The Tough Ones is a 1976 movie directed by Umberto Lenzi.
The Tough Ones, aka Roma a Mano Armata tells the story of Inspector Tanzi, a detective disillusioned with a legal system that is exploited by criminals. He pursues various members of a crime syndicate to exact justice.
Lenzi delivers a quintessential Poliziotteschi movie. Maurizio Merli plays the hard-boiled detective fed up with the system. Giampiero Albertini is Caputo, the loyal partner who meets a tragic fate. Arthur Kennedy is the crusty, bureaucratic Commissioner trying to reign in his maverick employee.
The Tough Ones is standard fare for the genre – but when the qualifications are erratic car chases, violent shootouts, killer clothes and endless sermons lifted from Dirty Harry, the movie delivers on all accounts.
Yet, the true appeal of The Tough Ones is Tomas Milian chewing up scenery as the hunchbacked, vindictive Moretti. He elevates the movie as a villain that meshes Dirty Harry’s Scorpio with Midnight Cowboy’s Rizzo. It’s hard to gauge if there’s a genuine process occurring or if the underrated Milian is joyously riffing. Either way, Moretti is a deliriously fun and savagely cartoonish creation.
Of course, the entire movie is a vehicle for Merli, who according to Poliziotteschi lore was hired to be a Franco Nero doppelgänger. Merli certainly has a presence and a perfectly coiffed 70’s detective look. He is aptly aggressive and physically fluid in his movements. While the repeated diatribes about the broken system lose meaning, Merli at least delivers them with some gritty passion.
Yet for all his positive attributes, he’s forever etched as a dead ringer for Anchorman’s Ron Burgandy. Subsequently, I just can’t take him serious as a hard-boiled detective – which is completely unjust.
The rest of the cast is rounded out by Ivan Rassimov who plays the most vile of the criminal crew. His Tony Parenzo essentially holds the daughter of a fellow detective hostage – injecting her with heroin. Tanza’s pursuit of Tony leads to one of many terrific chase scenes – this one on the cobbled roofs of Milan.
The chase scenes and resulting brawls and shootouts are terrific. There’s both a brilliant efficiency and manic energy when Merli brutalizes a suspect or destroys a crew of juvenile rapists in an arcade. There is nothing wasted in these scenes – Merli appears and physicality ensues.
Tanzi’s interactions become comical as he routinely encounters crime stemming from the broken system he endlessly describes. While demoted to the permit department, Tanzi brutalizes a purse snatcher – then is instantly briefed on the investigation he has been pulled from. He meets with the Commissioner who deadpans: “So you were off duty and got involved by accident??!!”
Naturally, two scenes later Tanza foils a bank robbery and is once again in the good graces of his Commissioner. The final shootout sees Tanzi resolve to act “by the book” while poor Caputo decides the opposite. You can guess what happens next.
The BEST – The System is Broken!!
Here are some of the best lines from a familiar Poliziotteschi refrain:
“The system has murdered two kids because it has too much humanity!”
“They got us hog tied but we have to live with it!”
The BEST Part 2 – Evil for Evil’s Sake
Milian hams it up as Moretti, who evolves from a sympathetic figure to a comically vicious villain. Before the final shootout, Moretti carjacks an ambulance and guns down an unfortunate passenger. He’s asked “where are we going!?” Moretti replies: “I know where you’re going. To the cemetery.”
The BEST Part 3 – Moretti Stays Regular
One of the funniest scenes sees Tanza force Moretti to swallow the proverbial bullet “with his name on it.” Moretti’s digestive system proves a potent defense.
The WORST – Let’s Talk About Us
Tanza and his psychologist girlfriend (the one he blames for rampant crime) have brief discussions about their relationship at inopportune times. There’s probably something lost in translation, but she basically informs him that they need space and five minutes later decides they’re back together.
Tanza’s response: “That’s probably for the best.”
The WORST Part 2 – The Lucky Charm
Milian’s Moretti robs and kills a local fence. After the shooting, he declares: “you should have touched my hump.”
The WORST Part 3 – Merli’s Self-Confidence
Tanza goes to check out a club to get a lead on the syndicate. He comments: “I’d thought I’d do some dancing. After all, I’m still young.”
He’s not.
FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 3.75/5
The Tough Ones is a fun slice of Eurocrime. The action and pacing are terrific and Merli is a goofy but capable lead. Milian steals the show with his unique villain creation. Definitely worth a watch.
