Charles Bronson's tenure in Europe featured roles vastly different from his potboilers of the late 1970s and 1980s. 'Città violenta' AKA 'Violent City' or 'The Family' is an example that was co-written and directed by Sergio Sollima, known mostly for against-the-grain thrillers and westerns. 'Violent City' is part of Bronson's sizeable résumé in international co-productions, which includes the Sergio Leone epic 'Once Upon a Time in the West' and René Clément's 'Rider on the Rain.' The film appeared during Italy's creative shift from the giallo to the poliziottescho, an over-the-top crime film that depicts urban life on the brink of chaos. Effectively made and highly unpleasant, 'Violent City' hits paydirt with its cast of Bronson, eventual 'Kojak' star Telly Savalas, and Jill Ireland, who acted in over a dozen films with her husband.
Filmed at excellent locations in the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Orleans, 'Violent City' is vaguely similar to Bronson's 1972 drama 'The Mechanic.' Bronson plays Jeff Heston, a freelance assassin who is vacationing with his lover, jet-setting fashion model Vanessa Sheldon (Ireland). While enjoying a quiet trip, Jeff and Vanessa find themselves tailed by a band of hit men who are looking to finish Heston off. A car chase ensues in which Jeff is left for dead and Vanessa flees the scene with Coogan (Michel Constantin), a racecar driver who had previously hired Jeff to murder his uncle. Jeff is saved on an operating table, thrown into jail on suspicion of murder, and released with help from his lawyer Steve (Umberto Orsini). He returns to the U.S. and asks heroin-shooting investigator Killain (Michel Constantin again) to locate Vanessa so he can get to the bottom of things. Jeff soon finds himself in a love triangle with Vanessa and New Orleans mobster Al Weber (Savalas), who has since married his girlfriend.
Unlike crime films by such directors as Umberto Lenzi and Ruggero Deodato that pour on the bloodshed, Sollima uses action sparingly and puts greater focus on character development. The film seems to have an almost Marxist undertone in dealing with Jeff and Vanessa as peons amidst a huge game where money (especially Weber's) is the determining factor. All of the characters are self-serving and unlikable; the only person you can really sympathize with is Vanessa, who finds herself in one erotic jam after another. But even then, Vanessa is a woman who continuously seeks power rather than trying to escape the cycle. The only admirable feature of Jeff Heston, meanwhile, is a desire for self-respect that often loses control and translates into bloodlust.
While 'Violent City' is an effective thriller, it is bogged down at times by Sollima's heavy-handed, overtly political style. Sollima is a skilled director who knows how to counterbalance action and character far more than others of his generation. Violent City's opening car chase is expertly filmed and leaves you breathless, while later scenes gaze into the characters' psyches. However, 'Violent City' has stretches of philosophizing (wealth as power, control of the mass media, etc.) that get on one's nerves. This philosophizing helps to give characters dimension, but the script (co-written by Sollima and Lina Wertmüller, director of 'Seven Beauties') becomes too preachy for its own good. What helps to make other Spaghetti crime films effective is their fast tempo, leaving worn-on-the-sleeve philosophy in the background.
Nevertheless, the three lead actors play their roles solidly. Bronson is a marginal character for once and shows the range of talent that he possessed. Savalas seems to be having fun in his role as Weber, taking full advantage of the wisecracks with Heston. This is also the best work I have seen from Jill Ireland, largely because her role asks for more than usual. Umberto Orsini and Michel Constantin are decent as supporting actors but overshadowed by the English-speaking leads. 'Violent City' is competently edited by Nino Baragli and photographed by Aldo Tonti, who later shot Dino Di Laurentiis's 'The Valachi Papers.' The score by Ennio Morricone is well-made as usual, although it's quite similar to his other Spaghetti crime films (especially 'Milano Odia').
'Violent City' has received an excellent DVD release from Anchor Bay Entertainment; it gets fine presentation with several extras and restores footage not seen in its previous English releases. The film is offered in widescreen (2.35:1, enhanced for 16 x 9 televisions) with dubbing options in English, French, and Italian. Extras include a 15-minute interview with Sergio Sollima, a gallery of stills and posters, bios of the lead cast and crew, and the theatrical trailer. 'Violent City' has good print quality, although colors seem a bit washed out at times; artifacts and grain are rare. The original mono track is supplied with Dolby enhancement, making dialogue, effects, and Morricone's soundtrack crystal clear.
