Confessions of a Police Captain

"Confessione Di Un Commissario Polizia Al Procuratore Della Repubblica" , Italian original title , or "Confessions of a Police Captain" , USA title , results to be a nice cop/political thriller , being professionally filmed and rightly made . It's a hard boiled movie that packs a noir story , police procedural , intrigue , detective inquiries , and a final twist in the plot. It deals with a pair of proverbial honest men , a stiff ,idealistic judge (Franco Nero) and an upright cop (Martin Balsam) who contend dangerous enemies , but determined in their will to fight crime and corruption . Both of whom on the edge while investigate ties between the mob , the Mayor , councillors and Justice department . But ambition , blackmail , vendetta , kidnapping and decay reach everything and everybody .

This exciting and thought-provoking Italian cop thriller turns out to be one of the first and best films about the mafia . This heavy-going tale has an interesting and politically incorrect writing by the same director Damiano Damiani & Fulvio Gicca Palli and especially dealing with corruption interwoven between town councillors and Mafia . The picture displays action , thrills , disturbing issues , suspenseful , great visual style and is pretty entertaining , though sometimes is hard to follow . Excellent main cast as Martin Balsam as a rough-and-ready police inspector and Franco Nero as a deputy public prosecutor who attempts to prove that the architect in the city is in the mafia and holding a firm belief in the law and justice system . Both of them face on Mafia which the fight is hopeless . However Martin Balsam steals the show as a dedicated police captain what tries to wipe out the bureaucratic corruption that is infecting his city . Supporting cast is frankly magnificent such as Claudio Gora , Arturo Dominici , Giancarlo Priete or Timothy Brent , gorgeous Marilu Tolo and a brief intervention by Nello Pazzafini as a Prisoner . Colorful and appropriate cinematography by Claudio Ragona . Sensitive as well as thrilling musical score by Riz Ortolani who composed an enjoyable soundtrack in Ennio Morricone style .

The motion picture was well directed by Damiano Damiani . He's an expert on all kind of genres as Drama (¨Arthur's island¨ , ¨The Most Beautiful Wife" , ¨The witch¨ , and ¨Empty canvas¨ based on the Alberto Moravia novel) , Terror (Amytiville 2 : the possession) , Historical (¨The Inquiry¨) , Spaghetti Western (¨Trinity is back again¨and the prestigious ¨A bullet for the General¨) . Damiani was specialized on crime-thriller-Subgenre or Italian cop thriller ( ¨How to kill a judge¨, ¨The case is closed , forget it¨, "Goodbye e amen" , ¨Mafia¨, "I Am Afraid" and ¨Warning¨ also starred by Martin Balsam) . ¨Confessions of a Police captain¨ seems to be a ¨must see¨ for the Poliziesco fans . This is one of the crowns of the Italian Poliziotteschi (police thrillers) of the 1970s , along with other films directed by Enzo G . Castellari , Ferdinando Baldi or Umberto Lenzi . Rating : Better than average . Essential and indispensable watching , this highly recommended film is the same for the Italian "mafia-film" of that period.

This uncompromising look at power and corruption is fascinating. Although I had never heard of the film, the combination of cast, director, and subject matter piqued my curiosity, so I purchased a copy. I am glad I did. While this film is certainly not the most pleasant thing to watch, it does provide a daring insight into the corrupt world of crooked cops on the take and a mafia-controlled system which is frank and disturbing, and must have really been a shock to audiences in 1971. Fine performances and unflinching direction make this movie one which fans of the crime/cop-movie genre will not want to miss.

The other reviewer here is spot on , this is a fantastic film by any standards... Forget any prejudice you may have for imported or dubbed films (the main actors dub themselves) and enjoy this intelligent and intense movie. Damiani who directed the amazing 'Bullet for the General' is a fascinating and serious film maker and a real class act when on top form.. Add Franco Nero in a great performance and Martin Balsam, one of the finest character actors ever and you've got a little known classic.. I'm currently tracking down other 70's Damiani movies on the strength of this!!!

Boom! Awesome, flawless movie. Doesn't get much better than this movie. Balsam's performance is so divine that it gives me goosebumps to this date. Highly recommended if you can find it. The pace is perfect...not too slow, not too fast. It unfolds wonderfully.

This exceptional Italian crime drama not only presents an extremely plausible and thrilling plot, but also protagonists Franco Nero and Martin Balsam delivering their performances of their lives.

Director Damiani, best known for his mafia films (and maybe for "Amityville 2" which stands as his only horror film he ever directed), tells a gripping story about a frustrated police officer (Balsam) who decides to use illegal methods to get his hands on a criminal (probably a member of the mob - but the mafia is not an obvious topic in this film). But Balsam's character is rather tragic than villainous, so one really suffers with him when the district attorney (Nero) lays his hands on him. Nero's character too is not villainous at all, because he's just doing his job.

A powerful masterpiece, highly recommended and thoroughly impressive.