannemann shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Ernest Borgnine and Zohra Lampert and Renata Vanni carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The Threat...and The Picture...You'll Never Forget!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0054164 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Richard Wilson directs. Lucien Ballard behind the camera. David Raksin scores. Walter Hannemann cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

166 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Richard Wilson, shot by Lucien Ballard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by David Raksin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Walter Hannemann shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Ernest Borgnine and Zohra Lampert and Renata Vanni carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "The Threat...and The Picture...You'll Never Forget!".
8IMDB entry: tt0054164 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.