Ricco The Mean Machine (1973)
Violent Italian / Spanich crime film starring Chris Mitchum as Ricco who spent two years in prison following the murder of his father. Now released Ricco swears vengeance on Don Vito (Arthur Kennedy) the man who killed his father and took his girl (Malissa Longo).
Seen Ricco a few times over the years thanks to the dvd from Dark Sky Films and always find Mitchum slightly unconvincing in the angel of vengeance role. He seems to go about things half hearted with a sense of almost wimpy lethargy, a far cry from the way someone like Nero, Merli, Milian or indeed Bronson would act. Mitchum is also out acted by the reliable Arthur Kennedy as Don Vito which doesn't help his case. In fact when you consider the splendid eye candy that is Bouchet and Longo it's painfully obvious that Mitchum is comfortably the worst thing about this film.
Quite slow moving at times, although the film is notorious for it's violence, in particular a castration sequence near the end, meaning the violent acts are quite hard hitting. All in all Ricco the Mean Machine is a decent thriller featuring fine Turin locations and some interesting camera work that could have done with a better leading man.
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