Title: Città Violenta
Year: 1970
Running Time: 108′
Country: Italy
Directed by: Sergio Sollima
Screenplay by: Sauro Scavolini, Gianfranco Calligarich, Lina Wertmüller and Sergio Sollima
Starring: Charles Bronson; Telly Savalas; Jill Ireland; Umberto Orsini; Michel Constantin; Ray Saunders
© 1970 Jolly Film, Unidis, Fono Roma and Universal Productions France.
Review by Guifré Margarit i Contel | 16 January 2022
In the mid of his stint of movies in Europe that propelled him into stardom, Charles Bronson offers his usual tough hitman persona in this poliziottesco directed by Sergio Sollima.
The movie suffers of having a great start, with an amazing chase scene through the narrow streets of the Virgin Islands, as it gradually loses its punch as the story moves forward.
The story bases itself in a constant double-crossing without end provoking a loss of interest on the plot after so many turns and expected resolutions. Still, its good creation of tension for several scenes make you keep enough interest to go along with it.
Some of those moments that deserves mention, besides the already commented chase scene, are a beautifully shot sequence in a racetrack, any moment with Telly Savalas (who completely steals the show) and a cool ending with a curious use of sound and editing.
Another interesting aspect on the film is the use of a more traditionally classical type of score (composed by Morricone) which differs with the more usual funky sort of music that became a staple of the genre.
Lastly, in the acting department, unfortunately besides the splendid performance by Savalas, the rest are quite forgettable. Bronson and Umberto Orsini are simply decent, while Jill Ireland is subpar. Maybe the only that we can also save is Michel Constantin in his role as Bronson’s junkie friend Killain.
All in all, a standard revenge action films with various twists that thanks to some moments of brilliance gets saved from irrelevance.