HAVANA NOCTURNE

Throughout the 1950s, as the Cuban people laboured under a violently repressive regime, the Mob-financed revelry in Havana never stopped. Tourists from around the world flooded in to gamble, go to the racetrack, see an elaborate floorshow at the Tropicana, hear some of the hottest music around and perhaps partake in the sexual activities that flourished on the fringe of the most colourful nightlife scene of the twentieth century. It may have seemed like fun and games, but for the Havana Mob it was a serious business. Led by Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano - and with the full compliance of President Fulgencio Batista - the Mob set out to create a financial empire that would rival the 'glory days' of Prohibition in the US. For a time, the plan seemed to be a runaway success, but they were sowing the seeds of their own demise. Behind the scenes, Fidel Castro was building opposition to what he portrayed as the debauchery and corruption of capitalism run amok in Havana - the result was revolution. The Havana Mob captures a unique and exotic chapter not only in the history of organised crime but also in the history of the United States, and for the first time the story is told through interviews and the first-hand accounts of those who were actually there.