* Original Title: La banda del trucido
* Year: 1977
* Director: Stelvio Massi
* Writer: Elisa Briganti (screenplay), Elisa Briganti (story), Stelvio Massi (screenplay), Tomas Milian (Monnezza’s dialogue), Dardano Sacchetti (screenplay)
* IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075722/
* Genre: Polizia
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imdb synopsis: A shoot out after a robbery ends with the death of the Chief of Police. Police detective Ghini goes in search of a suspect…
I suppose this is supposed to be a sequel of sorts to Free Hand for a Tough Cop, as we are treated once again to the character Monnezza played by my man Tomas Milian. Outside this character, however, the two films do not share much else.
Monnezza once again is the highlight of the film for me. As you may have noticed above, Milian is responsible for Monnezza’s dialogue in the film, and it is quite good. He goes on long diatribes about hating the mother of his son, or how his ancestors only needed their balls to commit crimes… not weapons of any kind. He is very funny with his eyeliner and crazy wig once again, but this time he also sports some crazy Cosby sweaters as well as a baby-backpack as he sometimes carries his kid around with him.
There is a funny scene with his son on his back as he tells a story about how his mother had to resort to crime to raise him. When she was caught, she resorted to taking off her clothes in the streets to afford a good lawyer. However, it was winter and she caught her death! (OK, this was funnier in the film!)
His restaurant is really funny also… something out of a National Lampoon’s movie or Police Squad. The waiters all insult the customers as they order or ask for help in order to give a true Roman experience.
The other characters in the film I felt were pretty strong as well. Luc Merenda plays Ghini, and he is a great choice for such a character. He’s handsome and agile… fun to watch overall. Even the pretty boys can be tough cops. He has some nice stuntwork and makes for some good screen shots as he mugs for the camera. I thought he acted the role well for what it was, but his character was not given the time to develop as Milian’s was… probably for obvious reasons. They knew what they had here in Monnezza and totally went with it. Ghini is kept pretty simple, and it works.
Elio Zamuto as Belli really looks like a young Vincent Curatola (Johnny Sack from Sopranos) to me, and plays a particularly vicious villain who is out to steal and sell whatever he can, even at the cost of his own men. He was definitely effective in this role. The character absolutle has no qualms about getting his hands dirty, and does so quite often.
The story was rather straightforward, but what I liked was an almost parallel that was formed between Ghini and Monnezza. They hardly speak to one another at all throughout the film, but have similar stories. Ghini is dealing with a couple lower ranked detectives who often quibble with one another, and Ghini is the go-to guy to get things done.
In some entertaining side scenes, we see that Monnezza is teaching some lesser criminals throughout the film how to steal watches, cars, etc. without using violence. They never can get it right, and Monnezza is ultimately there to make everything right again. Both Ghini and Monnezza cross paths again, but I won’t give this piece of the plot away. I’m not entirely sure the parallel was supposed to be drawn, but it’s what I pulled from the story and made me enjoy it on that level.
Stelvio Massi had some really nice direction in the film as well. It moved along nicely for one. I liked the way the film opened straight into the action… almost like a television show… before we are ever shown the credits. Ghini’s is established in a short 5 minute or so action sequence with hostages in an apartment, the film then officially opens, then the main story goes from there. It was a nice touch. The lighting and camera angles in the film were nice also. I’ve said before I’m a sucker for pulling characters in and out of focus in one shot. You can see a nice example of moody lighting behind Belli above, as well as nice work with shadows and such.
One shot in particular that was well done was a camera angle that started looking down from Ghini’s office ceiling. As he talks with one of his subordinates, the camera comes down and turns around the two men, then moves backward with them as they walk out of the room. It was a little shaky (handheld) on the floor movement, but one of those little flourishes that I always like to see.
I thought this was a strong film. Milian’s dialogue and character development is awesome, the story is entertaining, there is nice action (although I would have liked to see a little more in the way of car chases), and Massi’s style is quite nice.
High recommendation for me. Let’s hope Monnezza can close out strong with the last movie in this trilogy.
7 out of 10