which noted that success in its December 17 issue: Critical reception In 1951, reviews of the film in major newspapers and trade publications generally ranged from mildly positive to highly favorable. Edwin Schallert, the film critic that year for the Los Angeles Times, commends the crime story for its blend of melodrama and humor, and he draws special attention to the lead performance. "The presence of Crawford in this picture", writes Schallert in his October 27 appraisal, "is its main asset", adding that the actor conducts "his role with robust ingenuity and plenty of emphasis on its amusing trimmings." The Chicago Tribune also praised the "robust" aspects of Crawford's performance, saying he "slams his way thru it in convincing fashion", as did The New York Times in its October 18, 1951 edition: In her review of the "thrilling" film in the December 3rd issue of The Boston Globe, media critic Marjory Adams states, "'The Mob' is one of the best suspense pictures that Boston has had in many long months, and as distinguished in its more conventional way as was 'Detective Story'" (1951). After highlighting and complimenting Crawford's performance in her column, Adams turns her attention to the star's supporting cast: "Maybe there is no message to 'The Mob' but it is a first rate melodrama, handsomely and excitingly enacted by a group of lesser known but very efficient players." Reactions to the Columbia production were quite positive as well in film-industry periodicals in 1951. The New York-based review service Harrison's Reports characterizes the feature in its September 15 preview as "a very good crime melodrama" that showcases "novel and realistic" action, which in the publication's estimation should hold theater audiences "in tense suspense all the way through." After watching an even earlier screening of the film for Motion Picture Daily, critic Charles L. Franke in his September 5 review calls the picture's climax "a dandy rendition of a standard idea" and assures moviegoers they will experience a "fine time" seeing The Mob, especially "devotees of fast-action melodrama as they watch Crawford act out the none-too-novel story". Franke in his commentary expresses further admiration for Crawford's performance and pegs him as "the actor most likely to inherit the tough-guy mantle so often worn in the past by James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson." Film Bulletin in 1951 also summarizes the screenplay in its September 24 issue as a "Good Crime