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Flatfoot in Africa

Flatfoot in Africa (Piedone l'africano)

Movie · 1978 · 15 people

Third of the four "Flatfoot" chapters, and so the penultimate one, Piedone l'africano (released internationally as Flatfoot in Africa) stars Bud Spencer in a mix of crime and comedy. Steno (Stefano Vanzina) directed this Italian-West German production in 1978. Elsewhere it has gone by Knock-Out Cop and The K.O. Cop, in France as Inspecteur Bulldozer, in Spain as ¡Puños fuera! and in Germany as Plattfuß in Afrika. It runs roughly 115 minutes.

The series follows Manuele Rizzo, a Naples police commissioner nicknamed "Piedone" or "Plattfuß", and his assistant Pedro Caputo. It was preceded by Piedone lo sbirro and Piedone a Hong Kong and followed by Piedone d'Egitto (1980). Here Piedone travels to South Africa to look into the link between diamond smuggling and drug trafficking, and works out the route by which narcotics reach Italy. Besides Spencer, the cast lists Dagmar Lassander, Enzo Cannavale, Werner Pochath, Giovanni Cianfriglia and Antonio Allocca.

The screenplay is by Giovanni Simonelli, Adriano Bolzoni and Rainer Brandt. Shooting ran from November 1977 to January 1978, and the film reached West German cinemas on 30 June 1978, where it was honoured with the Goldene Leinwand award.

DirectorStefano Vanzina

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Cast

Only cast members with a profile on this site are listed.

Dagmar Lassander Dagmar Lassander Film actor · 83 years old Giovanni Cianfriglia Giovanni Cianfriglia Actor · died at 89 Bud Spencer Enzo Cannavale Werner Pochath Ester Carloni Claudio Ruffini Carlo Reali Vincenzo Maggio Joe Stewardson Carel Trichardt Antonio Allocca Giorgio Cerioni Benito Pacifico Franco Cirino

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Through different eyes

Action & Thriller Fan Puts pace, tension and set pieces first; little patience for slow drama.

The crime-comedy series heads to South Africa this time, and the change of scenery gives the adventure a fresh feel. The investigation running from diamond smuggling to the drug route offers enough reason to set Piedone in motion. But you can tell it is the third instalment: the formula is familiar and the surprises are few. It is for people after easygoing fun, not serious suspense.

Family Viewer Asks whether the whole household can watch it; cares about humour and heart.

It is an adventure that mixes crime and comedy, but the plot revolves around drugs and diamond smuggling. You may need to explain that to young children. Kids past primary school and teenagers can watch it with the adults. In a home that loves Bud Spencer, it is the kind of fun that brings everyone onto the same sofa; just don't expect a weighty message.

Cinephile Looks at script, editing and directing choices; keeps a distance from formula films.

Piedone l'africano neatly sums up the series logic of European co-productions. The Italian-West German partnership, Rainer Brandt's place on the writing team and the film's release in West German cinemas suggest that the production counted on the German audience at least as much as the Italian one, and the Goldene Leinwand award shows the bet paid off. Steno's direction is tidy, but rather than trying anything new, the script settles for moving the series' established patterns to a new location. South Africa works less as an element of the story than as a change of backdrop. For fans of the series it is a safe continuation; for everyone else, an easily forgotten instalment.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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