Milano odia: la polizia non può sparare (Almost Human)(The Kidnap of Mary Lou) (1974)

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This melodramatic crime film concerns a petty thief named Julio (Tomas Milian) who kidnaps pretty Mary Lou (Laura Belli), the daughter of his girlfriend's rich employer, and holds her for ransom. Much of the film features Julio's hysterical populist rants targeting the wealthy elite, whom he both… More This melodramatic crime film concerns a petty thief named Julio (Tomas Milian) who kidnaps pretty Mary Lou (Laura Belli), the daughter of his girlfriend's rich employer, and holds her for ransom. Much of the film features Julio's hysterical populist rants targeting the wealthy elite, whom he both envies and detests. When the bound Mary Lou mocks him, Julio's anger leads to a bloody gunfight in which nearly everyone dies. Eventually, Police Inspector Walter Grandi (Henry Silva) turns vigilante and guns down the "human trash" on a pile of garbage. Reminiscent of everything from the Dirty Harry series to the Patty Hearst kidnapping, Lenzi's preposterous film is most memorable for its overly ripe dialogue and an outlandish party scene in which Milian forces a balding, craven businessman to service him at gunpoint. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 32 min.
Directed By: Umberto Lenzi
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Aug 8, 1974 Wide
On DVD: Jul 26, 2005

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Featured Audience Ratings

Adam M

Julio Sacchi is one of the lowest forms of life, a street criminal with no qualms about violence other than the fear of getting caught. He's not smart enough to ascend the ranks of organized crime, and not modest enough to do an ounce of work for a living. But by risking his… More
Julio Sacchi is one of the lowest forms of life, a street criminal with no qualms about violence other than the fear of getting caught. He's not smart enough to ascend the ranks of organized crime, and not modest enough to do an ounce of work for a living. But by risking his whole contemptible existence on a kidnapping plot, and aiming his animal intelligence on doing whatever murder or treachery that might keep the law away, Julio proves to us that a crime contains its own genius and often pays. The filmmaking does about the same, with a little more class. The editing is led the brutishness of the characters and most of the camerawork doesn't show a style beyond framing the action and making sure the lens cap is off. Like the Italian title suggests, the movie asks the sociological question: is this the fault of the class system? -- Or are Julio and his friends just different degrees and amphetamine dosages away from complete sociopaths? Julio Sacchi is a common hood, but his excellence at being one is what's uncommon; with his complete fidelity to his monstrous logic, he's one of a kind. The sociological question is familiar, but the movie offers an unexpected answer: what we do know is that the system seems to make small men into lords over the realm, and prevails over nobler souls until they act like small men.
Patrick D

Directly translated: Milan hates: the police cannot talk nonsense, this film starts off interesting as a real criminal effs up a robbery and it punished for it, and you feel bad for him, so you're with him as he decides to kidnap a girl, that's when it switches and this… More
Directly translated: Milan hates: the police cannot talk nonsense, this film starts off interesting as a real criminal effs up a robbery and it punished for it, and you feel bad for him, so you're with him as he decides to kidnap a girl, that's when it switches and this fucker goes crazy and in the first half of this flick you feel that nothing is held sacred, as he and his group sexually assault, torture and kill children and adults alike. The inspector enters the scene, played by Henry Silva, who you'll recognize from Ghost Dog where he plays a gangster, and he just looks kinda scary and is one dimensional. But at the half way point something happens and you find yourself liking absolutely no one in the film, only for the Cop to appear more prominent in the last 3rd, become likable and well, you can see for yourself. Having seen alot of Grindhouse type films, but not a whole bunch in the Euro-Crime category, the first third of the film was through and through what I expected, but it kinda switches it on you half way and gets you into the story. This is directed by Umberto Lenzi, who directed the other Eaten Alive, and because of this I have avoided him, since this film tricked me into thinking it was the Tobe Hooper film of the same name. After seeing this film, I think I will give that film a chance, as well as other Euro-Crimes. It definetly has something for you violent film loving maniacs out there (I'm one, for sure) but for people who want an interesting story and slight in depth character study, check this fucker out.