What do you think?
Rate this book
Across 110th
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 23, 2020
Across 110th is one of the few books that is surpassed by the film based on it, in this case Across 110th Street. The reason is pretty simple-the film took the excellent set-up of the novel (3 men rob a money transfer from Harlem's black organized crime to the Mafia, killing men from both organizations and cops in the process, setting off an unprecedented manhunt on both sides of the law) but improved it in several key areas. For one thing, it updated it quite a bit-Ferris's novel feels like it was published in 1955 rather than 1970, with the possible exception of the a few comments by the police about avoiding the riots that shook the inner cities during the late 1960s. The slang and styles mentioned come right out of Chester Himes; the handling of race relations, too, seems rooted in the early 60s at best. The screenwriters judiciously trimmed out some characters-the film's Bill Pope is more-or-less a combination of two characters, one white, one black, who represent modern police work, while the film's Capt. Mattelli is a combination of Captain Matthews and Lt. Sullivan, two similar Irish-American characters who in turn represent the old ways. Characters get some pretty radical changes as well-Matthews/Sullivan are in the right, in the rather conservative book, while Mattelli's brutality and patronizing attitude are mostly condemned by the movie.
That isn't to say the film paints Mattelli as a monster-instead he's a dinosaur, and the film is, if anything, about the transition that's happening in the cities-in terms of both criminal organizations and political ones, black players are taking the place of the white ones, though there doesn't seem to be a terribly large chance of change. The book hints a bit at this, but is otherwise a pretty directionless and content to be a lurid pulp piece. The book's Nick DeFalco, for example, is an ulta-cool, ultra-bad hit man professional who's been passed over time and again for promotion because he doesn't know how to play politics. The film's Nick DeSalvio is much more interesting-he HAS played the game by marrying the bosses daughter, and his father-in-law sends him so he can prove his mettle-or die trying. The film simply presents a more interesting take on the material, with key scenes given an added twist or punched up-the death of Joe Logart, for example, is not another case of him being sacrificed but is instead a frantic but doomed attempt to get out of the city that has trapped him his entire life.
While Ferris' novel is not a horrible piece of pulp fiction, it doesn't stand out from the pack in any measurable way. Do yourself a favor and skip this book in favor of the far-superior film.
That isn't to say the film paints Mattelli as a monster-instead he's a dinosaur, and the film is, if anything, about the transition that's happening in the cities-in terms of both criminal organizations and political ones, black players are taking the place of the white ones, though there doesn't seem to be a terribly large chance of change. The book hints a bit at this, but is otherwise a pretty directionless and content to be a lurid pulp piece. The book's Nick DeFalco, for example, is an ulta-cool, ultra-bad hit man professional who's been passed over time and again for promotion because he doesn't know how to play politics. The film's Nick DeSalvio is much more interesting-he HAS played the game by marrying the bosses daughter, and his father-in-law sends him so he can prove his mettle-or die trying. The film simply presents a more interesting take on the material, with key scenes given an added twist or punched up-the death of Joe Logart, for example, is not another case of him being sacrificed but is instead a frantic but doomed attempt to get out of the city that has trapped him his entire life.
While Ferris' novel is not a horrible piece of pulp fiction, it doesn't stand out from the pack in any measurable way. Do yourself a favor and skip this book in favor of the far-superior film.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2026
A random reference to a movie leads one to find out it's based on a book and it seems to be the only book the author ever wrote - so immediately it's in my wheelhouse of obscure fiction that must be read....and there are very good reasons it's obscure and the author a one - not-so hot - wonder.
for more justice than I care to do to it, see the only lengthy review on here -
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It's unfocused, and blocky, and polemical at times. I'm still going to go watch Yaphet Kotto in the movie, because Yaphet Kotto, and hopefully I'll come away with a much better experience.
for more justice than I care to do to it, see the only lengthy review on here -
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It's unfocused, and blocky, and polemical at times. I'm still going to go watch Yaphet Kotto in the movie, because Yaphet Kotto, and hopefully I'll come away with a much better experience.
September 27, 2009
the movie was WAY better.
April 21, 2020
Okay police corruption novel with good atmosphere.
April 23, 2025
I am always wary to compare different art forms but if memory serves, this good crime novel was made into a great film elevated to excellent by the soundtrack, which I have on vinyl and used to play out. Reading the other reviews here, I realised my memory of the film was imposing the feel of late 60s / early 70s New York on the text, whereas the author did not seem to have captured the times. However still enjoyed the book and look forward to a second watch of the film in the near future having read the source novel.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews