Duccio Tessari and his films

Duccio Tessari is another of the prolific Italian directors, whose movies, sadly, I still have to explore a lot more. There are some I saw multiple times. But not all those I would like to watch.

My Son, the Hero (1962)
A peplum movie and I think the first movie to star Giuliano Gemma.

Secret of the Sphinx (1964)
An eurospy movie. I just found out about its existence.

A Pistol for Ringo (1965)

A classic spaghetti western with Gemma and Tessari's to be wife Lorella de Luca. But not my favorite. Too long, too clean shaven characters and too clean environment.

The Return of Ringo (1965)
The second Ringo is, on the other hand, the negative of the first and maybe therefore my favourite Tessari. This is an amazing spag with basically the same cast an crew of the first movie, but this time they are all much better.

Kiss Kiss - Bang Bang (1966)
And almost all of them returned for this spy movie, but I have never seen it. I used to think that Gemma's most frequent lady partner was Evelyn Stewart, but it's apparent that actually it was Nieves Navarro.

The Bastard (1968)
An Italian attempt to do a film noir probably, starring Gemma again with Rita Hayworth, Margaret Lee and Klaus Kinski. I have yet to see it.

Alive or Preferably Dead (1969)
On the other hand I almost pity I saw this. A really unfunny attempt to make a spaghetti western comedy. The movie looks like a TV movie, which really doesn't help.

Death Occured Last Night (1970)
And Giuliano Gemma is gone for a while. The first of Tessari's gialli, of which, unfortunately, I haven't seen anything. Frank Wolff stars. It's based on a book which I have, but still, I haven't read it.

The Bloodstained Butterfly (1971)
Another giallo that is now on Netflix, so I will probably watch it soon... Starring Helmut Berger.

Long Live Your Death (1971)
A spaghetti western that tries to be a sequel of The Mercenary and Companeros, and a remake of The Good The Bad and the Ugly at the same time. But it lacks basically everything that makes those movies great. Only Nero, Wallach and Fajardo stand out.

Forza G (1972)
A plane racing movie probably. Maybe the only film with both Anita Strindberg and Barbara Bouchet.

Tony Arzenta (1973)
Tessari's first poliziottesco and his first working with Alain Delon. A good movie, but I haven't seen it for a very long time. I guess the only thing I remember is Richard Conte.

The Heroes (1973)
I found out about this film only as I started writing this article. A war movie with Rod Taylor and Rod Steiger should be quite interesting. Also starring Gianni Garko, Claude Brasseur and Terry-Thomas.

Tough Guys (1974)
A really bizzare film. Blaxploitation made by Italians, co-starring Lino Ventura! The only available copy is unwatchable though.

Puzzle (1974)
Another giallo, this time with Luc Merenda and Senta Berger. Anita Strindberg appears for a while.

Zorro (1975)
Another of the zillion Zorro adaptations. This one was quite popular since the hero is played by Alain Delon.

Safari Express (1976)
Giuliano Gemma is back! But not in a western, but in an adventure movie, co-starring an ape, Ursula Andress and Jack Palance. The same year there was a similar movie called Africa Express, directed by Michele Lupo and starring the same cast...

Tex and the Lord of the Deep (1985)
And finally, Giuliano Gemma again in a western, this time an adaptation of a comic book The only Gemma and also only Tessari western I haven't seen.

The French De Niro - Lino Ventura

There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who love Lino Ventura and those who don't know him.
Lino Ventura unfortunately isn't a household name in English speaking countries. In most of the world, stars of French movies are just as popular as their Hollywood colleagues. But the indolence of English speaking audience (sorry, guys) to watch foreign movies, either subtitled or dubbed (you would get easily used to it) means that one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Alain Delon, is almost absolutely unknown in the USA. The same goes for stars like Jean Gabin, Jean-Paul Belmondo or Lino Ventura.

Ventura was an Italian but he lived in France for most of his life. He began to star in French movies in 1950's although being a non-actor. He played a part of Italian gangster in Paris in the Jean Gabin vehicle called "Touchez pas au grisbi" in 1954. He began to play bad guys, but with 1960's he changed sides to the heroes. His heroes were silent, strong types, usually in some trouble they didn't cause. He made spy movies, police movies, dramas.
I've chosen a few interesting movies that I like.

GREED IN THE SUN (1964)
This movie is originally called "100.000 dollars au soleil" and it stars Ventura and Jean-Paul Belmondo. They are truck drivers in North Africa, friends, but one day Belmondo steals a truck with an expensive load. Ventura goes to pursue him. A modern truck western directed by a prolific French director Henri Verneuil.

THE DICTATORS GUNS (1965)
Ventura against gun stealers on the sea. The movie was shot in a huge water tank. You can't say that when watching the movie.

THE LAST ADVENTURE (1967)
Ventura teams up with Delon and they are friends for life in this sad adventure movie about fullfilling dreams. Rather episodic, but strong, with great performances by both stars and Joanna Shimkus, later Mrs. Sidney Poitier.

THE SICILIAN CLAN (1969)
Ventura again with Delon, again with Verneuil and for the last time with Gabin. A great movie based on a book by Auguste Le Breton. Perfect music by Ennio Morricone. Gabin is the mafia boss in France, Delon is a very wanted criminal and Ventura is the cop on his track.

ARMY OF SHADOWS (1969)
A very depressive movie about the French resistance during WWII. Nazis are powerful, resistance is falling apart. In my book the best movie by Jean-Pierre Melville.

THE VALACHI PAPERS (1972)
This is a Bronson movie, where Ventura played the part of the legendary boss Vito Genovese. I have to rewatch it as I don't remember it much except for liking it. In my book the best Terence Young movie.

THE FRENCH DETECTIVE (1975)
Lino is a cop again, struggling with powerful politicians and taking care of his young hot-headed colleague Patrick Dewaere. A good movie.

THE MEDUSA TOUCH (1978)
The only horror starring Ventura. He didn't like it, so he refused other English spoken parts like in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He is dubbed by someone else actually. Ventura is a cop again investigating the attempted murder of a well known writer John Morlar (Richard Burton), who seems more and more to be a very strange guy. Ventura hated it, critics hated it, but it's actually very good.

GARDE A VUE (1981)
A little room, three man. A comissioner, a policeman and a suspect. The comissioner is Ventura, the suspect is Michel Serrault. Really a good movie about guilt and confession.

ESPION LEVE TOI (1982)
Another spy movie starring Ventura, together with Michel Piccoli and Bruno Cremer. Who is the hunter and why does he hunt? Again great score by Morricone.

Movies I haven't seen but that should be interesting:

The Wise Guys (1966)
Ventura teamed with Bourvil in a movie by Robert Enrico.

Second Breath (1966)
Ventura in a Melville crime movie.

Three Tough Guys (1974)
Italian blaxploitation starring Ventura, Isaac Hayes and Fred Williamson!

Illustrious Corpses (1976)
Political crime drama from the good old Italy. Co-starring Max Von Sydow.

Butterfly on the Shoulder (1978)
Another spy movie directed by Jacques Deray this time.

Jigsaw (1979)
Ventura in Canada with Angie Dickinson and Donald Pleasence!

Les Miserables (1982)
An adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic novel.

The Ruffian (1983)
Ventura + Claudia Cardinale + Morricone, in Canadian nature again.