Because the restored footage was never dubbed into English, it is supplied in Italian with English subtitles. This occurs at various points in the film, some apparently for censorship reasons and others by decision of the filmmakers; inconsequent lines were sliced from conversations between actors, while racy moments were toned down, such as Heston forcing himself on Vanessa. Nothing of impact was previously missing, but the restored footage does help to make 'Violent City' a smoother, more developed film. Overall, it's an interesting project from Bronson, Savalas, and Ireland, although its weighed-down atmosphere costs it a few points.
** ½ out of 4
Filmed at excellent locations in the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Orleans, 'Violent City' is vaguely similar to Bronson's 1972 drama 'The Mechanic.' Bronson plays Jeff Heston, a freelance assassin who is vacationing with his lover, jet-setting fashion model Vanessa Sheldon (Ireland). While enjoying a quiet trip, Jeff and Vanessa find themselves tailed by a band of hit men who are looking to finish Heston off. A car chase ensues in which Jeff is left for dead and Vanessa flees the scene with Coogan (Michel Constantin), a racecar driver who had previously hired Jeff to murder his uncle. Jeff is saved on an operating table, thrown into jail on suspicion of murder, and released with help from his lawyer Steve (Umberto Orsini). He returns to the U.S. and asks heroin-shooting investigator Killain (Michel Constantin again) to locate Vanessa so he can get to the bottom of things. Jeff soon finds himself in a love triangle with Vanessa and New Orleans mobster Al Weber (Savalas), who has since married his girlfriend.
Unlike crime films by such directors as Umberto Lenzi and Ruggero Deodato that pour on the bloodshed, Sollima uses action sparingly and puts greater focus on character development. The film seems to have an almost Marxist undertone in dealing with Jeff and Vanessa as peons amidst a huge game where money (especially Weber's) is the determining factor. All of the characters are self-serving and unlikable; the only person you can really sympathize with is Vanessa, who finds herself in one erotic jam after another. But even then, Vanessa is a woman who continuously seeks power rather than trying to escape the cycle. The only admirable feature of Jeff Heston, meanwhile, is a desire for self-respect that often loses control and translates into bloodlust.
While 'Violent City' is an effective thriller, it is bogged down at times by Sollima's heavy-handed, overtly political style. Sollima is a skilled director who knows how to counterbalance action and character far more than others of his generation. Violent City's opening car chase is expertly filmed and leaves you breathless, while later scenes gaze into the characters' psyches. However, 'Violent City' has stretches of philosophizing (wealth as power, control of the mass media, etc.) that get on one's nerves. This philosophizing helps to give characters dimension, but the script (co-written by Sollima and Lina Wertmüller, director of 'Seven Beauties') becomes too preachy for its own good. What helps to make other Spaghetti crime films effective is their fast tempo, leaving worn-on-the-sleeve philosophy in the background.
Nevertheless, the three lead actors play their roles solidly. Bronson is a marginal character for once and shows the range of talent that he possessed. Savalas seems to be having fun in his role as Weber, taking full advantage of the wisecracks with Heston. This is also the best work I have seen from Jill Ireland, largely because her role asks for more than usual. Umberto Orsini and Michel Constantin are decent as supporting actors but overshadowed by the English-speaking leads. 'Violent City' is competently edited by Nino Baragli and photographed by Aldo Tonti, who later shot Dino Di Laurentiis's 'The Valachi Papers.' The score by Ennio Morricone is well-made as usual, although it's quite similar to his other Spaghetti crime films (especially 'Milano Odia').
'Violent City' has received an excellent DVD release from Anchor Bay Entertainment; it gets fine presentation with several extras and restores footage not seen in its previous English releases. The film is offered in widescreen (2.35:1, enhanced for 16 x 9 televisions) with dubbing options in English, French, and Italian. Extras include a 15-minute interview with Sergio Sollima, a gallery of stills and posters, bios of the lead cast and crew, and the theatrical trailer. 'Violent City' has good print quality, although colors seem a bit washed out at times; artifacts and grain are rare. The original mono track is supplied with Dolby enhancement, making dialogue, effects, and Morricone's soundtrack crystal clear.
Because the restored footage was never dubbed into English, it is supplied in Italian with English subtitles. This occurs at various points in the film, some apparently for censorship reasons and others by decision of the filmmakers; inconsequent lines were sliced from conversations between actors, while racy moments were toned down, such as Heston forcing himself on Vanessa. Nothing of impact was previously missing, but the restored footage does help to make 'Violent City' a smoother, more developed film. Overall, it's an interesting project from Bronson, Savalas, and Ireland, although its weighed-down atmosphere costs it a few points.
** ½ out of 4