King of the Underworld - DVD

Crime reporter Mike Reese (Dan Duryea) has a nose for news and an eager hand under the table in return for spinning the truth in favor of moneyed perps. But after he tries to cash in on a story involving a maid accused of a society murder, Reese ultimately finds the courage to reveal the truth and make amends for his tainted past. One of this noirish film's lines of dialogue refers to ancestral witch burnings. Intentionally or not, the

Adapted for the screen from the best-selling novel by Peter Maas, director Frank Pierson weaves a compelling tale of New York's ''gypsies'' and their criminal underworld. Dave (Eric Roberts), the grandson and heir apparent to the dying ''King'' (Sterling Hayden), is torn between his legacy and the outside world, and is soon faced with a decision that will forever alter his life and the lives of those around him. Photographed by famed cinematographer Sven Nykvist, King of the Gypsies is a tale of love, rivalry, jealousy, murder and intrigue, and features first-rate performances by a supporting cast that includes Susan Sarandon, Annie Potts, Annette O'Toole, Brooke Shields, along with Hollywood royalty Shelley Winters and Sterling Hayden.

The twenties were a wild time when gangsters ruled the streets and gambling was their favorite pastime. This fast-moving drama captures the feel and flare of these "roaring '20s." Starring David Janssen ("Run for Your Life," TV's "The Fugitive") and screen legend Mickey Rooney ("National Velvet").