Caliber 9 (1972), The Italian Connection (1972) and Il Boss (1973) are movies directed by Fernando Di Leo.
WHAT HAPPENS?
Caliber 9 tells the story of Ugo, a former gangster who is forced back into the criminal life. The Italian Connection follows Luca, a pimp who is framed for stealing a shipment of heroin. Il Boss is the story of Lanzetta, a hitman who finds himself in the middle of warring Mafia families.
ONE LINE (Actually, TWO Lines) REVIEW
The highlight of Fernando di Leo’s trilogy is Caliber 9 – a terrific, hard-boiled crime movie. The Italian Connection is a clunky mess, while Il Boss is long-winded but features the best action of the three.
THE ACTORS
Gastone Moschin plays Ugo Piazza with a hardened, but zen-like quality. Ugo doesn’t say much but his words matter. The strength of the character lies both in his blunt physical prowess and acceptance of his unfortunate situation. He’s squeezed between the Mafia and police but doesn’t make excuses. Moschin’s choice as a lead actor is intriguing – his jagged, scarred face would suggest otherwise, but he gives a uniquely effective lead actor performance.
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