Tony Arzenta (1975)

Good concept, poorly executed.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Alain Delon visits swift, sure vengeance on the ruthless crime family that employed him as a hit-man in the Duccio Tessari thriller "Big Guns" after they accidentally murder his wife and child. Tessari and scenarists Roberto Gandus, Ugo Liberatore of "A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die," and Franco Verucci of "Ring of Death" take this actioneer about a career gunman for the mob right down to the wire. Indeed, "Big Guns" is rather predictable, but it still qualifies as solid entertainment with lots of savage and often sudden killings. Alain Delon of "The Godson" is appropriately laconic as he methodically deals out death to the heads of the mob families who refused to let him retire so that he could enjoy life with his young son and daughter. Richard Conte of "The Godfather" plays a Sicilian crime boss who wants to bury the hatchet with the Delon character, but the rest of his hard-nosed associates want the hit-man dead. Like most crime thrillers in the 1960s and 1970s, "Big Guns" subscribes to the cinematic morality that crime does not pay. Interestingly, the one man who has nothing to do with the murder of the wife and son of the hero survives while another betrays the hero with extreme prejudice. Tessari does not waste a second in this 90-minute shoot'em up. Apart from the mother and son dying in a car bomb meant for the father, the worst thing that takes place occurs in an automobile salvage yard when an associate of the hero is crushed in a junked car. Ostensibly, "Big Guns" is a rather bloodless outing, but it does have a high body count for a 1973 mobster melodrama. Only at the last minute does our protagonist let his guard down and so the contrived morality of an eye for an eye remains intact. Tessari stages a couple of decent car chases and the death of a don in a train traveling through a train tunnel is as bloody as this violent yarn gets. The photography and the compositions are excellent.

Icy and lethal ace hit-man Tony Arzenta (a divinely smooth and commanding performance by Alain Delon) wants to quit the assassination business, but the dangerous mobsters he works for won't let him. After his wife and child are killed, Arzenta declares open season on everyone responsible for their deaths. Director Duccio Tessari relates the absorbing story at a constant snappy pace, maintains a properly serious and no-nonsense tone throughout, stages the stirring shoot-outs and exciting car chases with considerable rip-snorting brio, and punctuates the narrative with jolting outbursts of explosive bloody violence. Delon's suave and charismatic presence adds extra class to the already engrossing proceedings. This film further benefits from sterling acting by a bang-up cast, with praiseworthy contributions by Richard Conte as wise Mafia kingpin Nick Gusto, Carla Gravini as Arzenta's supportive lady friend Sandra, Marc Porel as Arzenta's loyal pal Domenico Maggio, Anton Diffring as ruthless, calculating capo Grunwald, and Lino Troisi as the venomous gangster Rocco Cutitta. Silvano Ippoliti's glossy cinematography boasts several graceful pans. Gianni Ferrio's funky score hits the get-down groovy spot. Erika Blanc and Rosalba Neri pop up briefly in nifty bit parts. Better still, there's no filler to speak of and we even get a decent dab of tasty gratuitous female nudity. The startling conclusion packs a mean and lingering wallop right to the gut. A solid and satisfying winner.

The Italian crime genre owes a lot of its trademarks to Don Siegel's landmark cop flick Dirty Harry, but Big Guns appears to be cashing in more on the success of Francis Ford Coppola's landmark mafia flick The Godfather. Considering this film is called 'Big Guns', there isn't a great deal of gunplay; and unfortunately, a lot of the film is taken up by talking, which didn't really go down very well with me. This type of film is famous for its entertaining set-pieces, which often include car chases, gunfights and fist fights. There are plenty of car chases in this film, and many of them are very well filmed. The plot is not exactly original or groundbreaking, and simply focuses on a hit-man named Tony Arzenta, a man who had had enough of his mob life and decides that he wants to leave their employ. However, as anyone who has seen a mob film will know; these guys don't like people walking out on them, and the mob takes it upon themselves to ensure that Tony doesn't leave their employ alive. Naturally, this leads to a cacophony of violence.The film features a few faces that will be familiar to fans of Italian movies. Alain Delon is good in the lead role, and receives good support from the likes of Richard Conte (who starred in some of the best Italian crime films, including Martino's Violent Professionals), cult film veteran Anton Diffring, and one of my personal favourite actresses Rosalba Neri; who unfortunately doesn't appear for very long. The plot does feel a little tired, and while I mostly enjoyed this movie; it has to be said that there's better examples of the Italian crime film out there. I'm rather surprised that this film has received mostly positive reviews across the board as, generally speaking; the average vote for an Italian film is a few grades lower than mine! Still, while I can't say that I rate this film among the best of the Italian output - it's well directed and while I wasn't blown away; at least it isn't boring. Overall, Lenzi's crime films; as well as a choice few others such as Street Law, The Heroin Busters and The Violent Professionals, come recommended over this one; but Big Guns is at least worth watching.

I have just finished watching a Japanese video version of this film (titled Big guns) and found it very entertaining. I would recommend this Franco/Italian made movie to any lovers of the Italian crime genre,why, well for a start the great cast of Euro-stars, apart from Alain Delon there's Marc Porel (Murder to the tune of 7 black notes/live like a cop die like a man), Anton diffring, Richard Conte, Carla Gravina and Erika Blanc. Also the way the movie was executed, a familiar story (of a mafia hitman who wants to retire) but shot and paced excellently. Of course- things don't go to well for the 'want-out' hitman (Delon) and finds himself with a personal vendetta on his hands.Great bloody shoot-outs, great car chases, sexy leading ladies (who also get ruffed-up) and a phat "Schiffrintastic" score sometimes reminiscent of 'Harry's creed'. The version I watched ran into 112 mins and was widescreen.If you get the chance, check this one out.