The Black Hand (1906 film)

The Black Hand is a 1906 American silent short film directed by Wallace McCutcheon and starring Anthony O'Sullivan. The film is notable as one of the earliest crime dramas, focusing on the activities of the "Black Hand," an extortion racket that targeted Italian immigrants in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. The plot revolves around a family being threatened by the Black Hand, and the subsequent capture of the criminals by police.

The film was produced by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company and is approximately 15 minutes in length. The Black Hand is considered a significant early example of narrative filmmaking and contributed to the development of the crime genre in cinema. Its realistic portrayal of contemporary issues, such as immigration and organized crime, resonated with audiences. Though the film is simple in its construction by modern standards, it utilized location shooting and a straightforward narrative to create a compelling story for its time.