One of the things I love most about the Italians and their cult cinema from the 60s-80s is the use of vivid, colorful and extendedly descriptive titles! The unwritten rule states: the duller the international title in English, the more amusing the original one in Italian. "Hunted City" is such a standard and fairly dull title, so I promptly looked up the meaning of the odd sounding "Sbirro, la tua legge è lenta... la mia... no!" Apparently, the title literally translates as: "Copper, your law is slow... Mine isn't!" Now that sounds like something I want to see!
Maurizio Merli really only know how to play one role, namely the tough but righteous cop who ignores the rules, yet books results with his unorthodox methods. He, Commissioner Paolo Ferro, is called to his hometown of Milan to help solve a strange series of murders of lawyers and businessmen. Due to the brutal execution style of the murders, everyone suspects the mafia to be behind them, but Ferro doesn't think so. Quite the contrary, Ferro even forms an alliance with the mighty Don Alfonso (Francisco Rabal) to reveal who is truly behind the killing syndicate.
I will always find joy in these Italian Poliziotesschi flicks but, to be very honest, the best years for the genre had long passed by 1979. The film still contains all the right ingredients (like violent shootouts, car and foot chases, exhilarating Cipriani score...), but the surprise-effects and non-stop adrenalin rushes have vanished. With its 105 minutes, "Hunted City" is also too long. Certain footage, like the commissioner's romantic interludes or even the entire sub plot with his nephew, could have been cut. All the scenes with Mario Merola, on the other hand, ooze with oppressed tension.
Another 1-2 years later, the "Poliziotesschi" genre was dead and buried entirely. For most Italian directors and actors, this didn't cause too many problems and they moved on. For Merli, though, it was a catastrophe.
Maurizio Merli really only know how to play one role, namely the tough but righteous cop who ignores the rules, yet books results with his unorthodox methods. He, Commissioner Paolo Ferro, is called to his hometown of Milan to help solve a strange series of murders of lawyers and businessmen. Due to the brutal execution style of the murders, everyone suspects the mafia to be behind them, but Ferro doesn't think so. Quite the contrary, Ferro even forms an alliance with the mighty Don Alfonso (Francisco Rabal) to reveal who is truly behind the killing syndicate.
I will always find joy in these Italian Poliziotesschi flicks but, to be very honest, the best years for the genre had long passed by 1979. The film still contains all the right ingredients (like violent shootouts, car and foot chases, exhilarating Cipriani score...), but the surprise-effects and non-stop adrenalin rushes have vanished. With its 105 minutes, "Hunted City" is also too long. Certain footage, like the commissioner's romantic interludes or even the entire sub plot with his nephew, could have been cut. All the scenes with Mario Merola, on the other hand, ooze with oppressed tension.
Another 1-2 years later, the "Poliziotesschi" genre was dead and buried entirely. For most Italian directors and actors, this didn't cause too many problems and they moved on. For Merli, though, it was a catastrophe.