Milano trema - la polizia vuole giustizia (1973)

Director:

Sergio Martino

Writers:

Ernesto Gastaldi (screenplay)
Ernesto Gastaldi (story)

Release Date:

February 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

When Milano police lieutenant Giorga's chief is murdered by an organized crime ring, he vows to avenge his boss's death...

Plot Keywords:

Organized Crime | Murder | Poliziottesco | Grindhouse

Cast

Luc Merenda	...	Commissario Giorgio Caneparo
Richard Conte	...	Padulo aka Salassolio
Silvano Tranquilli	...	Gianni Viviani
Carlo Alighiero	...	Commissioner Nicastro
Martine Brochard	...	Maria ex
Luciano Bartoli	...	Giacomo
Lia Tanzi	...	Prostitute
Steffen Zacharias	...	Monsomerda
Bruno Corazzari	...	Padulo's man
Cirylle Spiga		(as Cyrille Spiga)
Rosario Borelli	...	Pepi Cartiglia (as Rosario Borrelli)
Antonio Casale	...	Casardi - Prisoner on train (as Anthony Vernon)
Bruno Boschetti	...	Padulo Henchman
Sergio Serafini	...	Padulo's man
Luciano Rossi	...	Cruciani - Prisoner on train

Also Known As:

Violent Professionals (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Belgium:KNT | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Milan, Lombardia, Italy

Company:

Champion

Quotes:

Commissario Giorgio Caneparo: I think I'll cut out. Seems I'm in the wrong dream.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Roma a mano armata (1976)

Not as good as its reputation but more than good enough

Sergio Martino's 1973 poliziotteschi The Violent Professionals aka Milano Trema – La Polizia Vuole Giustizia doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel, but it's one of the better examples of an overpopulated genre, with Luc Merenda playing the typical shoot-first-so-you-don't-have-to-ask-questions-later maverick cop after the gang that killed his boss and several innocent bystanders. Like I said, it doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel, but it does make sure it keeps turning fairly efficiently for 104 minutes. It's not as good as its enthusiastic cult reputation implies, not least because the big twist about the motive behind a series of gratuitously violent bank robberies isn't exactly surprising (like the Red Brigades of the day, the robbers are more interested in spreading chaos than getting rich), but it does get extra points for being one of the few films where, when a car crashes over a hill, it doesn't explode in a ball of fire on the way down. There's also a great spin on the omnipresent car-driving-through-stacks-of-empty-crates shot in one chase scene by having Merenda's car drive through stacks of burning crates that was so popular the footage was reused in at least two other movies (Milano Odia: La Polizia Non Può Sparare and Roma a Mano Armata). Richard Conte is the contractually obligatory American co-star, acquitting himself well despite some hilariously obvious doubling in a fight scene, Tinto Brass regular Martine Brochard makes an attractive junkie and there's a catchy De Angelis brothers score.