Crime

La città si difende / Four Ways Out (1951) Pietro Germi, Gina Lollobrigida, Renato Baldini, Cosetta Greco, Crime, Drama

La citta si difende (Pietro Germi, 1951)
As a soccer match is in progress, a group of four criminals robs the stadium office. Before they can make their getaway, a chase begins, and they must split up before they can divide the money. The police have little to go on, since it appears that none of the robbers were experienced criminals. Meanwhile, the thieves have to arrange for dividing the money while trying to avoid being captured.
Read More »

Seven Thieves (1960) Henry Hathaway, Edward G. Robinson, Rod Steiger, Joan Collins, Crime, Drama

Seven Thieves (1960)
In Monte Carlo, Theo Wilkins recruits his young protégé Paul Mason – just released from prison – to help him rob the famous casino of $4 million. The plan is straightforward. On the night of the Governor’s Ball, Theo will create a distraction in the casino by having one of the team collapse requiring urgent medical attention. During that time Paul and another member of the crew will get the money from the vault. When the ambulance arrives, the money will leave with the sick man. The plan is a good one but not everyone will survive the robbery and no one will get rich from it.
Read More »

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) John Cassavetes, Ben Gazzara, Timothy Carey, Seymour Cassel, Crime, Drama, Thriller

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (John Cassavetes, 1976)
Cosmo Vitelli owns the Crazy Horse West, a strip joint in California. He’s laconic, a Korean War vet, and a gambler. When we meet him, he’s making his last payment on a gambling debt. Then, he promptly loses $23,000 playing poker at an illegal local casino. The guys he owes this time aren’t so friendly, pressuring him for immediate payment. Then they suggest that he kill a Chinese bookie to wipe off the debt. Vitelli and the film move back and forth between the double-crossing, murderous insincerity of the gamblers and the friendships, sweetness, and even love among Vitelli, the dancers, a dancer’s mother, and the club’s singer, Mr. Sophistication.
Read More »

American Me (1992) Edward James Olmos, William Forsythe, Sal Lopez, Biography, Crime, Drama

American Me (1992)
This epic depiction of thirty years of Chicano gang life in Los Angeles focuses on a teen named Santana who, with his friends Mundo and the Caucasian-but-acting-Hispanic J.D., form their own gang and are soon arrested for a break-in. Santana gets into trouble again and goes straight from reform school to prison, spending eighteen years there, and becoming leader of a powerful gang, both inside and outside the prison, while there. When he is finally released, he tries to make sense of the violence in his life, in a world much changed from when last he was in it.
Read More »

Shamus (1973) Buzz Kulik, Burt Reynolds, Dyan Cannon, John P. Ryan, Action, Comedy, Crime

Shamus (Buzz Kulik, 1973)
New York private eye Shamus McCoy likes girls, drink and gambling, but by the look of his flat business can’t be too hot. So an offer of $10,000 to finds some diamonds stolen in a daring raid with a flame-thrower is too good to miss. His investigations soon get pretty complicated and rather too dangerous. At least along the way he does get to meet Alexis.
Read More »

Death on the Nile (1978) John Guillermin, Peter Ustinov, Mia Farrow, Simon MacCorkindale, Crime, Drama, Mystery

Death on the Nile (1978)
Almost everyone on the S.S.Karnak, cruising the Nile, has a reason to want heiress Linnet Ridgeway dead. Her jewels are coveted by elderly Mrs. van Schuyler, her maid is upset because Linnet won’t give her a promised dowry, writer Salome Otterbourne is facing a libel suit brought by Linnet, Salome’s daughter Rosalie wants to protect her mother, American Andrew Pennington has been embezzling from the Ridgeway family, and former friend Jacqueline de Bellefort is upset that Linnet stole her fiance, Simon, away from her. Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot must unravel the mystery when Linnet (and some of the others) turn up dead.
Read More »

The Light Touch (1951) Richard Brooks, Stewart Granger, Pier Angeli, George Sanders, Crime, Drama

The Light Touch 1951
Sam and Felix are art thieves. Sam has just stolen a picture from a museum in Italy, but told Felix that it was lost in a boat accident. He wants copies made to sell while he will sell the original and get paid both ways. To find an artist, they pick the young, beautiful, naive Anna. When Anna has doubts, Sam strings her along and then marries her and go to Sicily on their honeymoon. Anna finds out that Sam is a thief and is very disappointed. Felix finds out that Sam has the original and is out to get it. The police are also waiting along with the buyer that Sam has for the painting.
Read More »