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The police accuse, the judiciary acquits: EuroCrime classic with Franco Nero

Breathlessly exciting and with a pinch of social criticism, cult director Enzo G. Castellari creates a unique mix of action and paranoia thriller. This is top-class European genre cinema! An outstanding cast and the driving music of the De Angelis brothers also ensure quality.

In Genoa, the Lebanese mafia's drug dealings are increasing. Commissario Belli (GOLDEN GLOBE candidate Franco Nero) is highly motivated, but is increasingly losing patience. His superior (great: GOLDEN GLOBE winner James Whitmore) already has a whole dossier on the gangsters, but doesn't believe he has enough evidence to convince the judiciary. The inspector is hoping for help from Don Cafiero (Fernando Rey), who has become calmer but is playing his own game. The involvement of the Italian upper class (Silvano Tranquili and Duilio Del Prete as "honorable" pillars of society) becomes clear, but cannot be proven in the long term. In addition, there are Belli's private problems with his girlfriend (Delia Boccardo) and daughter (Stefania Girolami Goodwin). So there's enough cause for trouble! You could easily do without a killer like Rico (Daniel Martin)...

This film is really good! Castellari manages to combine the two most important strands of 70s thriller cinema and thus give the poliziottesco an additional boost. The action sequences in Genoa and later Marseille are great. The acting performances are outstanding. The technical quality is impressive.

Absolute recommendation!

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.

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.

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.