Les tueurs à gages

Socially critical gangster film from Naples with Fabio TESTI and Jean SEBERG

The film by Pasquale SQUITIERI was released in West German cinemas in 1973 and, in addition to action-packed sections, also offers a good insight into the underworld of the city on Vesuvius.

After two years, Tonino Russo (Fabio TESTI) finally comes out of prison. His parents (Lilla BRIGNONE and Ugo D'ÁLESSIO) hope for a regular life, but have made the calculation without Tonino's old friends. They involve him in a nasty stabbing, which is how he catches the eye of Don Mario (Raymond PELLEGRIN) and his wife Luisa (GOLDEN GLOBE nominee Jean SEBERG). Tonino quickly rises in the mafia hierarchy and is primarily concerned with gambling in beautiful Naples. Of course, the blonde Luisa can't get past the handsome boy, which of course leads to violent conflicts with Don Mario. One day the evildoer has Tonino's little brother kidnapped...

Exciting, socially critical and well cast - you can't expect more from a POLIZIOTTESCO. Other roles include the beautiful Germana CARNACINA (as Tonino's faithful fiancée Anna), Charles VANEL, Enzo CANNAVALE and the Swiss actor Paul MULLER.

Worth seeing!

GANG WAR IN NAPLES is a familiar tried-and-tested story about the rise to fame of a small-time hood who starts out on the street before rising through the ranks of a local mafia organisation. It marks an early turn from Fabio Testi, typically brooding here, and the storyline is very familiar, a little too much so at times; SCARFACE this isn't. However, a slightly slow life story is punctuated by some vibrant action sequences involving thugs machine-gunning their way through the streets, and such moments add life and verve.

For some wholly inexplicable reason, the enjoyably bellicose, 'Gang War in Naples' (aka) 'Camorra' remains a relatively obscure cinematic prospect; and while the conspicuously gifted director, Pasquale Squitieri has fortified this undeniably robust Mafiosi actioner with a multitude zesty set pieces, it is, sadly, one of a great many neglected, relatively unseen Italian Euro Crime efforts of the 1970s, which is an enormous shame, since the brawny, pistol-packed mania of, Squitieri's gutsy 'Camorra' retains much of its boisterously blood-spattered charm!

Granted, the all too ubiquitous, 'Ambitious thug bloodily rising up the ranks of the cosa nostra' theme is a little uninspired, but the hackneyed narrative is considerably emboldened by the entirely welcome inclusion of that most magnetic and heroically handsome of Italian leading men, Fabio Testi, who lustily plays the ceaselessly scheming, gun happy hoodlum, Tonino Rosso with great elan; thus far, I have yet to see a single lacklustre performance from this swarthy-eyed devil! 'Gang War in Naples' (aka) 'Camorra' is an unashamed crowd-pleaser, with its continued success as compelling B-Movie entertainment due in no small part to the indefatigably luminous charisma of that most fabulous Thespian, Fabio Testi, and his capable director, Pasquale injects much rigour in what is ostensibly a tired premise. Good stuff! And mine's a J&B rocks!!!