Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Franco Nero | ... | Deputy D.A. Traini | |
Martin Balsam | ... | Commissario Giacomo Bonavia | |
Marilù Tolo | ... | Serena Li Puma | |
Claudio Gora | ... | District Attorney Malta | |
Luciano Catenacci | ... | Ferdinando Lomunno / Ferdinando Dubrosio (as Luciano Lorcas) | |
Giancarlo Prete | ... | Giampaolo Rizzo | |
Arturo Dominici | ... | Lawyer Canistraro | |
Michele Gammino | ... | Gammino | |
Adolfo Lastretti | ... | Michele Li Puma | |
Nello Pazzafini | ... | Prisoner | |
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Calisto Calisti | ... | A mafioso, e.g. involved in wall in |
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Wanda Vismara | ... | Traini's maid |
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Adele Modica | ... | Lina Paladino - lover of Bonavia |
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Dante Cleri | ... | Usher |
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Roy Bosier | ... | Giuseppe Lasciatelli |
One of the first films about the mafia occurrence, in which the fight is hopeless, because "the polyp's feeler" reaches everything and everybody. A police inspector and a deputy public prosecutor try to prove that the architect in the city is in the mafia. Written by Kornel Osvart <kornelo@alphanet.hu>
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.