The Violent Four

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Audience Member An over the top Gian Maria vlonté in a pretty compelling police/drama which tells a robbery really happened and properly reconstructs the criminal environment of Milan at the time. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Antesignano del genere poliziottesco, "Banditi a Milano" è un instant movie realizzato pochi mesi dopo la fine dei sedicenti espropri proletari della Banda Cavallero. Ma Lizzani va anche oltre, mettendo in scena un precoce esempio di docufiction cinematografica sul repentino cambiamento del capoluogo lombardo: lo sconcertante degrado sociale che attanagliava MIlano in quell'epoca, portò al paragone con la Chicago degli anni 30. Realizzato con lodevole distacco, nonostante la forte connotazione politica dei protagonisti (Gian Maria Volontè è perfetto nel ruolo del comunista Pietro Cavallero). Tomas Milian interpreta uno dei suoi primi commissari. Bella colonna sonora di Riz Ortolani. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member Terrific mixture of semi-doc, procedural and verite elements into a poliziottesco that transcends genre and captures the revolutionary spirit of its time. Lizzani's neo-realist and documentary experience informs the early scenes, which deconstruct social institutions such as the media, legalized gambling, sex work, and filmmaking itself. His left-wing politics are up front, showing a losing gambler entering the House to demand a refund as part of his protection ring. Also, a shocking collage in which a woman is recruited from a club by a prostitution racket, exhibited in glamorous clothes and jewels, and following her exploitation, quickly dumped in the woods and set afire. Lizzani predates the `70s poliziotteschi and jitsuroku yakuza eiga by not just presenting powerful outsider characters and shockingly exploitative scenarios, but linking them to a broad socio-satirical critique. Gian Maria Volonte is amazingly unbridled here, with no theatrical impulse reined in as by Leone for his own operatic purpose. Instead, Volonte plays a proudly Sicilian and grass-roots gang leader who reads Camus and jokes hilariously with the press upon capture. Ray Lovelock looks like a kid here, and has less to do - such is also the case with Tomas Milian on the other side of the fence. Riz Ortolani's score is fantastic, disturbing the artifice of cinema just as the director does when pulling back to show the crew framing a purse-snatching reenactment. Volonte's surrender may seem anti-climactic after the key chase scene where he is shooting civilians for distraction and to create obstacles. There's quite a contrast between the preceding action and immediately asking the police gun muzzles, "What's for dinner?" and shortly thereafter comparing his exploits to those of the Beatles.However, it is perfectly in line with his character and the film's theme. This movie is unfortunately owned by Paramount, and therefore Viacom. There is a pan & scan version available from Italian broadcast, though, with some surprisingly good fan-made subtitles. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Violent Four

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