Crime Boss (1972)

- I familiari delle vittime non saranno avvertiti
An average Italian crime film, 9 August 2006

Antonio Mancuso (Antonio Sabato) is a small time hood with dreams of moving up in the family. His ambitions lead him to do a job for one of the big bosses in Italy, Don Vincenzo (Telly Savalas). The two strike up a friendship that quickly turns into something of a father/son relationship. They love each other like a father and son would. But when Don Vincenzo begins to show a weakness, Mancuso gathers those loyal to him for a bloody showdown with Don Vincenzo.

While not the action overload that many of the Italian cop/crime films tend to be, there was enough going on to keep me interested throughout most of the movie. And while the violence isn't as over-the-top and bloody as some other Polizia I've seen, there are several set-pieces in Crime Boss that feature some well choreographed shoot outs. The final showdown between Mancuso and Don Vincenzo is exciting and heartbreaking at the same time. Finally, a big plus for Crime Boss is Telly Savalas. The guy was just so cool that it's impossible for me not to enjoy his performance here.

The biggest problem I have with Crime Boss is with the lead, Antonio Sabato. He's okay, but it's really hard to get excited about the man and care for his character the way you should. He lacks the charisma or the presence or that certain something that the really good Italian action/crime stars had. I'll quite beating around the bush and just say it – he's dull. Sabato can't hold a candle to the likes of Fabio Testi, Tomas Milian, or Franco Nero.

6/10