From Corleone To Brooklyn

From Corleone to Brooklyn (Da Corleone A Brooklyn) (1979)

Runtime: 96 minutes

Directed by: Umberto Lenzi

Starring: Maurizio Merli, Mario Merola, Van Johnson, Biagio Pelligra, Laura Belli

From: Primex

A subdued poliziotteschi from Umberto Lenzi? Yes it is true. As said by me a few times before, it's been too long since seeing anything in that genre. I went to YouTube (to be honest) and a channel which has been zapped before so something was watched from there before it inevitably happens again.

While it is not the craziest poliziotteschi and more story-driven, that doesn't mean it was bad. Maurizio Merli-one of the stars of this genre-escorts someone to NYC so testify against an enemy; of course the enemy has a phalanx of bad guys to try and stop them. The one famous name from the past (which sometimes you get in this genre) is Van Johnson, as a New York City police lieutenant. The story does not get much more complicated than that, aside from Merli spending a few scenes with his ex and child. At least it was a plot competently told, even if does get a little silly by the end. In addition, it had competent action scenes, including one in one of those European rest stops which have fuel, food, and a motel.

It was filmed both in Italy and NYC; the movie does feature one of my favorite tropes from the past, which was “the crappy New York City of old.” It was indeed pretty crappy, especially with the scenes of garbage piled up on the sidewalk-obviously, yet another sanitation strike. As the director was Lenzi, he managed to fit in a sleazy scene-it involved a woman getting groped. In addition, a trope which is more esoteric for me is seeing what films are playing on the marquee whenever a motion picture shows a cineplex. In this case-and that's not even mentioning what was displayed for the X-rated joints-it included The Choirboys, The Wiz and The Warriors.