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High Crime

High Crime (La polizia incrimina, la legge assolve)

Movie · 1973 · 4 people

Enzo G. Castellari directed High Crime in 1973 as a poliziottesco, as the Italian cop thriller is known; its original title is La polizia incrimina la legge assolve. Shot in Italian as an Italy–Spain–France co-production, it runs about 93 minutes and mixes drama, thriller and crime film. On release it earned a great deal of money and did much to make the Italian police thriller popular.

Franco Nero, James Whitmore, Delia Boccardo and Fernando Rey star. Silvano Tranquilli, Duilio Del Prete, Ely Galleani, Daniel Martín and Luigi Diberti are also named in the cast. The story is based on a concept by Maurizio Amati and was written for the screen by Tito Carpi, Gianfranco Clerici and Castellari together.

The film is counted among the best police films of its kind and left a clear mark on many later productions. Its Spanish title is La policía detiene, la ley juzga, the German one Tote Zeugen singen nicht, and the French one Le Témoin à abattre.

DirectorEnzo G. Castellari

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Cast

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Luigi Diberti Luigi Diberti Actor · 87 years old Giovanni Cianfriglia Giovanni Cianfriglia Actor · died at 89 Nello Pazzafini Nello Pazzafini Actor · died at 62 Edmund Purdom Edmund Purdom Film actor · 1924 – 2009

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

A good entry point if you have never tried poliziottesco: an Italian police thriller directed by Enzo G. Castellari that helped put the genre on the map. Franco Nero leads and it runs 93 minutes, so there is little time to dawdle. Being counted among the genre's best and influencing plenty of later films makes it tempting for anyone curious about the roots of today's crime movies. The seventies filmmaking style may feel dated to some.

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

High Crime is a key example from the years when the Italian police thriller found its feet. The script Castellari co-wrote with Tito Carpi and Gianfranco Clerici starts from a concept by Maurizio Amati, which suggests a film designed as deliberate genre cinema rather than a personal auteur project. The international cast of Franco Nero, James Whitmore, Delia Boccardo and Fernando Rey also reflects the market calculation of an Italian, Spanish and French co-production. Its big commercial success at the time and its marked influence on later films make its historical importance beyond dispute. On the other hand, the habits of genre filmmaking may apply here too: with pace and tension kept in front, some characters can look one-dimensional to today's eyes.

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

This is an Italian crime thriller from the seventies. Rough scenes come with this genre, so do not watch it with children. It suits adults who like crime films. It was shot in Italian, so you may need subtitles. Not one for a family evening; better watched alone or with friends.

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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