My Review and Thoughts:
A street legend. A gambling icon. A thug and master of the
underworld of street life. There is only one Melvin Williams. This is a
documentary that shines in the exploration of teaching apart of hidden criminal
history.
At 15 he was a millionaire. A gambler legend, an icon of
pool and cards and craps. A carrier of a nickel plated 45. His word and his
craft shined on the street and all those associated with gambling and crime
knew his actions, image and passion for the game of street life.
Murder was common.
As Melvin grew in the actions of gambling it was common for
those inside the craft of gambling to pack thousands of dollars and with those
packs of money came those who figured they could make a quick score. They were
known as Stick up men, those who come to robe, but those who robed always ended
up dead and scattered across the city with bullet holes.
Melvin was the master that was known by police and pears for
they would make the simple comment and was also noted in a police report that
stated: "I never saw him lose".
This showcases interviews with David Simon who is the
producer of the HBO Television series The Wire which Melvin starred in eleven
episodes as Deacon. He also was featured in the show by BET American Gangster
series.
Melvin was able to position himself into the lifestyle of
the mafia and gangsters in the Italian and Jewish world becoming friends with
Jewish crime boss Julius "The Lord" Salisbury. Both ended up becoming
partners and friends and in reality The Lord was like a father figure to him.
This showcases not only his rise to power in the gambling
world but also his true known image as a drug trafficker from the 70's into the
80's. He was a kingpin of drugs and gambling. This documentary explores all the
realities of Melvin's Life, from his childhood to his adulthood in the criminal
life which more or less consisted of his childhood up until he was caught and
charged in 1985.
While in prison the future producer of The Wire, David Simon
wrote five articles on Melvin titled Easy Money: Anatomy of a Drug Empire which
was published in the Baltimore Sun in 1987. These articles only further built
his legend in the underworld of gambling and drugs. Melvin was the inspiration
for the character Avon Barksdale in The Wire and many of Melvin's actions in
life where portrayed in the series.
I really enjoyed this documentary it was an eye opening
experience of history told by those who lived it and was a part of it.
I recommend this documentary as an eye opening piece of
historical reality inside the parts of history that tends to vanish and wash
away through time. History tends to vanish but a name can spark a legend. What’s
important is this criminal legend is still alive and you get to experience his
own words and ideas and thoughts on his own reality of his life in the criminal
world through this documentary.
A must see little criminal documentary of information and
historical value.