Quentin Tarantino mentions it among the action films he liked best. The protagonist is Harry Baer, a German actor of Fassbinderian origin dubbed here in Roman dialect. He is accompanied by the old glory Jack Palance (who had arguments with Di Leo because he refused to act without looking his interlocutors in the eyes, as the director had asked him to do in order to give his character an obliquity), the not very expressive Al Cliver (not for nothing did Fulci call him “Tufus”), the other old glory Edmund Purdom, Gisela Hahn and, in the film’s most humorous role, always ready with a quip like any self-respecting Neapolitan, the good Vittorio Caprioli. Di Leo knows how to direct while keeping the attention, filming a successful foot chase (well supported by Luis Bacalov’s music, which alternates between almost western pieces and moments in perfect Dario Argento style) and an acrobatic motorbike chase (the world motocross champion was called upon). The screenplay is interesting, the dialogue sparse and essential (except in the case of Caprioli, the film’s real wild card). Palace is a well-drawn villain (the ‘Scarred’), Purdom even more so. We like the coldness (this is Tarantinesque) of the crimes, the murder committed without any emphasis.
Marcel M.J. Davinotti Jr.
Genre: comedy crime thriller
Cast
Jack Palance: Manzari the Scarred
Al Cliver: Ric
Harry Baer: Tony
Gisela Hahn: Clara, night-club singer
Enzo Pulcrano: Peppe
Carmelo Reale: Manzari’s man
Edmund Purdom: Luigi Cerchio
Soundtrack Luis Bacalov
