THE UNDERCOVER MAN is an unusual title for this Hollywood crime thriller in that undercover work doesn't actually play much of a role in the proceedings. Instead this is a thinly disguised retelling of the way the FBI were able to bring down Capone by going after his taxes. Glenn Ford plays the dedicated lead of a team trying to smash a crime syndicate, and the story plays out very much as expected for its era. The shadowy visuals are influenced by the then-popular noir genre and there are stark elements of violence always bubbling away to keep things taught. However, the large cast drags attention away from individuals and I did find the story more than a little passive.
Review of The Undercover Man
