110th street in new york city be the divide line between central park and harlem . in the film across 110th street that line become apparent . the film open with two white men arrive at a brownstone in harlem . we learn that they be mob bag men send to collect the week gamble receipt from two black associate . amidst their money counting there be a knock on the doortwo black men dress in nypd uniform barge their way in and gun down the four men in the room and take the $ 300 and 000 they be count . they then shoot their way past two real policeman with the help of their getaway driver . this opening scene set the tone of the film and it be a grim tone at that . after the robbery murder and the scene shift to an apartment in central park where the mob bos inform his son in law and glorified errand boy nick dsalvo ( anthony franciosa ) that he be in charge of exact revenge against the men who rip them off . naturally and the mob be not the only organization interest in find the killer . with two cop dead and the nypd be keen on find them as well . captain frank matelli ( anthony quinn ) a veteran detective well know in harlem and be assign to the case . he find out in short order that in spite of his high rank and he be order to report to lieutenant pope ( yaphet kotto ) because of the racial politics involve . matelli and who be a racist and not above rough up a suspect and chafe at the order and but abide it . pope tolerates matelli because of matelli informer and friend on the force who can help solve the case . a the film play out dsalvo and doc johnson the black crime bos who run harlem for dsalvo father in law hunt down the three men responsible for the theft and murder . at the same time and pope and matelli be look for the same three men and try to get to them before dsalvo do . director barry shear make the most of the authentic harlem location in which this film be shoot . it be very interesting to look back on what harlem look like in 1972. most of it be not very pretty or charm . anthony quinn ( who be one of the executive producer ) bring a certain gravitas to his role a the bitter and veteran police captain . quinn be always a very expressive and naturalistic actor and he do not disappoint in this role . yaphet kotto also deliver an outstanding performance in his role a the progressive lieutenant pope . the scene where he and quinn lock horn be emotionally charge and quite good . franciosa come close to go over the top a the vengeful nick dsalvo but he never quite get there . the film feature a support cast of face familiar to fan of the blaxploitation genre although this be not a blaxploitation film . blaxploitation film such a black caesar and shaft or sweet sweetback badass song feature black protagonist who get to stick it to the man and be the hero . in across 110th street there be no hero . no one be the good guy . this be a violent and relentless film . but it be realistic and very well make and worth watch for fan of the crime genre .