Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Rexanne It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

ma-cortes It is an interesting drama/thriller plenty of thrills , taut , intrigue , twists and turns . Jeff Heston (Charles Bronson , though Tony Musante and Jon Voight were considered for the part) is the number one killing people with a bullet whose reputation has caught up with him . After a bloody double-cross leaves him for dead and barely escapes a murder attempt , the professional hit man named Jeff tracks down the shooter and his gorgeous mistress Vanessa Shedon (Jill Ireland , Bronson's wife , though Sharon Tate was considered and Florinda Bolkan was originally lined up to star) to New Orleans . But when Jeff takes revenge , he finds himself blackmailed by a mobster (Telly Savalas , who does not appear in the movie until about one hour in) wants him to join his organization . Jeff refuses , and is then chased and hunted through an unforgiving city where love is like a serpent or like a loaded gun . Thrilling movie about the very deadly rivalry between two extreme contenders , a double-crossed wealthy murderer , Charles Bronson , betrayed by his girlfriend , Jill Ireland , and a powerful crime boss , Telly Savalas . This crime thriller packs intrigue , suspense , noisy action-packed with exciting racing cars , explosive excitement , thrills and lots of violence . United Artists cut about eight minutes from the Italian version of this film for its American release . The film relies heavily in the complex , inter-relationship between a fiercely independent gunman , a mob boss , and their shared love interest . Bronson is pretty good as a killer sets out to revenge his Femme Fatal woman and the gang boss who put her up to it . He gives his usual stoic acting and displays efficiently his weapons and killing mercilessly his objectives , that's why the debts of vendetta are paid in bullets . It's certainly thrilling , though the morality may be questionable , even in this time , as the spectators were clearly on the Bronson's side in spite of being a ruthless killer . Bronson as a very professional hit man for a powerful organization offers the sort of monolithic acting , as always . This was one of the first major star teamings of action star Charles Bronson with his actress wife Jill Ireland . Jill Ireland gives a mediocre performance as Jeff's love interest , but the romance isn't what this movie is about and director knows his action . Furthermore , it appears a nice secondary cast , such as : Umberto Orsini , Ray Saunders , Michael Constantin , George Savalas , Telly's brother , and there stands out Telly Savalas who though received second billing , he gives a brief but magnificent acting . It contains atmospheric musical score composed , orchestrated and performed by the great Ennio Morricone , including an unforgettable leitmotif .The motion picture was compellingly directed by recently deceased Sergio Sollima , he even choreographed the fight scenes himself because he wanted each character to have a fighting style tailored to their personality . This movie was inspired by Jean-Pierre Melville's The Samurai (1967). Sergio Sollima's direction is well crafted, here he's less cynical and more inclined toward violence and too much action . Sergio wrote and directed all kinds of genres such as Pirate films as ¨Sandokan ¨ and ¨ Black Corsario¨ ; Peplum : ¨Rocha¨ , "Spartacus and the Ten Gladiators" , "Triumph of the Ten Gladiators" , ¨Ursus¨ "Goliath Against the Giants" ; Thriller : ¨Revolver¨ (1973) ; Euro-spy : "Requiem for a Secret Agent" , "Agent 3S3: Hunter from the Unknown" , ¨Tanger 67¨ ; being especially known for his ¨Cuchillo trilogy¨ : ¨Run Cuchillo run¨, ¨Face to Face¨ , ¨The big Gundown¨. And this ¨Violent City¨ is essential and indispensable watching for Charles Bronson fans . This is a satisfyingly violent and thrilling flick that avid fans of the genre will love .

mazec666 VIOLENT CITY is definitely not your average Charles Bronson action extravaganza, but there is so much more going on than you think. Italian filmmaker Sergio Sollima (REVOLVER, THE BIG GUNDOWN) brings his energetic flair from his Spaghetti Westerns to this exciting tale of revenge loosely based on Jean Pierre Melville's LE SAMOURAI. From watching the stunning opening credits sequence, the audience knows they're in for a rough, wild ride. In one of his first starring roles, Charles Bronson brings his laconic screen presence into the role of professional hit man Jeff Heston. As his former mistress Vanessa, Jill Ireland conveys innocence and sensuality within every emotion of the character. Telly Savalas gives his most sinister performance as the crime kingpin Al Weber so convincingly that I was immediately baffled and mesmerized at the same time. From watching the car chase in the Bahamas, my eyes were literally glued to the screen. Turbo-charged engine cars crashing, unlimited amount of speeding, no dialog and no music. Perfecto. The race track scene is also another highlight of the film. As the ricocheting bullet nails a tire, a racing car crashes into a brick wall causing it to explode. That by the way is a sweet revenge. Ennio Morricone (THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, THE UNTOUCHABLES) delivers a magnificent, pulse-pounding score as always ranging from the orchestral to the psychedelic. Cameraman Aldo Tonti takes advantage of the Techniscope format with stunning compositions and tight close-ups.There may be no way to recommend VIOLENT CITY except that it's a striking masterpiece of the always-overlooked Eurocrime genre.

