When the Chief of the Italian Defence Staff is found dead, it is put down to an heart attack and the nation mourns. Colonel "Dante Mattuci" (Franco Nero) is drafted in to handle what ought to have been a peremptory investigation, but it is soon clear to him that there is much more going on here than meets the eye. Pretty quickly, he is enveloped in a conspiracy to take over the state - but who might be behind it? His boss "Prince Baldasar" (Christoher Lee); the General who succeeded him "Leporello" (Eli Wallach) or perhaps the wealthy kingmaker "Manzini" (Anthony Quinn). The production is a bit all over the place, here, but the cast work well on this quite well paced story of internecine politics. Nero is efficient, as are Wallach and Quinn, and the story moves along quickly amongst some beautiful surroundings. The ending lets it down a bit - it is just too implausible given what has gone on before, but though flawed it is still a decent thriller that pulls together some good supporting stars - Claudia Cardinale and Anita Strindberg provide the glamour, if not a great deal else - and is still worth watching on the telly on a wet Tuesday afternoon.
Review of The Salamander
