The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist

source: The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist

A fast-paced, action-fuelled Italian "polizia" movie which is certainly regarded to be one of Umberto Lenzi's best and almost up there with his own previous VIOLENT NAPLES. It's action from the word go with this film which never lets up, offering fist fights, shoot-outs and chases in equal measure right from the very beginning. Of course with movies of this variety, it's not really the plot (which is interchangeable with a dozen others) which is important but the way the film is made: with great, catchy and jazzy music, fine acting from three genre veterans, occasionally hilarious tough dialogue and more action than in any American equivalent, the story is not of importance, a simple retread of the plot of YOJIMBO but with a harder and more sadistic edge. This film offers up the usual criminal activities, from protection rackets, robberies, prostitution rackets and murder; although not as gruesome as VIOLENT NAPLES, Lenzi gives us a hard-edged golf ball torture scene that isn't to be forgotten, and a scene where a man's leg is broken in excruciating detail. The fight scenes are well-staged and enjoyable to watch, the chases (including a rooftop battle) are exciting and well choreographed. None of the scenes drag at all, the pacing is spot on and the film is largely coherent. Maurizio Merli returns to his (somewhat clichéd) role of the tough cop who doesn't take any grief from anybody. Also appearing are Tomas Milian as a slimy, long-haired gangster who double-crosses and tortures people, and John Saxon as a short-tempered rival gangster who spends most of his time swearing and shouting when things don't go according to plan. Glamour is lent by the beautiful Gabriella Lepori who spends most of her scenes getting beaten up! With a high death toll and lots of assorted bloodshed and violence, Lenzi's film is impossible not to like and oozes style in every scene. A highlight of the Italian genre that is highly recommended to all.

This Lenzi's movie tries to put togheter two types of movies: the comedy and the poliziesco, which tryed to replace the western movies in those years, at that time not popular anymore. The comedy elemens are visible in some points of the movies, not that funny but well mixed into the plot (like the scene of the two lover caught in the bed). One example of the poliziesco element is the canonic characters such as the commissary, the bandits, even if the presence of two negative characters brings new details. * PLOT: Godible plot if you are a poliziesco fan, but a little tasteless in some point. 6/10 * ACTING: A good performance from both the principal actors. Milan gave a little bit of depth to his charachter and it almost seems to me a predecessor of the most famous Tony Montana by Al Pacino, even if the plot did not allow this depth to come out at best. Merli was good in his acting but he gave better performances in other movies. 7/10 *MUSIC: I didn't like this soundtrack, a bit repetitive in some points. 5.5/10 *OTHER: The lack of reflections on society and on the division of social classes, evident in another film by lenzi, "La banda del gobbo", has slightly disappointed me. In conclusion, this movie is recommended, but only if you have already seen masterpieces of the genre poliziesco such as: -La banda del gobbo 9/10 -Squadra volante 9/10 -Il cittadino si ribella 9/10.

With "The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist", Umberto Lenzi proved once more what he had already proven numerous times before, namely that he was Italy's greatest and hardest-working crime-movie director! Even during the second half of the 70s decade, when the heydays of the Poliziotesschi were actually over already, Lenzi still made a handful of downright awesome genre classics. "The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist" is even one of the best Poliziotesschi ever, with a very eventful but nevertheless solid script, no less than three of the finest contemporary lead actors and a truckload of impressively staged action footage. The title, and quite many of the themes as well, are obvious (and sublime) references towards Sergio Leone's landmark western "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". However, in Leone's film, it was unmistakably clear who was who, whereas here the three main protagonists are never referred to with one of the aliases/nicknames of the title and it's not all that obvious to guess, neither! I presume Maurizio Merli - Tanzi the good guy - is "the Fist", since he's battling the organized crime in Rome with his bare vigilante hands now that he quit the police. I also daresay John Saxon's character Di Maggio is "the Rat", since his filthy mafia activities infest the entire city like a disease. And finally, Tomas Milian - in a truly superb performance - is probably "the Cynic" because, well, he's one of the cruelest and most relentless villains to ever appear on screen (just look at the hospital execution sequences for evidence). Great movie, ditto soundtrack and particularly the sequences that feature Tomas Milian and John Saxon together rank as some of the most powerful ones in Italian cult cinema history!