lost-in-limbo Charles Bronson at his best? In a way yes, but maybe no. I guess it all depends in what you want to see. An all out action film, moving like a speeding car (in which the opening sequence ---and what a beginning it is! --- has a beautifully staged car chase through the slender streets of the Virgin Islands) and throwing caution to the wind. Well that would be a no on that aspect. However something a little twisty within its narrative, tension building through its dramatic story developments and brooding atmospherics with a watershed performance by Bronson. I would go yes. After a double-cross that leaves him for dead, professional hit man Jeff survives and serves some time before tracking down the culprit - an old friend and his former mistress to New Orleans. Jeff gets revenge and his lady back, but he finds himself being blackmailed by an influential crime boss Al Weber. Bronson at this period of his career was etching out a name through European productions and "Violent City" aka "The Family" happens to be one of those better enterprises. Italian director Sergio Sollima ("The Big Gundown", "Run, Man, Run" and "Revolver") stylishly lays out the rough and ready groundwork like a fuse waiting to ignite. The slow-tempo works, due to the plots knotty structure of betrayals and double-crossings with slice of tragedy in something of a modern western vibe and these moments are either broken up by reflective instances (like splicing together flashbacks), getting reactions in a game of wits between characters or relentlessly dynamic and imaginative action sequences. Sollima's crisp cinematography frames it all with remarkable long shots and showy camera angles, as the visuals are simply stunning and the location work is brought live by its authentically flavoured New Orleans backdrop. Ennio Morricone composes the scorching music score, which is excitingly cued with its majestically saucy edge… but despite the masterful effort I thought the greatest sequences arose from the silent periods in the intensely crackling opening spectacle and climatic finale passage of the film (which was beautifully unsettling). The tight screenplay keeps it sly and cynical, but at the core behind its engagingly complicated plot mechanisms is a simple minded, but seething revenge outlook. The acting fairs-up with more of a physical, but terse performance by Bronson, which his silent and tough persona fitted right at home with. There's burning conviction by Jill Ireland with her tantalizingly devious turn and Terry Savalas is living it up as a powerful crime figure. Umberto Orsini and Michel Constantin are quite good too. A gritty, compelling crime potboiler.

Erich8192 Now this is right up my alley; a New Orleans alley full of duplicitous whores and seedy criminals. The unrivaled Charles Bronson in one of his better roles of the 1970's, and as always his awkwardly wide eyed on-screen/off-screen partner Jill Ireland is along for the ride shaking her ass the whole time. People always gush over his hit-man role in The Mechanic, and while that character may have slightly more depth, the hit-man story in Violent City is far more engaging than that 1972 romp. It starts off into what you would think is a basic revenge tale, but after that element is fulfilled and there is still more than an hour to go in the film, the plot verges into increasingly weird and dark territory. This is an Italien production directed by Sergio Sollima and the movie has a dubbed look unfortunately. The filming is on location in New Orleans? Italy? I don't know, i've never been to either place, but the setting has a real vivid feel to it; in particular there is one scene on an estate that is surrounded by an eerie swampland with abandoned ghost boats that always creeps me out. The musical score by Ennio Morricone adds the perfect gritty/dirty touch to the film and is quintessential 1970's style. R rated, so there is a good dose of female nudity and some really fake (but nonetheless bloody) gunshot action, and Bronson delivers his tough guy power play persona well by busting arms in car doors. Speaking of cars, there is some superb French Connection/Bullitt style driving footage in this film, makes me wish to see it in the theater. I came to this movie from being a Bronson fan, not a Sergio Sollima fan, and although I notice some Sollima fans on here saying this is one of his lesser pictures, having seen most of Bronson's 1970's output, I can say it is at least one of his best efforts. Highly recommended mainly for Bronson fans, but also for 1970s-cinemaphiles, or in general people who like a sleazy blurring of sex and violence in their movies.