The Boss is the last in writer/director Fernando Di Leo’s master Milieu Trilogy of Poliziotteschi films. New to Blu-ray from Raro with a 4K Restoration of the original camera negative.
The Film
Note: This film does deal with and depict sexual assault.
The final film in the Milieu Trilogy, The Boss, is a showcase for star Henry Silva as a mob operator in the midst of a power play for control of the Sicilian territory. A play so violent and so bold there may be no one left to control. Writer/Director Fernando Di Leo’s masterful film is as cynical and brutal as Silva’s mob enforcer Nick Lanzetta.
When Lanzetta, under order from Don Corrasco (Richard Conte), takes out rival Clan Leader Cocchi’s (Pier Paolo Capponi) men, no one sees that retribution will start a war. However, it was a matter of time before Cocchi and what is left of his gang, in retribution, kidnapped Rina Daniello (Antonia Santilli), Don Daniello (Claudio Nicastro)’s daughter. Corrasco arms Lanzetta with negotiating the release of Rina. The problem is that Cocchi has no intention of letting her go and subjects her to horrible abuse. Quickly we learn that Lanzetta had a hand in all of this and begins moves to ascend to Capo de Capo… but at what cost?
The Boss is as cynical as a mobster film has been produced. A film where all characters have no moral compass, only a compass for power and money. A film that understands the anger and ire of these men who trade in violence, corruption, and deceit. Di Leo creates a world where class, power, and money are only matched by murder, kidnapping, and assault. That to move up the ladder of succession requires bold violent murderous acts must be done by your own hand because trust is as elusive as justice.
In the center of this whirlwind of cynicism is Henry Silva in a role tailor-made for him. Often cast as the villain in US films and in many of his Italian roles – here Di Leo adroitly casts him as the anti-hero Lanzetta. Silva’s entire performance is like an ice pick – cold, sharp, and pointed. Everything Silva does here is nothing short of perfection.
The Boss is the perfect third and ending film of the Milieu trilogy. One where cynicism and the quest for power is the only goal – and how violence and treachery are the tools to acquire it. There may have been Di Leo’s films better but none quite as unremorsefully nihilistic as this crime thriller.
The Transfer
Presented in a 4K restoration of the original negative Raro video’s Blu-Ray edition of The Boss (like Caliber 9 and The Italian Connection before it) is nothing short of stunning. The transfer is colorfully vibrant without any defects or artifacting. The image is beautifully representative of the 35mm origins of the film with a wonderful patina of active grain giving it that specific filmic look that all the best Blu-Ray discs have. Bravo to Raro such a masterful restoration of not just this but all three of the Milieu Trilogy.
The Extras
They include the following;
- Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan
- Archival Documentary: Mafia Stories
- Trailers
The all-new Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan begins with the various titles this film has been released under and the original Italian Title. Some of the details include discussing the first two films in the trilogy (Caliber 9 and The Italian Connection) and how The Boss differs from those in location, politics, themes, and how the mafia interactions; the iconic opening with the grenade launcher – and what this represents in Di Leo’s films as a whole; what separates this film within the Milieu trilogy from other two films; the history, politics that separate the region here and how different they are in the first two films which take place in Milian; the kidnapping that happened in real life and how they play out in the film – including a discussion of Di Leo’s own film Kidnapping Syndicate; this history of the Mafia; a discussion of actor Richard Conte – and how he transition over to Italian films in the 60s and 70s; an interesting conversation of the family that the Godfather is based on and how it factored into this film; a discussion of the Years of Lead in Italy; a larger discussion of the work here and after the Milieu trilogy of writer/director Di Leo – and how his work had evolved over the years; a discussion of actor Henry Silva – both his work here and also a larger discussion of his work in Italy during his career; a discussion of the Novel that writer Peter McCurtain this film’s story is based off of; a larger discussion of the various other actors that appear giving us a breakdown of their personal and professional history; and much more. Deighan provides another excellent commentary giving us the history and political context that this brilliant film was made during.
Archival Documentary: Mafia Stories (23:20) – the final accompaniment to the documentaries that were in the Caliber 9 and The Italian Connection Blu-rays, this documentary looks at not just the making of The Boss the lasting impact that this and the other Di Leo films left on film culture outside of Italy. The archival documentary gives us a look at the way Di Leo wrote, cast, and made his specific brand of Poliziotteschi. Featuring comments by director Di Leo, producer Armando Novelli, actors Gianni Garko, Pierpaolo Capponi, Gianni Musy, Howard Ross, film editor Amedeo Giomini, and more.
Milieu Trilogy Re-Release Trailer (1:30)
Caliber 9 Trailer (3:14)
The Italian Connection Trailer (1:46)
The Final Thought
Raro does it again by bringing The Boss to Blu-ray. Highest recommendations!!!