Tote Zeugen singen nicht

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.

Wow! This film has all that you've come to expect from a Euro Crime flick. Violent murders, long shoot-outs with machine guns, a hot-tempered police officer who loathes criminals, downright evil henchmen and much, much more. Franco Nero has lately become one of my favorite actors, and not without a reason; in this film he proves what a talent he really had. This might just be Enzo G. Castellari's best crime film. It's very nicely directed, with some very interesting camera work and the music by the De Angelis brothers is the best and most suitable score I've heard them deliver to this point. It perfectly fits in with the various situations that Nero's character finds himself in.

The only copy I could get a hold of was a region 0 release from 23rd Century (?). It does not have the best audio or video quality, but it's watchable. Availiable on Ebay as "The Marseilles Connection".

If you're a fan of either Nero or Castellari, or of course, both, this is a film you have to see!

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.

if you have never seen an Italian crime movie, this is a great place to start. unlike many other films of this type, it actually works on an emotional level as well as being very entertaining, simular to the films of Scorsese. it's a very violent film, but none of the violence is gratuitous. lots of stylish slow motion shootings, car explosions, and people run over by various moter vehicles, and the excellent musical score by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis captures the emotion of these scenes perfectly. the cast is also very good, especialy Italian Star Franco Nero. highly recommended.

Fast paced, violent and innovative crime thriller with director Castellari and star, Franco Nero on top form. This becomes a little complicated in the middle when there is some jockeying for position between baddies but it finishes well and that start! The great cinematography is evident from the beginning of the credits when from behind the titles we see the gradually enlarging exit to a shipping tunnel. As soon as we dock the chase is on as the suspected drug dealer is chased around the streets by good cop Nero. And what a chase, now I'm no great fan of such things that can in my opinion be overused as padding, but here is a real thrill, and so it goes on for much of the film. Not much time for romance and just the briefest nudity before we are back on the hectic and all consuming search for Mr Big. Lots of references to corruption, communism and general unrest all add to the atmosphere. Have only had the chance to see this dubbed so a subtitled print would be good to see some time.