Companeros (1970)

With a director in Sergio Corbucci, a stellar cast including Franco Nero, Tomas Milian, Jack Palance, Fernando Rey and an Ennio Morricone score Companeros appears to have all the constituent elements in place to rival some of the very best spaghetti westerns ever made. Whilst it never reaches the dizzy heights of Corbucci's, or for that matter Leone's, very best work it still has plenty to offer any Italian western fan. There's certainly some parallels with Leone's The Good,the Bad and the Ugly going on with two opposing characters caught in the middle of a conflict.

Nero and Milian's on screen chemistry is magnificent, with their constant bickering and oneupmanship over each other. If anything their relationship is what keeps this film going, especially in the slightly saggy middle section. It's just a crying shame that this is the only film they ever starred in together.

It would be remiss not to highlight another stand out score from Ennio Morricone, though this differs from his more straight laced western scores being more melancholy and playful. The insanely catchy main theme alone will stay in the brain for days on end.

Also Alejandro Ulloa's lush cinematography elevates the film beyond it's low budget origins. Recommended.

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Blood Brothers / I Guappi (1974)

This period piece set in the early 1920s stars Franco Nero as Nicola, a recently released prisoner who comes back to Naples with the goal to become a lawyer. Instead, he is drawn back into the underworld of the Guappo, a Neapolitan sect known for their boisterous ways, flamboyant clothing, and skill with a straight razor. Originally clashing with local boss Don Gaetano Fungillo, played by Fabio Testi, Nicola becomes his ally for a time, but the more the bookish ex-con sees how entrenched the camorra, or mafia, is in the city, the more it repels him. Eventually obtaining his law degree, Nicola tries to change the system from within while Don Guappo ends up on the other side of the bars.

One of the great things about the settings Italy can provide is that they are static. Throw on the right period clothing, and the timeless avenues of Naples could portray many eras. Director Pasquale Squitieri takes full advantage of this opportunity, and I Guappi feels absolutely genuine. While the film does feature whip fighting, dog wrestling, and a couple of razor fights, the focus is more on the human drama. By I Guappi's end, the film strikes a tone resembling Nicolas Ray's 1949 film Knock on Any Door. Claudia Cardinale also appears as Don Fungillo's woman, and during the filming she fell in love with Squitieri and became his longtime companion.

I Guappi is a welcome change from the run of the mill gangster or polizia film because of both the moral themes and stylistic choices. Fans of Testi and Nero will rejoice at the charismatic paring between the two as sadly the only other silver screen pairing of the two came in 2010s Letters to Juliet. I Guappi is highly recommended to all lovers of Italian film, and it stands as an unsung gem.

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Violent City / Città violenta (1970)

Director Sergio Sollima and Charles Bronson unite in a well-paced Eurocrime that suffers terribly from unnecessary rear-screen projection, even during its otherwise exciting car chases, and a betrayal-heavy plotline. Co-star Jill Ireland, as always, does her best Audrey Hepburn imitation in between the violence and the nudie inserts of her body double. Great Ennio Morricone soundtrack and some nice Caribbean and New Orleans locations also help things along, as does gangster Telly Savalas, who enjoys several lengthy monologues. Bronson is in fine form here, and, luckily, Sollima's sharp action direction, without the £%$& process shots, contains the actor's menacing presence without downplaying any notion that Bronson might be squashed by the film's bad guys.

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Tiffany Memorandum / Il mistero dell'ombra (1967)

Sergio Grieco’s enjoyable spy thriller is presented with a fine balance between action and story, and doesn’t disappoint with its comedic elements, particularly on account of Ken Clark. Clark was fun as Dick Malloy and he is still just as fun here as Journalist Dick Hallam, but Tiffany Memorandum feels a bit more low-key and darker than the Agent 077 films.

Riz Ortolani’s superb score breathes life into the film’s stylized espionage theme, giving a grand feel to what really is a meager production. Also, the old house of clocks style mansion that acts as the quirky bad guy’s lair is exhibited in a way that is quite Bava-esque.

The lack of camp that would otherwise be expected from the director of The Fantastic Argoman means that this film is not particularly recommended with a stiff drink, as it is rather story driven and requires the viewer to be in a clearer state of mind. The abundance of aliases and characters not being who they appear to be results in a complex and at times confusing movie that almost requires at least two viewings to fully appreciate.

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