Revenge, vigilante squads, police brutality, excessively violent heists going awry
These are all very popular and frequently used themes in the wonderful universe of exploitation cinema from the '70s! All these badass themes may have featured in Hollywood classics first (like "Dirty Harry", "The French Connection" or "Death Wish") but it were the genius producers & directors from Italy that capitalized on the audiences' hunger for blood and violence the most! Throughout the gloriously decadent 70s decade, Italy spawned literally more than hundred so-called "Poliziotteschi" movies and (almost) every single one of them is worth tracking down. One of the directors who reigned over this sub-genre was Umberto Lenzi. Even though this "Manhunt in the City" cannot really compete with the best titles he has directed (those would be "Almost Human", "Rome Armed to the Teeth" and "Violent Naples"), it's nevertheless another mature, harsh and exciting thriller. The born in New York actor Henry Silva starred in so many of these films that most people probably think he's an actual Italian! Here, Silva impressively depicts the tormented and heart-broken father David Vannucchi whose innocent 8-year-old daughter relentlessly got killed by gangsters during a jewelry heist. Like all citizens of Milan, Vannucchi thinks that the police don't make enough efforts to reduce crime and capture criminals, so he starts his own private investigation to find his daughter's killers. His search leads to dubious vigilante organizations, sleazy night clubs and drug traffickers, but also brings him in mortal danger. His ex-wife Vera and the tolerant Police Inspector beg him to stop, but Vannucchi's urge for justice is unstoppable. In comparison to the vast majority of Poliziotteschi movies, "Manhunt in the City" features relatively few virulent car chases, brutish shootouts and general perversion. Instead of all that, Lenzi comes up with an intelligent script that touches upon several sensitive but socially relevant themes and a truly unexpected and perplexing end-twist. Seriously, the ending of "Manhunt in the City" can be used as evidence to state that Italian exploitation cinema is a lot cleverer than people (especially surly critics) think! Lenzi's direction is tight, the performances are excellent and Bruno Nicolai hits the exact right tone with a powerful score.
