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Le cercle noir

Original title: The Stone Killer
  • 1973
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
4.2K
YOUR RATING
Le cercle noir (1973)
Home Video Trailer from Columbia Pictures
Play trailer2:18
1 Video
47 Photos
ActionCrimeDramaThriller

A top New York detective is sent to Los Angeles where he must solve a case involving an old Sicilian Mafia family feud.A top New York detective is sent to Los Angeles where he must solve a case involving an old Sicilian Mafia family feud.A top New York detective is sent to Los Angeles where he must solve a case involving an old Sicilian Mafia family feud.

  • Director
    • Michael Winner
  • Writers
    • Gerald Wilson
    • John Gardner
  • Stars
    • Charles Bronson
    • Martin Balsam
    • Jack Colvin
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    4.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Michael Winner
    • Writers
      • Gerald Wilson
      • John Gardner
    • Stars
      • Charles Bronson
      • Martin Balsam
      • Jack Colvin
    • 60User reviews
    • 40Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The Stone Killer
    Trailer 2:18
    The Stone Killer

    Photos47

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    Top cast50

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    Charles Bronson
    Charles Bronson
    • Lou Torrey
    Martin Balsam
    Martin Balsam
    • Al Vescari
    Jack Colvin
    Jack Colvin
    • Jumper
    Paul Koslo
    Paul Koslo
    • Langley
    Norman Fell
    Norman Fell
    • Les Daniels
    David Sheiner
    David Sheiner
    • Guido Lorenz
    Stuart Margolin
    Stuart Margolin
    • Lawrence
    Ralph Waite
    Ralph Waite
    • Mathews
    Alfred Ryder
    Alfred Ryder
    • Tony Champion
    Walter Burke
    Walter Burke
    • J D
    Kelley Miles
    Kelley Miles
    • Geraldine Wexton
    • (as Kelly Miles)
    Eddie Firestone
    Eddie Firestone
    • Armitage
    Charles Tyner
    Charles Tyner
    • Police Psychiatrist
    Byron Morrow
    Byron Morrow
    • Station Commander
    Lisabeth Hush
    Lisabeth Hush
    • Dr. Helen Torrey
    Frank Campanella
    Frank Campanella
    • Calabriese
    Gene Woodbury
    • Paul Long
    Robert Emhardt
    Robert Emhardt
    • Fussy Man
    • Director
      • Michael Winner
    • Writers
      • Gerald Wilson
      • John Gardner
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews60

    6.14.1K
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    Featured reviews

    6Witchfinder-General-666

    Charlie Bronson Can Kick Your Ass!

    Michael Winner has directed the great Charles Bronson in several films, all of which can be described shortly as 'bad-ass'. Their collaborations include some truly great films including the 1974 vigilante masterpiece "Death Wish" and the hard-boiled Western "Chato's Land" (1972). All the films that the actor/director team Bronson/Winner made together are highly entertaining, and while "The Stone Killer" certainly isn't one of their best collaborations (in fact, its arguably their weakest besides the hugely fun but very silly "Death Wish 3") it is definitely another testosterone-driven flick that will not leave my fellow Bronson-fans bored.

    Bronson stars as Lou Torrey, a tough New York detective who gets transferred to LA. Soon after arriving in LA, hints lead Torrey to a Mafia-Don's plot to use Vietnam Veterans as assassins... My fellow reviewers seem to either love or hate this film, the division being between Bronson fans and non-Bronson fans. As a huge fan of Charles Bronson, I tend to be on the 'love it' side, though, as mentioned above, it is nowhere near one of the most interesting flicks of his. It pales in comparison to other Bronson/Winner Vehicles such as the first two "Death Wish" films, "Chato's Land" or "The Mechanic", but then, these are all great 70s cult favorites, and while "The Stone Killer" is, in my opinion not quite as good, it is still a decent enough film that promises action and bad-assery. Bronson is his great self once again. To me personally, the man's presence alone makes it impossible for a film not to be at least entertaining. Apart from Bronson, the film features another truly great cult-actor, the magnificent Martin Balsam, who plays the role of a mob boss. Michael Winner has been unfairly scorned by critics throughout his career. Fact is, that the man is actually an outstanding director of gritty cult-cinema, who has been successful in any genre he has worked in, be it Action/Thriller ("Death Wish", "The Mechanic"), Western ("Chato's Land", "Lawman") or supernatural Horror ("The Sentinel"). Some folks only seem to be satisfied when they can claim intellectual superiority over other people's work. Some people seem to complain about this film's lacking depth and not bringing up any ideas. I wonder what these folks expect. This is a Bronson flick: It's meant to be hard-hitting, bad-ass entertainment, not melodramatic drivel. "The Stone Killer" features Bronson, loads of action and is filmed in typically stylish 70s style. What else could one ask for? Recommended to all my fellow Bronson fans.
    7GOWBTW

    This movie was no nonsense!

