Review by Coventry

Alberto De Martino obviously doesn't play in the same league as Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Balsam clearly isn't Marlon Brando. And yet, of all the dozens of mafia thrillers that came out in the early 70s to cash in on the tremendous success of "The Godfather", this "Counselor at Crime" is definitely the one I would recommend the most! The plot is convoluted, and the massive overload of supportive characters often makes it difficult to keep overview, but the atmosphere is so gripping, and every single sequence is incredibly compelling.

Thomas Accardo (Milian) is the legal attorney, and simultaneously godson, of mob boss Don Antonio; - born and raised in Sicily but reigning over San Francisco. After serving a prison sentence for keeping his shut, Thomas wants out. By accepting his resignation, Don Antonio unwarily incites a violent gang war, as his first lieutenant Garofalo has been waiting for an excuse to go against his "Don". Garofalo and his henchmen fight a very mean and merciless war, but Don Antonio has loyal allies everywhere, and following a dramatically failed attempt to kills his girlfriend, Thomas returns to the family as Don Antonio's "counselor".

"Counselor at Crime" isn't a non-stop spitfire of violent shootouts and exhilarating car chases, like the later movies starring Maurizio Merli, but more of a "full-package" mafia thriller/Poliziotesschi. But apart from the multifaceted plot and detailed character studies, there certainly are a lot of shocking and uncompromising sequences, like a chef getting shoved into his own burning pizza oven or a harrowing bomb attack that kills an innocent child. I simply also must mention the downright stupendous - as always - Riz Ortolani score, and the fantastic performance by Francisco Rabal as the stone-cold gangster.