The Valachi Papers (1972)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Terence Young

Writers:

Massimo De Rita (dialogue)
Stephen Geller (writer)

Release Date:

6 January 1972 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

The syndicate. Genovese. Anastasia. Luciano. Masseria. Lucchese. Maranzano. The way they lived - The way they died.

Plot:

When Joe Valachi (Charles Bronson) has a price put on his head by Don Vito Genovese (Lino Ventura),...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Switchblade | Mafia | Castration | Lesbian

Cast

Charles Bronson	...	Joe Valachi
Lino Ventura	...	Vito Genovese
Jill Ireland	...	Maria Reina Valachi
Walter Chiari	...	Gap
Joseph Wiseman	...	Salvatore Maranzano
Gerald S. O'Loughlin	...	Ryan (as Gerald O'Loughlin)
Amedeo Nazzari	...	Gaetano Reina
Fausto Tozzi	...	Albert Anastasia
Pupella Maggio	...	Letizia Reina
Angelo Infanti	...	Lucky Luciano
Guido Leontini	...	Tony Bender
María Baxa	...	Donna
Mario Pilar	...	Salierno
Franco Borelli	...	Buster
Alessandro Sperli	...	Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria

Also Known As:

Carteggio Valachi (Italy)
Cosa Nostra
Joe Valachi - I segreti di Cosa Nostra (Italy)
Le dossier Valachi (France)

Runtime:

France:110 min | USA:125 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (re-rating) (1992) | UK:X (original rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1998) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1972) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1988) | Iceland:16 | France:-12 | West Germany:18 (nf) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | USA:R (original rating)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

De Laurentiis Intermarco S.p.A.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During a car chase scene, the cameras back out too far from the antique cars, and you can see modern (circa late 60's - early 70's)cars in the street with them.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ruth Gordon/Chuck Berry (#2.12)" (1977)

Maria Baxa Was Hot In This Movie

Just saw this film again on DVD. Really wasn't overly impressed. Of course it's old hat now and really out-dated. It rode in on the coat-tails of the Godfather and though Charles Bronson is good and Lino Ventura isn't too bad either, it's really the same old rehash of a typical mob story. The bright light of the film is sexy redhead Maria Baxa as Donna, Lino Ventura's mistress in the film. She is smoking hot and sexy as the over-sexed moll who beds both a beautiful woman and one of her boy-friend's bodyguards. It's really unbelievable that this beauty never achieved international fame.

So, unless you're really a fan of Charles Bronson, Lino Ventura or the beautiful Maria Baxa, The Valachi Papers is only an above average rehashing of your typical mob movie.