For one of three Stelvio Massi crime films of 1978, Maurizio Merli stars as Officer Joe Kickass of the Moustache Squad, and this time he's...only got one gang of kidnappers to deal with?
Okay, there's another plotline regarding the son of someone Maurizio nicked out for revenge, and although there's a few shootouts in this one, don't expect a high level of carnage because Massi is going for something a bit different here. Something a bit more personal as Maurizio in this one is a family man. Kind of. Well, he's divorced from Janet Agren and their son doesn't even call him Dad for reasons that aren't explained.
The thing is, while Maurizio is out trying to track down budget Klaus Kinski Franco Garofolo and Mariangela Giordano and give them a kicking for kidnapping, some young guy has turned up at the local police headquarters and taken his Moustache Squad hostage. This young guy used to have a dad who then killed himself in jail while awaiting trial, and this youngster thinks it's all Maurizio's fault. Hmm, and Maurizio just called his ex-wife to tell her he's not finished punching a criminal in the face yet, so why doesn't she bring the kid along to the police station and meet there? Trouble ahoy!
We've got a very streamlined plot here so there's no hierarchies of mobsters for Maurizio to punch his way through, although he does get his licks in throughout the film. I think this may be the first film I've ever watched where Ettor Manni is a good guy and not a mobster. Mariangela Giordano is always a welcome sight in any film and is good here as a criminal with a heart. Everyone else wins a 'good show, supporting cast' badge from me.
This must have been made cheap and quickly, but still entertains due to Maurizio's rage and pointing and the fast moving plot. Stelvio Massi is fast becoming my go to guy for a quick Eurocrime fix.
