Recensioni degli utenti

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.

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.

In case you're looking for action cinema without restraints, boundaries, fake sentiment or political correctness, you have to aim your senses towards the so-called Italian "Poliziottesco" movies. That is a commonly known fact, or at least I always assumed so, but still this is a vastly underrated sub genre even among cult cinema fanatics. The same great names of Italian cult cinema often return, like for example those of director Enzo G. Castellari and charismatic lead actor Franco Nero. These two prodigies often worked together, but this is arguably their finest piece of work (or at least on par with the terrific western "Keoma"). The words "awesome" and "brilliant" spring to mind when witnessing a movie that opens with artsy credits and promptly continues with an exhilarating and non-stop 10 minutes (!) lasting car chase sequence and then a virulent explosion. The intro immediately sets the pace for a masterfully adrenalin-rushing and hardcore-to-the-bone cop thriller, reminiscent to "The French Connection" and "Dirty Harry" only much more outrageous. Franco Nero depicts the devoted and unstoppable police commissioner Belli, who initiates a merciless crusade to cleanse his city entirely of Mafiosi, drug couriers and corruption. Belli receives voluntary cooperation from a former crime boss, but he's undoubtedly doing it for his own benefit. The support from his superiors is minimal since several prominent citizens may be involved in dirty business and, whenever Belli reaches a major breakthrough in his investigations, they try and strike back on a personal level. The overall plot, with particularly the double-crossings and betrayals between crime gang members mutually, is extremely convoluted and often very confusing but the extended and mega-violent shootout sequences don't require a lot of thinking. The villains are truly relentless and loathsome thugs without a conscience whatsoever, but Belli isn't a wussy himself, as his investigation methods qualify as quite unorthodox as well. Without wanting to ruin things, I can safely say there are a couple of very effective sentimental and dramatic moments near the end of the film – as well as some blatant shocks – and "High Crime" ends exactly like it begun: with a long and fascinating explosion of violence and excitement. The score is terrific and Castellari once again proves that he's a visually very gifted director, as the stylistic trademarks are often stunning to behold.

A criminal fiction with suspense , intrigue , frantic action , turns , a lot of twisted incidents , at the same time charged with tension and high level staging which the viewer could really enjoy . Stars an Italian police inspector called Belli (Franco Nero) , he is a man of action who'll stop at nothing to get his purports and at whatever cost , as he takes on a powerful European drug ring resulting in fateful consequences , at the same time he gets advices from a former criminal mastermind , Cafiero (Fernando Rey) . Along the way , Belli is reproved by his superior Commissioner Aldo Scavino (James Whitmore) who has compiled a dossier on mafia connections , and both of them battle hardly with organized crime.

Formula thriller with plenty of action , crisply edition , tension , intrigue , suspenseful , skin bared and lots of violence in exploitation style with reminiscent to "The French Connection" , "Dirty Harry" and ¨Charles Bronson¨films . A cop movie set in the Seventies , being realized in Italian style , and made by the prolific and cult director Enzo G Castellari . Here he delivers frenetic action , thriller and violence enough along the nail-biting flick . There is a good stuntwork with car races , biker leaping , spectacular car crashes and grisly killings , many of them shot in slow-moving . Fine entry in Poliziesco sub-genre with noisy action , thrills , shootouts , betrayals , car chases , explosions and large doses of violence . It belongs to Italian Poliziesco sub-genre , essentially developed in the Seventies and including ordinary trappings such as lasting car pursuits sequences , virulent blowing up and a lot of murders executed in cold blood . The film is interesting enough , though it has some flaws , gaps and failures . This film results to be one of the best among the whole saga of Poliziottesco that had its splendor in the Seventies and early Eighties . Main and support cast are pretty good , as Franco Nero is terrific as the tough police inspector who comes closer to the top of the underworld organization by using expeditive means against delinquents , then his odds of survival decrease . Being a French/Spanish coproduction , here appears several familiar faces at the time , as the Italian secondaries as Delia Boccardo , Massimo Vanni , Duilio Del Prete , Bruno Corazzari , Silvano Tranquilli , Benito Pacifico , Nello Pazzafini and Spanish players as Daniel Martin , Victor Israel and the great Fernando Rey of French Connection and Luis Buñuel movies , here playing a former crime boss , who spends most of his time in his rose garden . And the little girl playing hopscotch results to be Natasha Richardson , daughter of Vanessa Redgrave who has been married to Franco Nero for many years .

It contains atmospheric cinematography by Alejandro Ulloa who photographed the terror classic Horror Express . As well as thrilling and moving musical score by Guido De Angelis and Maurizio De Angelis. The motion picture was well written by ordinary Tito Carpi , Maurizio Amati , Leonardo Martín and professionally directed by Enzo G Castellari in his peculiar style. Enzo is considered to be one of the best Italian artisans, who has made a nice career, shooting all kinds such as Wartime : Counterfeit Commandos , Eagles over London. Adventures : Scaramouche, Shark hunter, Tuareg , Shark 3 . Sci-fi : Bronx warriors, Escape Bronx, Warriors of wasteland. Thrillers : Light blast, Il grand racket ,The day of Cobra, La via della droga , Forajidos 77. Terror : Diabla. Westerns : Keoma, Tedeum, 7 Winchester for a massacre, Matalos y vuelve, Johnny Hamlet, Any gun can play . Rating 6.5/10. Decent and acceptable Poliziesco that will appeal to Italian exploitation fans.

