Police Inspector Ugo Moretti (played by George Hilton) and his partner Danielle (Emanuel Cannarsa) have a lot on their hands as their beloved city of Turin is overrun with crime. There is a vast network of blackmailers, pimps, and thieves running rampant and the situation is made worse by a vigilante who has decided to rid the world of these hoodlums himself. Ugo is no help catching this 'avenger' because he himself is the vigilante. He is staying one step ahead of the criminals at large and the police who haven't a clue that one of their own is taking justice into his own hands.

Working under some obvious budget constraints, Double Game does have a few weak action setpieces but nothing too embarrassing. The cinematography is nicely shot and the soundtrack by Stelvio Cipriani is excellent even with a dash of bad disco. The story has some pretty obvious ties to Death Wish but the similarities aren't so glaring as to make this a full blown rip off. The most annoying part of the film is the pathetic Kung Fu skills of Danielle who kicks some ass in one scene and then gets laid out with one punch in another.

Double Game does not represent the best that Italian crime films have to offer (far from it actually) but the story is intriguing and George Hilton is always a safe bet. The plot has the prerequisite drugs, violence, sex and shady business all over it that every fan of the genre will crave. Director Ausino went on to make a sequel (in name only) to Double Game and Don't Look in the Attic, a horror film I have yet to read anything good about.

Tony: Another Double Game
AKA Tony, L'Altra Faccia della Torino Violenta
Directed by Carlo Ausino
Released: 1980
Starring Emanuel Cannarsa, Giuseppe Alotta, Paul Teitcheid, Nicole Flori, Rino Maggio, Tonino Campa
Running Time: 88 minutes
DVD Studio: NoShame

Tony (played by Emanuel Cannarsa) is shiftless goof who wanders around doing odd jobs and putting as little effort into life as possible. His family (especially his father) is ashamed of him and his friends are pickpockets and street people. Tony's friend on the police force, Santini (Giuseppe Alotta), tries to help keep him out of trouble. When Tony nearly gets killed attempting to stop a kidnapping, he becomes the target of a vicious gang and must fight to stay alive.

There is something pathetic yet endearing about this sequel in name only to Carlo Ausino's Double Game. The first film's budget problems are even more apparent here as Tony: Another Double Game is anything but a lavish production. While George Hilton is not on board this time, the entire supporting cast of the first film is back for better and for worse.

Aside from the cheapness and some stiff performances from homely actors, the film suffers the most from its pacing. The action slows to a crawl at the hour mark and I wish Ausino had repeated the rushed feeling of Double Game. However, this film has better characterization and a more complex story than the first so I can forgive the watch checking moments. Elements of comedy and melodrama are mixed in with the crime storyline to keep things interesting.

While working in a generic genre, Ausino does have a unique (and perhaps even eccentric) voice and I can't help but wish that somebody would have thrown some cash his way. Tony: Another Double Game (I hate that title) may only be for Euro crime completists but with a little patience, this genre bending title pays off.