Il consigliori

Alberto De Martino obviously doesn't play in the same league as Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Balsam clearly isn't Marlon Brando. And yet, of all the dozens of mafia thrillers that came out in the early 70s to cash in on the tremendous success of "The Godfather", this "Counselor at Crime" is definitely the one I would recommend the most! The plot is convoluted, and the massive overload of supportive characters often makes it difficult to keep overview, but the atmosphere is so gripping, and every single sequence is incredibly compelling.

Thomas Accardo (Milian) is the legal attorney, and simultaneously godson, of mob boss Don Antonio; - born and raised in Sicily but reigning over San Francisco. After serving a prison sentence for keeping his shut, Thomas wants out. By accepting his resignation, Don Antonio unwarily incites a violent gang war, as his first lieutenant Garofalo has been waiting for an excuse to go against his "Don". Garofalo and his henchmen fight a very mean and merciless war, but Don Antonio has loyal allies everywhere, and following a dramatically failed attempt to kills his girlfriend, Thomas returns to the family as Don Antonio's "counselor".

"Counselor at Crime" isn't a non-stop spitfire of violent shootouts and exhilarating car chases, like the later movies starring Maurizio Merli, but more of a "full-package" mafia thriller/Poliziotesschi. But apart from the multifaceted plot and detailed character studies, there certainly are a lot of shocking and uncompromising sequences, like a chef getting shoved into his own burning pizza oven or a harrowing bomb attack that kills an innocent child. I simply also must mention the downright stupendous - as always - Riz Ortolani score, and the fantastic performance by Francisco Rabal as the stone-cold gangster.

Third-rate GODFATHER clone is so clearly patterned after the Francis Coppola blockbuster that the end result, despite the occasional felicities, is doubly disappointing: Tomas Milian, the consigliori of the title, naturally has the Robert Duvall role; Martin Balsam steps in for Brando as the Don and also suffers an attempt on his life (while visiting his wife's grave); there is also a death scene featuring a bullet-ridden car a' la James Caan's demise in GODFATHER and another one in a restaurant (with the owner unceremoniously dumped into the furnace while still alive); a violent retribution (this time against rebellious mafioso Francisco Rabal and his renegade gang) juxtaposed with a religious ceremony (here a village procession); Balsam and Milian fleeing to their Sicilian homeland with Rabal in pursuit, etc.

The film also features Euro-Cult favorites Dagmar Lassander (wasted as Milian's girl) and Edoardo Fajardo (in a small role towards the end, as a Sicilian Mafioso whose "godfather" had been Milian's father!) but, unfortunately, they contribute next to nothing to the mix. Although the version of the film I watched was in Italian, the gangsters (particularly Balsam) have a habit of slipping into English ("Yu-unna-stan", "Well", "Busy-ness", etc.) perhaps to show that they've been living for far too long in America but, frankly, I couldn't help laughing when at the end the mortally-wounded Milian (riding away in a car after the final showdown with Rabal) has to listen to Balsam rattling away one "Damn Bastard" after another without letting the old man know that he was done for; it practically reminded me of those scenes in AIRPLANE! (1980) showing the various passengers sitting next to Robert Hays who end up doing the craziest things to themselves so long as they're spared from listening to his life story! As usual with this kind of film, the music is an asset and Riz Ortolani's lush score here is no exception.

Martin Balsam, Tomas Milian, Francisco Rabal, three good actors, whom I have seen in many other movies, much better than this one. This is an incredible story with mobsters killing each other. Riz Ortolani's music, always of superior quality, is better than the movie.

Albert De Martino's exciting, 'Il Consigliori' (1973) is a Bootstrap tough Italo-Iberian Mafioso actioner featuring, Martin Balsam as powerful San Francisco mob boss, Don Antonio Macaluso, and the feared Don's consigliori (lawyer), Thomas Accardo, is charismatically brought to the screen by the exalted Euro-crime alumni, Tomas Milian! After serving out his jail sentence, Accardo makes a seemingly optimistic choice to finally go straight, and happy to meet with his erstwhile employer, the stubborn lawyer wants out of the mob! While, Don Macaluso doesn't approve, he nonetheless reluctantly allows Accardo to go his own way. Unbeknownst to Don Antonio, the ambitious thug, Vincent Garafolo (Francisco Rabal), increasingly frustrated with the uneasy status quo, fatefully orchestrates his own crime family, thereby engendering a bloody conflict between the rival criminal factions.

Remaining loyal to the beleaguered Don, Thomas Accardo (Tomas Milian) girds his nattily dressed loins, and 'Armed to The Teeth, he courageously prepares to defend his Boss once again. This compelling crime-thriller is a stone groove from the get-go, boisterously replete with all the volatile elements of a gonzo poliziotteschi, plus the additionally entertaining tropes of a gritty mafia expose; dramatic sit-down meetings in restaurants, numerous sanguinary shoot-outs, two exhilarating car chases, and one especially righteous, bullet-blasted finale! The respectful relationship between the ageing Don and his loyal Consigliori is well realised, plus the sprawlingly urban San Francisco, and rural Sicily provides a visually striking contrast. Music maestro, Riz Ortolani provides yet another gorgeous soundtrack, and Albert De Martino ('Blazing Magnum') once again proves himself to be a very capable action director. 'Il Consigliori' comes highly recommended to Mob movie maniacs and Euro-crime enthusiasts alike!

Not my cup of tea at all, this Godfather clone. Milian is wasted in the role of the 'will he won't he' role as the reluctant son. reluctant that is after a prison sentence to return to the turgid business of defending the 'family', 'honour' and all that toss. Wasted also was the lovely Dagmar Lassander who does just about nothing, but then this is a little boys film so no place for women.

To be fair although I found all the stuff in San Francisco predictable and tedious (as well as silly and sentimental) when we switch to Sicily things do improve enormously. Whether its the streets and local colour or just tighter direction I'm not sure but I went from beginning to dose off to full attention. But just because the last 15 minutes or so is fine cannot salvage what was for me a very disappointing movie.