Leofwine_draca
MEAN FRANK AND CRAZY TONY is a mixed-up Italian crime movie with various disparate elements. One of the best of these is Lee Van Cleef, taking a break from the spaghetti western movie genre to play a big-shot gangster. Van Cleef plays in support while the main role is a wiseguy newcomer determined to meet his idol. The story mixes traditional Italian polizia thriller elements and has some arresting murder scenes at the outset, including a bit where a masseuse uses an electric drill on one of his clients! Later, there are some prison drama moments, and a surprising amount of comedy. It's something of a mixed bag as a film but still fun, and a naked Edwige Fenech is thrown into the mix to boot.
manuel-pestalozzi
This movie takes place in Italy (Genoa and the Riviera) and in France. There is no death row in those countries. And the prisoners have minestrone for dinner. There is a lot you can do with minestrone you can even use it as a weapon and it has a real filmic potential! The story on the cover of this cheap DVD is not what you will see. But there is Lee Van Cleef all right. He is some kind of Mafia Don, and he looks meek, like some kind of a bookkeeper (which he apparently was in real life). For an escape from prison (it's a cinch!) he is given some workman's clothes, a half length blue coat and a blue peaked cap - and suddenly he looks like Lenin, and I mean the true Vladimir Illich on one of those kitschy Socialist Realism paintings. It is hilarious! The resemblance is so striking that it cannot be a coincidence.The story is not good well, hardly existing, the editing is chaotic, the unrestored print used for the DVD occasionally badly scratched. But some scenes are really well directed, the acting, the set design and the photography are above average. As often in Italian movies of the period: interesting details, messy as a whole. The movie is principally a comedy. Tony Lo Bianco is hilarious as a small time pimp who thinks the Don is god (he plays a mixture of Roberto Benigni and Eric Roberts in Runaway Train). Van Cleef's adversary is played by Jean Rochefort, a great French character actor who more often plays roles in powdered wigs. There are elements of Film Noir, interesting interiors and lighting and a long and very funny car chase. It's the kind of movie that smart guys like Quentin Tarantino learned from, I guess. And if you like old Alfa Romeo police cars skidding through narrow alleys and Edwige Fenech bare breasted, you are really in for a treat.
Fritz Langlois
We already knew of the spaghetti western, but in the same era (early 60s to late 70s) there have been other American genres paid tribute to by the Italian film industry. So, we deal here with a spaghetti jailhouse action thriller, which also conveys many elements of parody (especially through Tony Lo Bianco's character). It's all very efficient, with Lee Van Cleef playing his old Sentenza bit from THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY. Director Michele Lupo knows what he's doing and hits all the right buttons, mixing violence with comedy (not always as funny as intended, however), an unlikely and tasteless alliance typical of Italian productions. The music (by Morricone clone Riz Ortolani) is great, in that now much sought after sleazy'n funky organ-laden tradition. Women have no role, of course. As to French actor Jean Rochefort, it is highly surprising to find him involved, for this is not in his usual line of action, as he plays the head mafioso over whom Van Cleef wants revenge. Packed with massive shootings and car chases, this is perfect entertainment as far as I'm concerned. Tasteless, gritty, lovely. They don't make'em films like in those days anymore (sigh).
floyd-27
I was very impressed with this well made Lupo vehicle from 1974. Lee Van Cleef is Frank, a mean, cold, feared and respected crime lord. While Tony Lo Bianco is Tony, a street hustler who has some respect in his neighborhood, other than that not a nada. These two meet under odd circumstances, seeing that Tony's fascination with the Boss is borderline infatuation. Well let's say that Frank does not like Tony and tony adores Frank, until Tony saves Franks life in a mafia hit. I'm not going to keep on rambling, but if you like Italo Crime, Lee Van Cleef or Joe D'Amato (photography). Then you owe it to yourself to see this movie! I give it a very sturdy 8 out of 10
AD
