Crime Busters

Crime Busters (I Due Superpiedi Quasi Patti) (1977)

Runtime: 110 minutes

Directed by: Enzo Barboni

Starring: Terence Hill, Bud Spencer, David Huddleston, Luciano Catenacci, Ezio Marzano

From: Several Italian companies

This movie is quite stupid, but...

In the past I've mentioned how the Terence Hill/Bud Spencer duo was incredibly popular in certain parts of the world but that was not the case in the United States. At least there's streaming that will allow me to discover why this pair still has so many fans.

To be frank, the film is pretty dopey; yet I couldn't get mad at it and the charm of Hill/Spencer was definitely an asset. They played two strangers who meet up in Miami, both unsuccessfully looking for work. They bungle an attempted supermarket robbery so badly that they end up joining the police force-don't ask. The plot is threadbare but at least they do have villains to go after after they kill “a Chinaman” that Hill briefly knew. Various hijinks happen, some of which revolve around our leads not wanting to be cops but circumstances force them to not quit. Various dudes get wrecked throughout, and so do plenty of automobiles.

I couldn't get chuffed at how nonsensical it was at times; after all, there was some funny dialogue, ludicrous situations, Spencer being indestructible-which probably was the case in every film featuring him & Hill-another likely series staple where much food is consumed at once, and more. Plus, I know some will appreciate Laura Gemser's presence; from an actual acting perspective, there's David Huddleston in a supporting role as the police chief. This was one of the many Italian productions from the late 70's through the 80's that filmed in South Florida. Besides the obvious weather factor (at long as it's not during the summer... trust me, hot temperatures and high humidity is pretty miserable) I will presume that they were “persuaded” by those in power in the Sunshine State at the time to film here.

To be honest, this perhaps is rated a little higher than it should be; no kidding, that is due to the groovy movie (from Guido and Maurizio De Angelis, who always deliver catchy scores) and some of the astounding clothing you see in this motion picture. Not only does Spencer wear a boss blue-hued jacket that has JUMBO written on the back, I couldn't even begin to describe the Western wear they have on for a few minutes.