    This movie with Charles Bronson was extremely no nonsense, whatsoever. "The Stone Killer" is when Bronson plays a hard as nails cop who uncovered a group of Vietnam veterans who are do the dirty work for the Mafia. That form of dirty work is to take out the completion. In this movie, there are future "Three's Company" stars John Ritter and Norman Fell. Ritter plays the one in uniform, while Fell plays Lou Torrey's boss Les Daniels. Lou Torrey (Bronson) worked for the NYPD, until a incident with a young offender caused him to quit the force. So he ends up moving to Los Angeles as a detective to investigate mob like killings. It turns out that the mafia has been using Vietnam veterans to kill the competition. Some of their help have ended up dead by the people that hired them. This was a coast to coast situation for the police to handle. And Torres showed plenty of tenacity to put an end to this mess. The shootout in both areas was awesome. Especially in the parking lot scene in New York. Great movie, great plot, great cast, "The Stone Killer" makes great sense! 3 out of 5 stars
    5ma-cortes

    Violent thriller about a Sicilian vendetta packed with suspense, intrigue and frantic action

    Tense but violent film about a tough detective named Lou Torrey (Charles Bronson) who from New York is transferred in the underworlds of Los Angeles and uncovers a perfectly executed scheme carried out by a Sicilian gangster (Martin Balsam) to utilize Vietnam vets (Stuart Margolin , among others) to murder all his enemies in a mass killing , rerun of the 30's "Sicilian Vespers" when the former generation of Sicilian mobsters were all murdered on a single day by orders Lucky Luciano . Lou Torrey gets numerous tracks that something big occurs.

    This exciting film contains suspense, noisy action-packed drama, intrigue, thrills and lots of violence . Interesting screenplay Gerald Wilson from the book ¨A complete state of death¨ by John Gardner .This is a formula two-fisted cop stuff in the Vigilante mould . Bronson with his usual stoic acting displays efficiently his weapons such as ¨Dirty Harry¨ style and killing mercilessly nasties . Bronson as wealthy and cold cop who takes the law on his own hands offers the sort of monolithic acting as always . It's certainly thrilling , though the morality may be questionable , even in this time, as the spectators were clearly on the top cop Bronson's side . Packs thrilling multiple shootouts staged in a remote location on Mojave desert . As the picture emerges as a series of spectacular set-pieces , each perfectly realized ; the best of theses are the chase scenes between Charles Bronson-Paul Koslo , the busting on the desert and the Mafiosi slaughter with subsequent climax final . Furthermore, appears a nice secondary cast as Norman Fell as assistant cop , Ralph Waite as obstinate police , Paul Koslo as heinous hoodlum ,John Ritter in his film debut, Charles Tyner in minor role, Stuart Margolin as Vietnam veteran and Martin Balsam as mafioso chief. In addition , an atmospheric musical score composed, orchestrated and performed by Roy Budd .

    This motion picture is professionally directed by Michael Winner though passionless , such as the successive films with his main star, Charles Bronson. In the mid-70 Winner had great commercial hit , ¨Death Wish¨¨ , a box office success he repeated when badly in need of another big hit smash with the sequel , but both of whom , Bronson and Winner, looked increasingly cold , clinic and mechanical in the later years of their partnership . The worst sequels in which Kersey goes on to torture robbers, all of them inferior and the violence could be deemed excessive, are the following : ¨Death wish II¨ by Michael Winner with Jill Ireland and Vincent Gardenia, ¨Death wish III¨ again by Winner with Ed Lauter and Deborah Raffin . Subsequently Michael Winner career was failed , alternating some hit as ¨the sentinel¨ and various flops as ¨Firepower,The big sleep,The wicked lady, Appointed with death, A chorus of disapproval, Bullseye¨ and of course ¨The stone killer¨ that got a mediocre box office . Rating : average but is indispensable ,essential and well worth watching for Charles Bronson fans.
    7sanjuro-12

    Good old fashioned, hard-hitting action

    If you're not already a Charles Bronson fan, this film isn't likely to change your mind. But for those of you like their action films with side-burns, bell bottoms and good old fashioned,hard-hitting action, you'll really enjoy this. Bronson does his "Dirty Harry" impression while investigating a strange ring of murders involving ex-vietnam vets and the Mob. Great car chases. The crazy car crack up inside a parking lot is this film's action highlight. One of my favorite Bronson flicks.
    7Enforcer686

    The Stone Face

    You either get Old Stone Face or you don't. I get him. He played virtually the same type of character in every movie from the '70s forward, although his character's profession changed from time to time. Didn't matter if he was an unflinching streetwise cop that walks outside the law to bring justice, an architect, or an amazingly tough journalist that can beat up bad guys as easily as normal people breath air (how often do you see that?), he was always a character that looked out for what was right, the law be damned. And no mamby pamby metrosexual stuff anywhere in sight.....

