Frankie and Tony are mobsters, Frankie and Tony become friends. I guess this is considered to be one of the better of the grindhouse Italian mobster films (in English, but set and filmed in Italy, I suppose largely as a cost saver, along the lines of the spaghetti western). Tony Lo Bianco is Tony Breda, born in Italy but raised mostly in New Jersey, Tony has returned to his native country to hang around in pool halls and aspire to be a mobster, like his hero Frankie Diomede.
Frank Diomede (Lee Van Cleef) is an established mob boss who journeys to Italy to visit his legally legit brother (he's some kind of research scientist), and take care of members of his outfit who seem to be defecting. When Tony hears that Frankie's in town, he chooses to neglect his beautiful and eager girlfriend to try and spend some time with Frankie, whose none to interested.
There's a plot where Frank intentionally gets himself arrested, so that he'll have an alibi when he goes to kill a turn coat associate (he's temporally and secretly let out of prison by a corrupt cop). In the course of events Tony gets swept up in a police raid on a gambling establishment and ends up in prison with Frankie, where he saves his hero's life from hierd assassins. Frankie then takes a shine to the kid, and after Tony's release he helps Frank escape during a prisoner transfer. They take off after Franks enemies (who've now killed his brother), and the movie becomes sort of a wacky chase comedy for awhile. The duo eventully end up in the south of France for a final shoot out with Franks old gang, after which the vetern mob boss heads off to self imposed exile in Tanagers, but not before giving Tony a parting word of advise, namely to stay out of organized crime.
You know I actually liked this movie, it grows on you, though the back and forth between wacky comedy and violent mob picture can become a little jarring. The two lead characters develop a genuine and enjoyable, if not amazing chemistry, and I find that I'd like to see a toned down version of this movie remade. Possible light homosexual overtones in Tony's obsession over Frankie. Grade: C
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