Arduino Maiuri Movies
The luridly titled Italian/French/German thriller Blood in the Streets went into production under the more restrained cognomen The Revolver. Oliver Reed plays a prison official whose wife is kidnapped. The price for her return is the release of incarcerated criminal Fabio Testi. When it becomes obvious that Testi's former cohorts plan to murder him once he's set free, Reed and Testi team up to foil the baddies. Blood in the Streets poses as an anti-gun tract, but its plot is still resolved by Oliver Reed wielding a weapon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oliver Reed, Agostina Belli, (more)
- 1974
- PG
An Irish journalist (Lynn Redgrave) will do anything she can to support a peasant revolution in Mexico. The rogues played by Franco Nero and Eli Wallach will do almost anything for money, but they will also do a lot for a charming lady: particularly when she has saved one of them from certain death in front of a prison firing squad. After arranging Wallach's prison escape, the trio heads for Mexico, where incredible things happen. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lynn Redgrave, Eli Wallach, (more)
- 1973
- PG
The US title of this Italian-Spanish-French coproduction is Chino, in deference to the character played by star Charles Bronson. Having long suffered the stigma of being part-Indian, New Mexico horse breeder Chino Valdez (Bronson) wants nothing more than to be left alone with his beloved horses. Even so, Chino opens his heart and his home to teenaged runaway Jamie Wagner (Vincent Van Patten), who becomes his protégé. But things take an unpleasant turn when the formerly taciturn Chino falls in love with Louise (Jill Ireland, the half-sister of antagonistic rancher Maral (Marcel Bozzuffi, replacing the original choice for the role, Lino Ventura). This film was based on The Valdez Horses, a novel by Lee Hoffman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Marcel Bozzuffi, (more)
This crime action movie is based on Peter Maas' best-selling book The Valachi Papers. That book, in turn, is based on prison conversations and the actual U.S. Senate testimony of Joseph Valachi, a high-ranking figure in the Mafia. The book, which tells precisely who did what to whom, when and why, electrified the nation. This film had to be made in Italy, because attempts to shoot in the U.S. were stymied by mob-arranged "accidents" and protests. The story is told in flashback as Valachi (Charles Bronson) tells a Federal agent about his activities from 1929 to 1961, when he worked for the Capo of Capos, Vito Genovese (Lino Ventura). Though his tale necessarily takes place in a number of episodes, it never fails to have lots of drama and action. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Lino Ventura, (more)
This politically oriented spaghetti western, chronicles the exploits of a mercenary who aligns himself with a revolutionary. Their goal is to liberate a peaceful professor and his students who are being held hostage in Texas. The mercenary's real reason for joining him is that the revolutionary knows the location of a cache of gold. En route to Texas they run into a strange wooden handed gunslinger who likes to smoke marijuana. The gunman is accompanied by his pet falcon. Tension between the mercenary and the rebel rise throughout the movie, but when the opposing forces attack, they unite. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
This Italian crime melodrama was originally released as Citta Violenta. Charles Bronson stars as Jeff, an ex-convict living in New Orleans. Understandably, Jeff trusts no one but his curvaceous girl friend Vanessa (Jill Ireland). She is stolen away from him by Weber (Telly Savalas), the man who framed him on a murder charge. Jeff goes gunning after Weber, only to discover that his real enemy is within his own circle of intimates. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, (more)
- 1968
This gripping crime thriller from director Carlo Lizzani was based on a true story. A daring gang of bandits pull off a series of risky heists in Milan, murdering several innocent bystanders in the film's exciting opening getaway scene. Lizzani then moves the story backwards in time, painting a portrait of Milan as a seething hotbed of vice. Gian Maria Volonte gives an increasingly flamboyant performance as the gang's egomaniacal leader, whose Nazi-like belief in his own superiority proves to be the flaw which foils his plans. Tomas Milian, in a rare nonvillainous turn, shines as the dedicated young police inspector who brings Volonte down, and gun moll Carla Gravina has an amusing (if stereotypical) scene in which Volonte teaches her to drive. The thrilling car chase is among the best in the Italian crime genre, and even Riz Ortolani's typically annoying musical score does not detract from the film's appeal. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gian Maria Volontè, Don Backy, (more)
A Mexican millionaire tests the loyalty of his new bride in this romantic drama starring Jaime Fernandez and Maria Elena Marques. Shortly after taking the beautiful Dorotea as his bride, wealthy Alberto begins to wonder whether her love is pure or motivated by money. After parachuting out of his airplane mere moments before it crashes into the mountains of Chihuahua, Carlos hides out at the remote ranch of his loyal brother Carlos. Believing that Alberto has died, Dorotea's relatives in Mexico City assume that Carlos will receive a sizable inheritance. Now, in order to test the depths of Dorotea's love, Alberto asks Carlos to travel to Mexico City and meet her family. But Dorotea is furious that Alberto would have gone hunting without her, and left for Acapulco. Realizing that her absence may be the one thing keeping them from a life of luxury, Dorotea's family must scramble to find a convincing substitute for their daughter before Carlos arrives in town and Alberto's greatest fears are confirmed. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
