| La mala ordina | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Fernando Di Leo |
| Produced by | Armando Novelli |
| Written by | Fernando Di Leo, Augusto Finocchi and Ingo Hermes |
| Starring | Mario Adorf Henry Silva Woody Strode Adolfo Celi |
| Music by | Armando Trovajoli |
| Cinematography | Franco Villa |
| Release date(s) | September 1, 1972 |
| Running time | 95 min. |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
La mala ordina or Manhunt is a poliziottesco film written and directed by the Italian crime film specialist Fernando Di Leo in 1972. It is the second part of Di Leo's Milieu Trilogy, starting with Milano calibro 9 in 1972 and ending with Il Boss (The Boss) in 1973. It had been released under a number of titles including The Italian Connection, Hired to Kill and Black Kingpin.
Contents |
Small-time pimp Luca Canali (Mario Adorf) is hunted by both local mobsters and two killers (Henry Silva and Woody Strode) sent by the New York mafia after a shipment of heroin fails to arrive. But it becomes apparent he is not as soft as he appears as a deadly cat-and-mouse game is played out on the streets of Milan. The film contains a dramatic chase scene where Canali pursues an assassin both on car and on foot.
The two American hitmen have contrasting personalities. Dave (Silva) is something of a playboy and loudmouth, while Frank (Strode) is quiet and professional. The concept of two hitmen teamed up, one black and one white, appears to have been a likely inspiration for the characters played by John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction.[1]