Rulers of the City

Today we're talking about:

Rulers of the City (1976),

aka Mister Scarface, this Italian crime comedy/thriller is written and directed by Fernando Di Leo, who has been featured three time before on this blog with; Caliber 9, The Italian Connection and The Boss.

Where the three above mentioned movies are quite heavy, Rulers of the City is much more lighthearted. Even when people get brutally murdered, it's not that bad. The movie doesn't dwell on the violence that much and the tone never gets too dark. It's almost in the same vein as an action adventure movie in that sense.

The story is this:

We meet Tony (Harry Baer), a handsome and happy young man who collects gambling debts for his mid level gangster boss, Luigi, who runs an illegal gambling and loan sharking business. Tony would like to rise in the ranks, but is told to wait his turn. One night, a young man, Rick (Al Cliver) accuses the house of cheating and is kicked out. He then returns in the entourage of high level gangster Scarface Manzari (Jack Palance). Scarface is angry that someone disrespected one of his men and takes all the “casinos” loose cash in return for a check no one is going to dare to cash. Rick is then beaten and thrown out of the gang for being stupid enough to let himself get cheated in the first place.

Tony helps Rick and they become good friends. Being young and cocky, Tony soon volunteers to get Luigi's money back and that sparks off a gang war with the two young men and their older ex-pickpocket adviser in the middle.

Rulers of the City is set in Rome, a place Di Leo knew very well, and he brings it to life in a way that is a joy to watch. The cinematography is first rate, and the acting is good. The fight scenes are excellent, illustrating that these criminals know how to handle themselves. Tony especially knows how to fight and makes it look effortless and almost fun. We get some good chases, both on foot and in vehicles and the gunfights are really nice.

Rulers of the City is one of those rare crime comedies that somehow manages to keep its focus and balance, without veering into either too much slapstick or becoming too heavy due to the serious subject matter.

So, do I recommend this movie? Absolutely! You could accuse Rulers of the City of being a bit slow, and you'd be right, but this movie is all about the journey. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy, and the movie takes care of the rest. Rulers of the City is a rare gem in that it manages to be both grim and brutal without being the least depressing. A mean feat and one to be lauded. If you have any love for 70's cinema or just want a fun time, give it a go, just don't take it too seriously.

That's that and all that. Join me again next time and until then, have a great week!