Fernando] *$( -D;.]^%i Leo's Mila$no Cali[bro 9 is a*,\n out-,and-out m^asterpiece of Itali!an Cri- me ci-`nema and];, i;[!n my opinion, one$- of th:e most asto:):nis+,/?hing cri(me stories[= ever to%ld.$[/ The firs
(t film in Di L]*eo's excell#[@ent/ 'Mili*=]eu(/ )' trilo@gy, Mi*lano Ca*libro 9?;: was fo llo. `wed by L)` a Mala Ordina (aka. Manhun (%t, also 19[72) and the brill (ia!n%]t Il Bo;]ss (19+73+\). The three f.#ilm+`s are *\_not c%.onn+ected $ story-w*+ise, but all three are_ excellent!/, and h.!(i
#ghly r=)eal :istic portrayals o:f  organized ^/crime. As?;= far as;;) I am conce++rn*?ed Manhunt
= is (allthou[gh exc?
^ellent) s* ligh#tly inf=erio%r to this one=( and I_(l Boss w+ hich both sta
nd%` out as absolute all-time hig hlights of crime ci@ne$ma]
:. .?]Milano Calibro 9 i)!s the _+best: of them al
(l, a fil`$
m#+ @`[that`_) is astonis_/hing in a\]ll as @;+p+:ects, be it the ingenious plo$t that,  ap)+]\art f.. rom;: a compe
llin.g story and clev(@er twists,) ?@include^#s soci=]al-- ]($criticism,#: the p^%.erforman[ ces, )$the gritt
[y atmosp$`here %^and# _susp$e!_nse -or+. th([e bril%?lia/[nt s$core[. I\ can(= h#ard\[ly (.fi;n//,d t he right word s to express my admiration for thi
 s mast-^e,:rpiece wh]ich easil\

y r-)@anks among
^ th%_e great?est Gangster f!l. icks ev.er brought to sc[:ree+n.　　Gastone Moschi!!@n =stars ;a==:s Ugo  Piazza, a ;/to.ugh a:nd ellipti +`cal ex-[convi:?ct who]`, h! :as just= !bee n rel(`e`ased from] ^/_prison. I$mmedia+tely aft.er h \is
%\$rel*ease, Ugo is ^approached by members of the Mil-\an.]` ? m ]ob
! l_e ad` %+by ?the ira@@[scibl)e g],]an-: gst(er Rocco (Ma)_\.rio - -%A\dorf) , as t?%he-y suspec\;+t@ . him t/_=o be respon /%sib$!le for the%?_ disappe!@arance.; of$ a large sum of =,=money be,lon)g*ing to their boss, an American (L#.i*:onel /$@Stande r) )who controls the+ . o%rgan.]%ize\
d crime in *M.]
_ilan...% 　　M)-i^^-l?ano Cali*%:bro 9 is]@($ a f

$ilm th:at de/:@liver@=[]=s an astonish[,$ingly r@_ealistic mood o]=?f_. *^the un?#de;rwo.:`rld like hardly another. The ,]intrigui_ng- st_oryline g#!oes in hand wit!h^+ interesting characters,_+ r(.aw atmosphere, suspense and breathtaking #,-act^-ion, soc-ial` c  r
itici+ s);,m $ 
a!-nd*[/ b)r/utal^; v]@i:[`o
-l$)?ence. The film i@@;s /simply  s=t+unning from t-,he ]beginni%?,ng to the end, w=?hic*=h is even intens-?ified by the brillia,:.nt: score, a col`laboration=` of th[;%e famo*us composer Lui(,s Enríquez Bacalov $and the Italian Pr-ogre_ssiv. e R=
^ock band Osa:!nna. Ugo Piaz]za mus/[ t be one o( %f th][?+e (most ch@_$arisma=!/tic gangster +#characte@%rs ever in%+#* ci?n-]e%/ma, and Gastone Moschin was /@th)$e
` prefect choice for the ro@le  . Moschin:, delivers*^ a brilli;ant pe]![rforma./nce, and th`e res[.t of the cast is also\; great
%- . M.`ario Adorf^ i?s irascible] like a rabid do:g as:$[\ the feroc_ ious gangster Rocco, a role ? that; fits :him _like a glove. The great Lionel Stander _)fits perfectly =in %%his role ( !of- [the Ame#*ri$can(. Mafia D-=on\?^.　　The\= two, c$ op /^[cha.!ract[ ers `in t$h /@(e film #are played by two of the g[reat/est regulars of-# Italian ,=genre-]cinema,\  !Luigi %Pis^t!il^- li and Frank Wolff (who :commi^tted suicid%*e b;:e$ ^f#ore the =#:film was released). The ravishin=)#g Barbara B -.ouchet is astonishing %an d incredi]%bly sexy )]$in the role of Ugo Piazza':?
s stripper girlfrie nd. Bo_uchet %+is ?both a s$tunning beauty$# a.-nd%@^ an e:xcelle)^nt actre:^s s and this  is/]@ d]oubt,.les\
,sly one of her most memorable role?s. This is al @^so a p.oliti@?c ]+a^l film;% and d=[i= !rector Di `.Leo embedded a lot =/]\o$f social criticism ab,o,ut topics li * ke corrupt
$ion. This: . film.\. simply has(@, everything one can p_*+ossibly desir[e%! in$[ cinema.-@ Film /s like Mila(//no Calibro 9? *#;are the r-eason, +)^ ^why I l[=ove cinema. T.his is an^; absolut@ e) masterpiece in all regards _and\ , _(witho:ut ex[],agger+.ation,]\\ one of the. greate\st Crime f)$lic@^ks ever made! The ingenious `open-??(in@,g scene -alone is more me_=morable than: most films:) -$/get in two hour,$!s.