....but that doesn't say much. Actually, it's a totally unexceptional crime story, but Enzo Castellari manages to uplift parts of it with his gimmicks and camera tricks. If Sergio Leone had directed a straight crime flick, the result might have been close to what Castellari achieves here. (**)

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.

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.

International star Franco Nero ratchets up the intensity in a very shouty performance as police commissioner Belli, stubbornly determined to make headway in the war on drugs. Here, he must stop the flow of heroin from France to Genoa. When he's not pursuing bad guys, he's having it out with a crime kingpin (Fernando Rey) or even his own boss (American actor James Whitmore, oddly cast but amusing).

The cinematography is top-notch in a film with a very dialogue-heavy script and an emphasis on corruption. Fortunately, capable Italian filmmaker Enzo G. Castellari is in good form, crafting a good example of Italian crime fiction that gets great use out of its various locations. It *can* get quite violent at times (and is also appreciably merciless), but there is no nudity; indeed, sexual elements are kept to a minimum despite the presence of some dynamite-looking ladies (Delia Boccardo, Ely Galleani). There are also some pretty good action sequences, with Castellari getting down to business pretty quickly.

The cast is generally good in what amounts to a solid Italian answer to "The French Connection" - with one of that films' stars, Rey, along for good measure.

The score by Guido & Maurizio De Angelis is one of the things I enjoyed most about "High Crime", which should satisfy fans of Nero and the genre.

Seven out of 10.

High Crime gets off to such a great start, with a really well-executed car chase. That sustains it for a while, and I was pretty forgiving early on of how similar it felt to The French Connection. If you want to steal from something, you may as well steal from something great. And Franco Nero, to his credit, is compelling for different reasons than Gene Hackman, and he ends up being pretty good here.

But I think High Crime runs out of steam, at a point. It's blunt at first in a good way, but then that bluntness gives way to some more convoluted stuff, and I ended up being a bit bummed out about that. There are still some good scenes here, especially early on, but it's not a great film in the end, by any means.

Commissioner Aldo Scavino (James Whitmore) and Vice-Commissioner Belli (Franco Nero) are battling gangsters importing drugs into Italy. Belli has his daughter staying with him which leads to more tragedy on top of so much violence.

It's two years after The French Connection. I am not familiar with Italian crime dramas, but I must imagine that they stepped up their game after the American masterpiece. This starts with a pretty good car chase. They mounted the camera pretty low and it looks good. They got some good violence. There is plenty of brutality and tragedy. Sometimes, the leads do go over the top while a few smaller actors do some bad acting. Maybe it's just the Italian style. It is a broadly violent thriller.

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.

One of the best 1970s Italian police films out there. The great Franco Nero overacts like hell in some scenes and is excellent in others (also has a terrible wardrobe in this one!) but who cares, you cant beat a bit of Nero. Pretty violent ( the attack with bailing hooks at the dockyard stands out) and its quite well plotted. Brilliant car chase at the start and it's great to see the 60's / 70's Alpha's, Lancias etc in these films and its certainly part of the attraction with them.

The alternative title of 'Marseiile Connection' is obviously trying to cash in on the French Connection, but it isn't very similar and is more action orientated. Overall i would say a very satisfying and enjoyable film.

"High Crime" aka "The Marseilles Connection" by Enzo G.Castellari with Franco Nero actually helped popularize the Italian cop thriller genre/poliziotteschi.The film is extremely well-acted and features plenty of brutal and bloody violence.Franco Nero plays police commissioner Belli who wants to destroy dangerous European drug ring.When gangsters kill his daughter Nero becomes an angry killing machine.I must say that I found "High Crime" utterly fascinating.It's a vicious and mean-spirited cop thriller with unforgettable moment where little girl is run over with a car.It's obvious that Franco Nero's character was an influence for Maurizio Merli's Inspector Tanzi in later poliziotteschi movies.It's a crying shame that "High Crime" is still unavailable on DVD.9 car chases out of 10.

This is a great Franco Nero flick that is almost as good as my favorite Nero and Castellari combo "Street Law." The plot consists of Nero chasing the mob and being caught in-between a mob war as competing factions struggle for power. There are cool scenes like a motorcycle attack, people getting smacked and run over by cars, and gunfights with Peckinpah-esque squib action and slow motion bodies falling. A tad confusing with all the players and Italian names, but all the while very exciting. Nero is great as a steaming angry cop and so is Rey as a sick and possibly dying mob boss. Good characters, intriguing plot, and lots of action make a great film.

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!