I'll tell you why so serious

Great Film overall

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

As the story begins, we watch three men sneaking into a tenement building in Manhattan's West Side. They have come on a mission to kill Solly Pitts, a decent man, who dared to cross the guys that were in charge of the union that ruled the waterfront in those years. It turned out to be a botched attempt because Solly, miraculously survives, and he is able to tell his wife Madge the names of the three paid assassins.A young Assistant D.A., Bill Keating, is assigned to cover the case because the other lawyers are busy. As Keating arrives in the hospital, he watches Madge approaching Lt. Anthony Vosnick, as she gives him the names of the perpetrators. Eventually, Keating learns about the identity of the criminals that tried to hill her husband. When he tries to bring justice, he meets a wall of opposition because the unwritten law about ratting these scum bags, plus his own department objection for trying a case in court with the flimsy evidence that Keating has found.Things at the waterfront were ruled by a corrupt man, Al Dahlke, who controlled all the rackets and felt the need to make an example out of Solly Pitts. In fact, a corrupt policeman, Sid Wallace, tries to get Keating to become friendly toward Dahlke, because he can profit by closing his eyes to the illegal activities around the piers."Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" was directed by Albert Laven, a man that went to have a long career on television. The film is based on a real incident that Lawrence Roman, the writer of the screenplay took from Bill Keating's tell-all book. This picture pales in comparison with "On the Waterfront", a fictional account that came before and directed by Elia Kazan.Richard Egan, the star of the film, was an actor that gave straight performances, as he shows in here. Jan Sterling is effective as Madge Pitts, the wife of the wounded man. Walter Matthau appears as the union boss, Al Dahlke, one of the many heavies he played during those years of his career. Dan Duryea has some excellent moments as the defense lawyer at the trial of the three men that attempted to kill Solly Pitts. Mickey Shaughnessy is seen as Solly. Charles McGraw, Sam Levene, Julie Adams and Harry Bellaver, are part of the supporting cast.The other asset in the film is the fine score by Richard Rodgers and Herschel Burke Gilbert, assisted by the uncredited Henry Mancini. The New York only location was not shot on the avenue that gives its name to the film, as it appears most of the work was done somewhere else.

Surely no other film noir has had such an illustrious composer responsible for its theme music. I studied "Slaughter On Tenth Avenue," the musical suite, in elementary school! The movie itself is quite good. It is a gritty story about life on the waterfront. The director isn't famous but I notice he also directed one of my favorites, which I haven't seen in many a long year: "Down Three Dark Streets"! And what a cast! Most people watching today will single out Walter Matthau, who is fine in a relatively small role. But Richard Egan is excellent as an ambitious young cop. Jan Sterling, always good in tough roles, is excellent as the wife of the man who falls victim to the title event. Julie Adams is appealing as Egan's wife. And Dan Duryea gives a bravura performance as a smart but not very admirable lawyer.The rest of the cast includes such noir staples as Charles McGraw, Sam Levene, and Mickey Shaughnessy.Initially, I have to admit that I found the music a little distracting. But I got used to it. And the movie hits pretty hard.

Excellent movie about uncovering crime on the waterfront. Young DA catches a murder case, involving corrupt labor leaders. Richard Egan stars as the young DA, and does an excellent job. The movie has a steady pace, and is not full of the same old cliché's. Their is light comedy, with a lady that is afraid of aliens, the is very effective at keeping the tempo of the film changing. The ending is very exciting, and the musical score is great. All in all, a really fine movie-with good acting all around, an interesting and believable premise, and a well directed pace. If you love old movies, or just a good story, you'll love this one. I highly recommend it.

Based on fact, and hewing closely to a book co-authored by the central character Keating, this movie is based on more or less the real people portrayed in On the Waterfront -- there's even a priest-- only without Brando and without the romance. Egan as Keating is a bit of a stiff. I think the real Keating was more of a rebel. Great title music, an old Rodgers & Hart tune first used in "On Your Toes" for a comic dance number. Still, not much Slaughter and not much Tenth Avenue either. (The real life incident at the beginning took place on Grove Street in Greenwich Village, but "Slaughter on Grove Street" wouldn't sound right, I guess.)