Good poliziottesco flick Maurizio Merli plays a tough, Chuck Norris lookalike ex-cop on the case to bring crime bosses to justice (AKA: to kill them). It's fun. There's a lot to like here. Chase scenes. Fight scenes. Heist scenes. The acting is pretty average. All in all, it's worth a watch if you're a fan of this kind of film!

This title is available on the Mafia Kingpin Collection from the great Pop Flix label. It is a superb wide screen print with expertly dubbed English voices. John Saxon has his own voice which adds to the enjoyment of the piece. The music is also first rate. The action is non-stop and the supporting cast excellent. Superb location filming add to the enjoyment. The Pop Flix DVD also includes: Mister Scarface (Fullscreen), (Jack Palance) The Cop In Blue Jeans (Fullscreen) (Jack Palance), Rome Armed To The Teeth (Widescreen) (Arthur Kennedy, Maurizio Merli) Violent Naples (Widescreen) (Maurizio Merli, John Saxon, Barry Sullivan)

Fast moving, varied and colourful, this is a violent, although not particularly bloody tale of gang against gang and police against gangs with renegade cop doing all the work. Maurizio Merli is that ex-cop here, looking much like Franco Nero and doing almost as well. John Saxon is fine as one gang leader and Thomas Milian (barely recognisable as the other). There is some debate as to who takes which part of the title but for my money Saxon is the 'cynic', Milian the 'rat' with Merli undoubtedly the 'fist', but see the movie and make up your own mind. Some nice set pieces and some humour also in the mix and if there is less emphasis on the girls in this one there is at least one most memorable and violent scene.

THE CYNIC, THE RAT AND THE FIST is an excellent Italian police film directed by genre meister Umberto Lenzi. Despite his cannibal movies notority this is what Lenzi is really best at. Stylish, well scripted, with catchy scores and starring tough guys like Tomas Milian, Maurizio Merli, John Saxon, Henry Silva and other genre vets his police films always offer great entertainment. The plot (as in his other films) isn't very important, but has basically something to do with tough cop Merli hunting down and beating up criminals, while dodging counterattacks from gangsters Milian and Saxon.

In Italy, they call this movie Il cinico, l'infame, il violento, which means The Cynic, the Infamous, the Violent. This poliziotteschi is a sequel to another Umberto Lenzi film, 1976's The Tough Ones, with Maurizio Merli playing the role of Inspector Leonardo Tanzi in both movies. Luigi "The Chinaman" Maietto (Tomas Milan, The Big Gundown, Django Kill... If You Live, Shoot!) escapes from prison and sends two of his men to kill the man who put him away - Tanzi. He's left for dead and even the newspapers print that he's dead, but he's just biding his time, waiting to get revenge. Tanzi just wanted to stay retired - it looks like he's become a giallo author - but now he's a vigilante who comes up against Maietto and American syndicate boss Frank Di Maggio (John Saxon). This movie boasts three writers whose work pretty much hits every side of the Italian exploitation experience. There's Lenzi himself, who made everything from Eurospy films (Super Seven Calling Cairo, The Spy Who Loved Flowers, 008: Operation Exterminate), Westerns (A Pistol for a Hundred Coffins), giallo (Orgasmo, A Quiet Place to KIll, Oasis of Fear, So Sweet...So Perverse, Seven Bloodstained Orchids, Spasmo, Eyeball), cannibal movies (Man from Deep River, Cannibal Ferox), peplum (Ironmaster, Samson and the Slave Queen), horror (Nightmare Beach, Ghosthouse, Demons 3, Hitcher in the Dark) and so much more. Then you have Ernesto Gastaldi, who wrote so many films that I love, including The Whip and the Body, The Possessed, The Sweet Body of Deborah, Day of Anger, All the Colors of the Dark, Torso, My Name is Nobody and tons of other great films. And then there's Dardano Sacchetti, who wrote just about any Italian genre film worth watching. Man, somehow Junesploitation has led me to many Italian crime films. For this I am very excited!

I've always remember of Umberto Lenzi in "La Montagma di Luci" that never hear about and hope one day see it again on DVD, fantastic picture from one the most prolific italian director of all times, he made several movies in every genre you can imagine, in this poiziotteschi he made an another crime movie exploited a famous underground of the gangs which have to launder the dirty money from their so many felonies, the leading trio Milian, Merli are a true italian, already John Saxon is an Oriundi, specifically speaking over Merli l've have to confess never saw a thing from him, but undoubtedly a fine actor (Franco Nero's Cover??) the plot is unusual and intense pace, Lenzi does it again!!! Resume: First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5