made with
sorry for the mistakes!
Shot first, Die later
Just ended his great trilogy, the good Fernando Di Leo does not seem to
have lost the best artistic talent and gives us a strange film and
especially difficult to label. It is not a crime, is not a
poliziottesco, could be a noir, but simply is a film of a very inspired
Fernando Di Leo.
"Il poliziotto è marcio" hides behind a more than short title a
different story, with a very strong meaning. We have already seen
several corrupt cops but balanced by positive characters, but here
there is a certain Malacarne which is the anti-hero main character and
especially never repented of his choices.
A story all in black that Di Leo narrates well with a good dramatic
crescendo. A though story stained by some narrative lightness and some
absurd scenes. The character played by Vittorio Caprioli, a Neapolitan
who immigrated to Milan who lives in a state of semi destitution and
witnessed some strange things is a poor credible comic caricature. And
more than that the mob kill him, and his cat, in a murder among the
most useless of the history of cinema and made worse (thankfully we can
see that the cat is a peluche).
The murder of the protagonist's girlfriend, played by Delia Boccardo is
an unnecessary moment of violence that does not bring anything to the
story.
But apart from these defects, Di Leo builds a compact and dense film
with a surprising history, managing to bring out the best from actors,
underline with a good direction.
The main protagonist is the beautiful Luc Merenda in the shoes of the
aforementioned Commissioner Domenico Malacarne. A commissioner very
different than his iron colleagues. Because Malacarne is estimated by
the police, thanks to some intuitions, but at the same time it is
useful to the underworld who he help in exchange for a reasonable
salary. One day, however, he is in the midst of an arms trafficking run
by two "nice" (as defined) Portuguese, that speak in Spanish (mah ...).
He destroys their plans gain the front page of the newspapers, but
starting also a quarrel with the underworld. He tries to deflect the
subsequent investigation, also fueled by the unintentional confession
of Serafino Esposito (Vittorio Caprioli) but it is too late, the "bad
guys" have already planned a terrible revenge. Besides Esposito (and
his cat), die Malacarne's father and his girlfriend too.
The father, Marshal Malacarne, played by an excellent Salvo Randone, is
head of a Commissariat of Carabinieri who receives the testimony of
Serafino Esposito. Unlike his son he is a modest man, good, that when
discovers the truth about the son gives life to an argument that is the
most intense part of the film. A series of accusations between the two,
on the meaning of corruption and opportunism.
The dramatic crescendos well compose by Di Leo leads to a surprising but logical end.
A good example of genre cinema for a Di Leo who works with excellent
actors. In addition to the aforementioned actors are Richard Conte,
Raymond Pellegrin, Elio Zamuto and Gianni Santucci.