Borsalino & Co. (1974)
Directed by Jacques Deray

Film Review

It is a rare that a sequel to a popular film is anywhere near as good as the original and Borsalino and Co. proves the point with (literally) a vengeance.  The 1970 film Borsalino was quite a respectable gangster film, bearing a favourable comparison with Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather films which appeared later in the same decade.  Its misguided sequel, however, is little more than a derivative tale in which two rival gangs spend the best part of two hours systematically slaughtering each other before our eyes.  Totally lacking in dramatic tension and characterisation, with Alain Delon at his most irritatingly complacent, this film would have little to commend it if its production values were not so damned impressive.  Even with such third rate nonsense as this, French cinema proves itself second to none in recreating an authentic period setting, with cinematography and music to die for.  Yes, the film does have some artistic strengths, but mercifully there wasn't a Borsalino III.

Film Synopsis

France, 1934.  Over the past few years, Roch Siffredi and François Capella were two of the most notorious gangsters in Marseille.  Now Capella is dead, the victim of an assassin.  After his friend's funeral, Siffredi begins looking for his killer and soon discovers it was Giovanni Volpone, a ruthless Italian businessman.  By executing the latter's brother Siffredi fires the opening salvo in what soon becomes an all-out war between himself and the equally merciless Volpone.  By allying himself with politicians on the extreme right, the latter is confident of gaining complete control of Marseille.  The force of Volpone's retaliation takes Siffredi by surprise and he must flee the town if he is to stay alive.  Three years later, he returns to Marseille with his own private army.  Siffredi's revenge will be swift and bloody - and nothing will stop him from placing Volpone where he belongs, in his grave...