Thieves and Robbers (4 Stars)

There was a bit of confusion when I sat down to watch this film. I wanted to watch "Cats and Dogs", but the title screen announced the film "Thieves and Robbers". I paused it and checked online. "Thieves and Robbers" was the original American name, but the Italian name is "Cane e Gatto" ("dog and cat"). "Cats and Dogs" was the film's name when it was first released in UK cinemas, but later releases on videotape and DVD used the American title.

This is one of Bud Spencer's few films that was made entirely in English, even though it's an Italian production. Only the Italian title makes sense. It's based on dialogue early in the film.

"Tony Roma is as slippery as a cat. We need a dog to catch him".

Tony Roma (Tomas Milian) is the most wanted criminal in Miami. That might seem strange, because he's not a murderer or a bank robber. He's a gigolo. He seduces the wives of rich men and steals their jewellery. The reason he's so notorious is that his victims are the wives of high profile politicians, including a senator. They want the police to lock him up and throw away the key. That's human nature. Revenge is more important than justice.

The "dog" that the police set on him is Alan Parker (Bud Spencer), a special forces policeman. He's so undercover that even his family doesn't know he's a policeman. They think that he sells household appliances. He captures Tony once, but he escapes from police custody. I told you he's slippery. So Bud has to chase him again.

Tony is doing his normal operations with a woman in a hotel room, when her husband comes back early. He runs into the next room, and he sees a mafia boss killing someone. Alan catches him shortly after this, but Tony begs for help. He says that he'll be killed in prison. That sounds like a slippery excuse, but Alan believes him when a corrupt police sergeant wants to hand him over to the mafia, not the police.

Alan and Tony team up as partners in a fight against the underworld. It's raucous, riotous fun all the way.

Bud Spencer, birth name Carlo Pedersoli, was one of the greatest actors of the late 20th Century, especially praised for his comedy roles. His fame has spread much further than his native Italy. He's well known all over Europe, but strangely he never became popular in England.