The Burglars (1971) If you've stopped into BQ often, then you know of my great love affair with the Euro-Trashy international co-productions that flourished throughout the 1960's, the prime, glorious era for such movies.
Stars from every country on the globe, screenplays cobbled together by whole platoons of writers and the soundtrack post-synched so it sounded like the entire cast was stuck in a phone booth together. (And if you're really lucky, an Ennio Morricone score to top it off....)
Almost always, the were either James Bond rip-offs or caper films featuring elaborate heists.
And oh my, I couldn't get enough of 'em.
Here's one of my faves, which arrived at the start of the 1970's, when the true glory days of the international co-productions were sadly reaching their twilight. (Grungy, gritty nihilistic crime-on-the-streets stuff began to take their place on the Euro-Trash scene, along with the hyper-violent, 'Giallo' slasher mysteries...)
In sunny Athens, a true clash of the titans unfolds, more than delivering on the action and fun it promises.
Two cinema icons, Jean Paul Belmondo and Omar Sharif, square off against each other. Master thief and coolest-guy-in-the-room Azad (Belmondo),along with two cohorts, swipes a load of emeralds from a rich guy's safe.
When their escape via ship is delayed, Azad and his gang find themselves in the cross-hairs of lethally corrupt cop Abel Zacharia (Sharif.), who's out to nail Azad and stuff his own pockets with the jewels.
The cat-and-mouse game between the cop 'n crook plays out all over town, including a wild, lengthy car chase that threatens to become its own separate movie, complete with laughs and thrills. The hair-raising stunts, of course, come from the master orchestrator of such vehicular mayhem, Remy Junienne and driving team.
The veteran French director Henri Verneuil moves all this along at an unhurried, relaxed pace. He gives Belmondo and Sharif some prime moments to wittily parry with each other in between the elaborate chases. (There's a great dinner scene where Zacharia subtly threatens Azad while treating him to a gourmet array of Greek delicacies.)
Sharif's Zacharia affects smooth, affable charm, but you can tell he's someone to reckon with - especially in a tense scene where he takes potshots at one of Azad's gang while deliberately getting himself drunk to test his aim.
The film also makes time for Azad to dally with an American beauty (Dyan Cannon, sporting her infectious laugh) and make a spectacular escape from Zacharia by hanging from the side of a bus And yessir, that's the fearless Belmondo himself performing those incredibly dangerous stunts.
There's even a bonus fight scene thrown in with nothing whatsoever to do with main plot - where Azad and some random young stud engage in an epic knockdown punchout. (Apparently the poor shmuck was hanging out with the girl to whom Azad functions as a big brother....)
And for those of us lovers of international co-productions, the film adds what amounts to the perfect whipped cream topping for this layer cake......a pulsating, bouncy Ennio Morricone main title theme that you'll never get out of your head.
Come on, what more could you ask for? Belmondo, Sharif, Dyan Cannon, Morricone, car chases, jewel heists, big fights.....a loads of Greek food. For BQ, that's a 4 star recipe. (****).
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