High Crime

This was the first break-through success of a Poliziotti Italian crime movie and spawned several dozen imitations. Possibly the best film ever made, High Crime delivers the goods like few other movies, blending some experimental filming and editing techniques in with some good performances, solid action sequences, great music, and some pretty stunning photography by Alejandro Ulloa. Unlike a lot of other crime flicks made around the same period, this film isn't sympathetic at all to the villains. They are cold and heartless thugs who's so anything to keep themselves out of jail where they rightfully belong. This film is completely fascist and right-wing in its undertones, yet maintains an engaging level of emotional impact throughout. The scene where Franco Nero discovers his daughter dead made me almost want to cry... and Castellari expertly handles the flashbacks and knows just when to use slow motion in all the right spots.

This wasn't the film which set the trend in Italian crime films (see Violent Professionals) but it was an excellent film which caused their widespread (yet short-lived) popularity. Certain elements (like the getting-in-car-gun-down) were endlessly repeated in the genre by Castellari himself as well as his father Marino Girolami, who totally ripped off the ending of this film in ROMA VIOLENTA, a much more typical film in the genre with Maurizio Merli, who although is not as good an actor as Franco Nero, is much more intense as the leading man in these sorts of films.

Mind you, I liked the collaborations between director Enzo G Castellari and his star Franco Nero a lot, usually. But in this movie, Nero pushes the restless energy of his character Belli to such a degree that he explodes with rage every two minutes, and about ten times in the movie, his colleagues have to tell him to 'Calm down, Belli!'. This is not anger, but rather impatience to a ridiculous degree. Instead of careful investigation to collect sufficient proof, Belli just gets involved in several shootings to progress (or maybe not) on the case. The quiet, but intense performance of Fernando Rey enhances the effect of hasty and thoughtless action by his counterpart. Belli is just no commissioner the audience can identify with, Nero appears to be a cross between a Duracell bunny and Charlie Bronson on a bad day. I still voted 6 of 10 because the pacing of the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat, regardless.

One of the best 1970s Italian police films out there. The great Franco Nero overacts like hell in some scenes and is excellent in others (also has a terrible wardrobe in this one!) but who cares, you cant beat a bit of Nero. Pretty violent ( the attack with bailing hooks at the dockyard stands out) and its quite well plotted. Brilliant car chase at the start and it's great to see the 60's / 70's Alpha's, Lancias etc in these films and its certainly part of the attraction with them.

The alternative title of 'Marseiile Connection' is obviously trying to cash in on the French Connection, but it isn't very similar and is more action orientated. Overall i would say a very satisfying and enjoyable film.

High Crime gets off to such a great start, with a really well-executed car chase. That sustains it for a while, and I was pretty forgiving early on of how similar it felt to The French Connection. If you want to steal from something, you may as well steal from something great. And Franco Nero, to his credit, is compelling for different reasons than Gene Hackman, and he ends up being pretty good here.

But I think High Crime runs out of steam, at a point. It's blunt at first in a good way, but then that bluntness gives way to some more convoluted stuff, and I ended up being a bit bummed out about that. There are still some good scenes here, especially early on, but it's not a great film in the end, by any means.

One of Castellari's finest works. The acting is superb. Excellent usage of lighting and settings. Unpredictable turn of events and good images. There is almost nothing wrong with this film for people who are into crime dramas.