Naples... The Camorra Challenges, the City Hits Back

The capable, rather than ostentatiously gifted genre film-maker Alfonso Brescia's rough-hewn style aggressively compliments the bellicose, blood-squibbed savagery of the hard-boiled, revenge-fuelled poliziotesco, as his 'Napoli...la camorra sfida, la città risponde' demonstratively proves to be an eminently rewatchable, late 70s Eurocrime scorcher. Hard-working proletariat, deeply loving patriarch Don Francesco Gargiulo (Mario Merola) fatefully becomes the unfortunate victim of cruel professional racketeers, mercilessly headed by toxic alpha Thug Vito Santoro (Antonio Sabàto) in schlock impresario Brescia's engaging, and pleasingly dramatic 'Napoli... la camorra sfida, la città risponde'. The somewhat ineffectual commissario De Stefani is played by the suitably tepid Jeff Blynn, a bargain bin Maurizio Merli. In this instance the confounded cops take a back seat, since it is up to resolute businessman Gargiulo to courageously take up arms against the scum and villainy in Alfredo Brescia's bracingly zesty B-picture.

While 'Napoli...la camorra sfida, la città risponde' noticeably lacks the delirious, hyperbolic brutality of a Lenzi, Martino or Massi, Brescia effectively generates some tangible tension, engendering great pathos over the increasingly precarious plight of the beleaguered, thug-tormented citizens of Naples, and excitingly orchestrating a cathartic, suitably bullet-shredded finale! Burly Mario Merola is always entertaining to watch, a fine, charismatic, hugely likeable actor, and a wonderful singer ta' boot! The atmospheric slow-build, and its lively roster of credible characters lends additional impact to the gloriously gonzo gun-battle at Napoli...la camorra sfida, la città risponde's exhilarating, dynamically-shot conclusion. Merola makes for a sympathetic, more nuanced revenge-seeking protagonist, but the true glory of Brescia's pleasingly rumbustious actioner is the beautiful historical city of Naples and the fabulously funky score by maestro Eduardo Alfieri. Merola fans might also care to note that the talented gentleman puts his legendary pipes to mellifluous use when he serenades his beloved wife!

Poor old Alfonso,everyone hates his movies but i think i might have found the exception here.This is a great Italian crime film made strictly for local audiences ie Napoli and so no English language version but this is so good that doesn't matter.Mario Merola plays the character he plays in every Brescia movie,the Mafia don who everyone loves,a tough but nice guy.Unfortunatly Antonio Sabato arrives and starts demanding protection money from Merola and all the local shopkeepers,businessmen etc which finally leads up to a rather strange but violent showdown.

There are some great scenes in this movie and the soundtrack is fantastic esp. Merola's solo at the wedding party and the opening credits.The 2 leading men play their parts excellently and Brescia's direction is spot on.If your after an Italian crime movie that's a bit different but still has all the set pieces you expect from the genre then get this,if you can find it.

Jeff Blynn looks like a mad scientist tried to clone Richard Harrison, but one of Maurizio Merli's pubic hairs managed to drift into the machine at the same time. He's got Harrison's piercing stare, but the thick, manly moustache of Merli and especially his hair, which seems too big for his head.

Jeff isn't the main focus here. As usual, the main focus is crooner Mario Merola (who, I have to point out, reminds me of British TV Astrologer Russel Grant). You all know Mario, right? Drives a blue mercedes in every film, gives a bit of song, usually about Naples, smuggles cigarettes? Well all know that Mario always plays a down to Earth family man with a big heart, but we also all know that Mario isn't very good at protecting his family (usually his children) from violent gangsters.

The begins with cop Jeff and a journalist picking through the remains of a gunfight that has resulted in an awful lot of corpses. Jeff finds a zippo lighter that plays a tune, which causes a flashback to the rest of the film. It seems Mario and various other Neapolitans just want to work, look after their family, and sing, but violent hood Antonio Sabato wants to force his protection racket upon everyone. Mario insists he's strictly legit and made his money the hard way, which results in his warehouse being blown up. This happens to several other citizens too, while we get glimpses of the put upon people pulling triggers.

Mario's son gets beaten up and his girlfriend raped, which sets him off on a mission to take down the racket. Sadly for him the police are really thick and parade every single witness in front of the gang, with predictable results. We all know where the film is heading, but Breschia still manages to make it work by giving us a huge blood filled gun battle with a unique death for one guy in particular.

Full of people being Neapolitan (eating, smoking, screaming at full volume into each other's faces), Breschia mostly dispenses with the humour of the last few films (save for the usual fat guy) and doesn't even have any street urchins in the film at all. What he does have is a cheap, but nasty crime film where even the bad guys have a song, after a huge meal of course.

Once again, it all strangely works. Do you think that Mercedes actually belonged to Merola?