An ex-con attempts to go straight but cannot escape the influence of his old crime bosses. Underpinning everything is the matter of a missing $300,000 that he is under suspicion of stealing. The mob and the police want him to reveal all, while he protests his innocence.

Milan Calibre 9 is one of crime specialist director Fernando Di Leo's most famous movies. He was probably the best director in the Italian poliziotteschi and is responsible for several other classics of that sub-genre, such as The Boss and The Italian Connection. Like those, this one is also a fast paced, tough and violent flick with some excellently staged action scenes. The big shoot-out at the outdoor garden party stands out as an example of the latter. But mainly the story is driven more by interesting characters and a fairly complex plot with several twists and turns.

The Milan setting itself is used well, with a good sense of place. Unlike the other Italian thriller genre of the 70's, the giallo, the poliziotteschi were virtually all set in Italy itself. Many, like this one, featured the city in question in their title. They were more realistic than their more stylised gialli counterparts and I guess they connected with their audience in a slightly different way in that they provided thrills along with observations about contemporary crime concerns. Milan Calibre 9 like other Di Leo crime films has some such social commentary. The corruption in the justice system and the degradation of the mafia are subjects that are touched upon.

It benefits from a very strong cast. Mario Adorf is in his element as the sadistic gangster Rocco, he owns every scene he is in. Barbara Bouchet is as exquisite as always, she plays a night-club dancer who is introduced to us in a mouth-wateringly erotic dance routine. Lionel Standler is very convincing in the role of the sinister crime boss The Americano; while the two cops are played by reliable Italian genre film regulars Luigi Pistilli and Frank Wolff.

All in all, this is a quality action-thriller that remains relatively obscure. It's a very good example of what the Italian crime movie was all about.

Tough, shrewd ex-con Ugo Piazza (superbly played with understated stoic and steely resolve by Gastone Moschin) gets paroled from prison. Both the mob and the police alike suspect Ugo of hiding $300,000 dollars which should have been given to an American drug syndicate. But Ugo refuses to divulge any information about the missing loot to either party. Writer/director Fernando Di Leo relates the absorbing story at a constant quick pace, does an expert job of creating and sustaining a supremely rough, gritty, and uncompromisingly harsh tone, stages the action scenes with considerable panache (a major shoot-out at an outdoor party is especially amazing and exciting),makes inspired use of the cold urban locations, and punctuates the narrative with shocking outbursts of extremely raw and brutal violence. This film further benefits from sturdy acting by a stellar cast: the ravishing Barbara Bouchet burns up the screen with her sultry portrayal of Ugo's loyal dancer girlfriend Nelly Bordon (Barbara's introductory scene depicting her dancing in a bikini in a swingin' club is memorably sexy),Mario Adorf delivers a deliciously robust turn as flamboyant and sadistic gangster Rocco Musco, Philippe Leroy excels as Ugo's rugged, yet weary former partner Chino, plus there are fine contributions by Luigi Pistilli as cagey, hard-nosed Inspector Mercuri, Frank Wolff as a liberal police commissioner, Ivo Garrani as the wise Don Vincenzo, and Lionel Standler as fearsome mob capo Americano. Moreover, we even get some spot-on stinging social commentary on the ineffectualness of the criminal justice system and the deterioration of the mob. The powerful surprise twist ending packs a strong and lingering sucker punch right to the gut. Franco Villa's slick cinematography gives the picture an attractive glossy look. The lively, rousing, hard-grooving score by Luis Enriquez Bacalov hits the funky spot. Highly recommended.

This concerns an upright ex-inmate called Hugo Razza : Gastone Moschin, just out of prison being coerced to resume his old style of life when is accused for hiding a cache about 30. 000 dollars. As he meets an old employer : the psycho Mario Adorf giving overacting, he works for an American drug syndicate boss : Lionel Stander, both of whom think Ugo has hidden a stash of money and wish to retrieve at whatever cost. Furthermore, two stubborn cops : Frank Wolff, Luigi Pistilli, go after him.

Violent poliziesco with thrills, high body-count, grisly killings, twists and turns. Interpretations are pretty good, Gastone Moschin is very well as a sober, slow-talking ex-con who is forced to resume his previous criminal life when his former colleagues believe he knows the wherebout of a stolen cache that should have gone to an American gangster . Support cast is frankly excellent as Mario Adorf playing a psychopatic mobster with penchant for sick violence and enjoying torturing who will stop at nothing to get his purports, the always gorgeous Barbara Bouchet as a strip-tease dancer, Frank Wolff as an obstinate commissioner, Luigi Pistilli as his helper who has a visceral hate for wealthy people , Ivo Garrani as a blind, honorable mobster called Don Vicenzo , Mario Novelli or Anthony Freeman as a henchman named Pasquale and Lionel Stander as revengeful drug ringleader called The American or Mikado.

It contains a moving and thrilling musical score by prestigious Luis Enrique Bacalov, who got an Academy Award for The postman and Pablo Neruda. And atmospheric and evocative cinematography by Franco Villa. The picture was well written and directed by Fernando Di Leo. He was an expert writer and filmmaker. Firstly, he wrote notorious Spaghetti Westerns as Fistful of dollars, For a fistful of dollars more, Ringo , The return of Ringo, Johnny Yuma, 7 guns for the McGregor, 7 women for the McGregor, Sugar Colt, Johnny Yuma, Joe implacable, The ruthless four, Wanted. Turning in direction he made sex comedies as Loaded guns, Italian sex, La seduczione and Victims of lust. Outstanding in Poliziesco subgenre, often starred by Henry Silva, Richard Conte, Mario Adorf, Luc Merenda, including as follows : I boss, The American connection, La mala ordina, Shoot first die later, Running guns, Madness, The boys who slaughter, Razza violenta, Killers vs Killers, among others. Rating 7/10. Better than average Italian cop movie. Essential and indispensable watching for this sub-genre buffs.