Da Corleone a Brooklyn (1979)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Umberto Lenzi

Writers:

Umberto Lenzi (screenplay)
Umberto Lenzi (story)

Release Date:

13 April 1979 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Plot Keywords:

New York | Mafia | Place Name In Title | Poliziottesco | Organized Crime

Cast

Maurizio Merli	...	Commissario Giorgio Berni
Mario Merola	...	Michele Barresi
Van Johnson	...	Lieutenant Sturges
Biagio Pelligra	...	Salvatore Scalia
Venantino Venantini	...	Commissario Danova
Nando Marineo	...	Lo Cascio
Salvatore Billa	...	Giuseppe Caruso
Sonia Viviani	...	Liana Scalia
Laura Belli	...	Paola
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Massimo Sarchielli	...	Esposito

Also Known As:

From Corleone to Brooklyn (USA) (video title)
The Sicilian Boss

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Primex

above-average 70s Italian crime film, partially shot in New York, with Maurizio Merli and Van Johnson

FROM CORLEONE TO BROOKLYN is an exciting late 70s Italian crime film starring the dynamic and handsome Maurizio Merli as an Italian cop who is trying to find a killer who is mob-connected and who eventually has to bring a witness to the United States to testify against the suspect in order for the suspect to be extradited back to Italy. Written and directed by Umberto Lenzi, who directed any number of excellent police films in the 70s (and four great vehicles for Carroll Baker in the late 60s/early 70s), the film moves at a brisk pace and because Mafia killers are after Merli and his witness, the viewer never knows when they will next be attacked or by what method. The pulsating, police-funk score gives this the classic "sound" of a 70s euro-crime film, and the fatalistic ending is something one would rarely see in an American film. Van Johnson, as the New York police lieutenant who works with Merli, does a fine job of barking orders at underlings and projects a genuine concern for Merli's task and situation. I'm still not sure if Mr. Johnson did his own dubbing on this film, but had a cold and was not well-recorded, or whether someone was doing a Van Johnson imitation--after all, Johnson is an EASY to identify actor with distinctive phrasing and accent. A mimic could listen to the soundtrack of one of his films and do a decent impression. In any event, this would rank among the top third of 70s Italian crime films that I have seen. Also, much of the location shooting is in New York and is shot when there is snow on the ground, so the atmosphere is important in the film Recommended to fans of this genre of film, FROM CORLEONE TO BROOKLYN is an example from the "golden age" of Euro-crime films.