Was nützt dem toten Hund ein Beefsteak?

It's possible that Dean Martin might have taken the title role in Mr. Ricco because every player likes doing a courtroom drama and Mr. Ricco is a high priced San Francisco defense attorney. But other than the very beginning when Judge Harry Wingreen dismisses with prejudice the charge of murder against Dino's client Thalmus Rasulala we don't see a courtroom again.

Right after that a rash of killings start breaking out and there is an attempt in fact a couple of attempts on Martin's life. Eyewitnesses identify the sniper with a rifle as Martin's own client. That doesn't make sense to Martin, why would the man he just got off be trying to kill him? But somebody is certainly using him for target practice.

Dino looks pretty bored with the whole business, he's got an air of disinterestedness throughout the film. According to Nick Tosches's fine biography of Dean Martin, his co-star Thalmus Rasulala said he never was able to connect with him on any level during the production of Mr. Ricco. At the time Martin was going through a lot financial and romantic entanglements and the film was clearly one he did for the money.

Geraldine Brooks plays a woman who Dean's friends try to fix up with and Cindy Williams plays a girl Friday assistant. Mr. Ricco has the look and feel of a television pilot and Dino had shown some spark might have been picked up as a series.

As it is he saunters through the film like it was his nightclub act in Vegas.

Like most people, I reckon, I primarily know Dean Martin as the singer of numerous Christmas Carols or as the performer of many legendary soundtrack tunes like "You're nobody till somebody loves you", "That's Amore" or "Ain't that a kick in the head". Not being a fan of the Rat Pack or comedy flicks starring Jerry Lewis, the only supportive films roles I've seen Martin in were "Airport" and "The Cannonball Run", so I was quite curious to see him appear in a thriller; - let alone a raw, gritty and violent mid-70s exploitation thriller!

But "Mr. Ricco" is a very competent and unjustly obscure thriller, with a solid and convincing role for Dean Martin! Although suffering from occasional slow-pacing and plot-predictability, "Mr. Ricco" is a compelling and suspenseful story about cops and lawyers, and more particularly about the tensions that arise when thugs, after they get acquitted by their sly attorneys, immediately revert back to committing crimes. The case even becomes extra sensitive when the crime in question is homicide of police officers. One of the main themes/morals of the film is that policemen should always uphold the law rather than acting as judge, jury and executioner themselves. This was quite a heavy and courageous theme in the contemporary cinematic era, especially since the formula of unorthodox macho coppers ("Dirty Harry", "The French Connection", ...) was so popular and commercially beneficiary. There are several good action sequences in "Mr. Ricco", but still the most powerful moments remain those where Ricco's friendship with police commissioner Cronyn (Eugene Roche) is put under pressure. The relatively unknown but experienced director Paul Bogart makes good use of the San Franciscan locations, but many scenes during the middle section are dull and redundant. The supposed twist-ending is far too easy to guess, but it's nevertheless presented in a pleasingly raw and violent fashion. This film may not stand out in the crowd of 70s action-thrillers, but it's a lot more intelligent than it looks and definitely worth seeking out!

One last word of advise for Joe Ricco: when you're almost out of toothpaste, you have to roll up the tube from the bottom...

San Francisco defense attorney Joe Ricco (Dean Martin) gets his black militant client Frankie Steele (Thalmus Rasulala) free from murder charge and then Steele murders two cops. Ricco's friend's young son is the witness identifying Steele. Jamison (Cindy Williams) is his faithful assistant. His friend George Cronyn (Eugene Roche) is the police detective in charge of the case. During a raid of Steele's group, the Black Serpents, an unarmed Calvin Mapes is killed by a cop and his brother Purvis Mapes (Philip Michael Thomas) is framed with a planted drop-gun.

Who is Joe Ricco? That's the main question left hanging. Dean Martin is basically out of his elements. He's not doing much with the character and it's not asking much from him. He's in a perpetual hangover but he's never shown drunk. It reminds me of The Verdict with aging actors doing flawed aging lawyers. The comparison is not in Martin's favor. He's old and tired which fits the character but it's not terribly compelling. This has the slower 70's pacing without the action to jack up the intensity and the acting to create more depth. It's on the border and I put it slightly below grade.

Take this movie for what it is -- an older Dean in a 1970's sleuth style San Francisco Drive In cop feature (with shades of Bullitt and Dirty Harry, altho Dean plays a lawyer) and you'll have 90+ minutes of fun. Lots of recognizable actors from 60s and 70s films, a script that at least follows the plot and has a good outcome (unlike many films of its day), and some good nostalgic shots of older cars, SF landmarks how grand life used to be before cell phones and hand held electronics invaded our lives. In short -- I loved it for what it was: A time capsule. Dean does look a little frazzled and aged, but he's still Dino -- and the relationship he has with his loyal dog is pretty sweet. Look for the scene where Martin, who in real life was a sensational, nearly champion golfer, pokes fun at himself not being able to sink a series of simple putts.

"Mr. Ricco" is the final starring role for Dean Martin in films, though he'd make a few more appearances in smaller parts.

In many ways, "Mr. Ricco" seems a lot like the other tough-as-nails and gritty cop movies of the 1970s, though he is NOT a cop...just a defense attorney. Soon after getting a black militant off on a murder charge, it appears as if this defendant is on a killing spree...killing cops and now trying to kill Ricco. Can Ricco manage to stay alive long enough to discover the truth about this maniac?

"Mr. Ricco" is one of the most difficult films I've seen recently. This is because it's quite good in some ways...and quite sloppy in others. The main plot, though hard to believe, is exciting and interesting. Also, Martin isn't bad in the lead and there's a lot of action. But on the other hand, MUCH of Ricco's actions are hard to understand. Why does he punch so many people?! Isn't he supposed to be an attorney and not some slap-happy goon? Also, the use of stuntmen for Martin was SLOPPY.

Again and again, it's pretty obvious the 58 year-old actor isn't in many of the action scenes.

Additionally, some of the plot (such as WHY would the killer shoot cops??) also didn't make a ton of sense. Overall, a film where the good and bad are about equal. Worth seeing if you love Dean Martin but clearly one of his lesser films.