The Purple Gang

During this period of the late Eisenhower and Kennedy years many studios started making films of the notorious Prohibition and post Prohibition years. No coincidence that these were the years The Untouchables found a TV audience.

In 1959 Allied Artists put out the Purple Gang who were as rough a bunch in real life as any. When Al Capone tried to take over their Detroit territory the Purples sent Capone back limping to Chicago.

Allied Artists was the former Monogram Pictures so you knew it was going to be cheap. It certainly is a B product.

But it boasts an eletrifying performance by Robert Blake as the leader of the Purples. For that alone you should not miss this film.

But it ain't the real story of The Purple Gang.