    This movie was interesting to me in that it was filmed during the prime of the '70s Cop Movie glory days and also happened to be part of the golden age for Bronson himself. I dig the terrible period clothing, hair and lingo. I also dig the neo-psychedelic soundtrack. It was rather amusing seeing Bronson amongst the young hippie burnouts at a wacked out party when he was searching for clues, talk about a fish out of water! And even way back then, the ever popular grouchy old Italian mobster stereotype was in full play, although this was one of the first Bronson films to do this (and it often resurfaced in his movies, even in Death Wish 4 decades later). It also featured several familiar faces including "Mr. Roper" of Three's Company as a cop(!) and "Jack Tripper" of the same show as a bumbling, inept rookie cop. Those with either sharp memories or an extensive Twilight Zone collection will recognize Mob Boss Vescari as the star of the much loved wax figures episode (New Exhibit).

    You're not going to see Oscar type performances in a Bronson film, but then again, that's not what they were shooting for. You do get a glimpse of a great period of gritty American cop films. They didn't have the internet to help them. No GPS. No Google maps. Just coffee, steel revolvers, typewriters and good old fashioned investigational work, and of course real cars that were driven to death by stunt men, not computer generated crashes. And you do get politically incorrect, 150 proof MANDOM of the kind that isn't made any more. And that makes for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon in my book.

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    6.6
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Underworld settings in the USA featured in the movie included Skid Row in Los Angeles and Little Italy and Spanish Harlem in New York City.
    • Goofs
      At the start of the motorcycle chase, Langley emerges from the alley and has to go around a parked red Ford Pinto. A moment later, Torrey's Plymouth emerges from the same alley in close pursuit and the Pinto is gone.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Guido Lorenz: [Lorenz and Torrey, in car, as they watch Vescari enter a church] Nothing changes, only the names.

      Lou Torrey: You gotta be kidding. We're chest deep in water. Screaming against the rushing tide.

      Al Vescari: [cut to Vescari in church confessional, after organizing the hit on the other Dons] Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I haven't been to confession for ten days. I lose my temper...

      Lou Torrey: [cut back to Torrey and Lorenz in car] You know, last three weeks, in New York City alone, there were 159 homicides?

      Al Vescari: [in confessional] I don't mean to be harsh... but I... struck my son in anger last Tuesday.

      Lou Torrey: [in car] Three thousand criminal assaults, six thousand robberies.

      Al Vescari: [in confessional] Ruth, my wife, bless her, I swore at her.

      Lou Torrey: [in car] You multiply that by Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles.

      Al Vescari: [in confessional] For these... and all the other sins which I cannot remember, forgive me.

      [exits confessional, pauses to cross himself in front of the altar, and leaves church]

      Lou Torrey: [in car, watching Vescari get into his limo] You remember that cartoon of an old Roman Circus, where all the lions are roaring, and the page boy yells down the corridor...

      [to camera]

      Lou Torrey: you've got five minutes, Christians.

      [Vescari's limo pulls away as credits roll]

    • Crazy credits
      Actor Gene Woodbury is credited in opening credits only.
    • Alternate versions
      In the German video cut 13 minutes are missing. 02:33: Lou Torrey visits his wife. Both talk about their daughter and New York in general. She says: I look at you and I see this town. Complete scene is missing.(1:30 min.) 18:04: Lipper's assassination is prepared. Lipper himself fools a cop in hospital who should bring him back to jail (4:25 min.). 33:11: Vescari explains further details of his plan. All men go back to their cars (2:13 min.). 36:20: Torrey looks at Geraldine Waxton's dossier (0:10 min.). 38:58: Both cops run down the stairs. Torrey searches for Geraldine Waxton in a flower power parish in Carmel. The whole scene is missing. Geraldine asks Torrey if he would be interested in her. Torrey answers: Another time, another place, another cop. (4:19 min). 48:19: The car is driving around a corner (0:06 min.). 59:12: Matthews explains his hatred against the desert mission (0:12 min.). 90:26: Torrey sits in the car and quotes a word that was common in the roman arena: You've got five minutes, Christians. (0:07 min.).
    • Connections
      Featured in En Büyük Yumruk (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      The Stone Killer (Main Title)
      Written by Roy Budd

      Performed by Roy Budd And His Orchestra

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 4, 1973 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • Italy
      • United States
    • Languages
      • Italian
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El triturador
    • Filming locations
      • Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park - 15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster, California, USA(Exteriors and interiors: Mobsters' desert base called "The Old Wexton Indian house")
    • Production companies
      • Produzioni De Laurentiis International Manufacturing Company
      • Rizzoli Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,386,064
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 35m(95 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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