Milano Calibro 9

Milano Calibro 9 (1972) is an Italian poliziottesco thriller written and directed by Fernando Di Leo. The cast includes Gastone Moschin as Ugo Piazza, just released from prison and pursued by the police and his old gangland buddies for a missing $300,000. He is soon back working with crime boss The Mikado, played by Lionel Stander (Max from 80s TV staple Hart to Hart). Ugo hooks up with old girlfriend and go-go dancer Nelly Gordon, played by Barbara Bouchet, who dances in a bejewelled costume described by the police commissioner as “dangling dingleberries”.

Things start to unravel for the crime gang, with explosions and assassinations in public toilets, tit-for-tat shootouts and double-crossings across Milan. The soundtrack is provided by Luis Bacalov and prog rockers Osanna. It veers from lounge lushness and hard-boiled jazz to crazy freak-flute tribal rock wig-outs. Nicely photographed in Milan, Di Leo makes good use of the city locations. A totally satisfying entry into the genre, and it ticks all the boxes for an Italian crime thriller.