'Il Consigliori' (1973) is a Bootstrap tough mafia actioner starring exalted Euro-crime alumni, Martin Balsam, this time out playing, Don Maggadino, a powerful San Francisco mob boss. His consigliori (lawyer) is performed by the no less legendary actor, Tomas Milian, recently finished his jail sentence, and while he is happy to see his Don once again makes a seemingly optimistic choice to go straight. Needless to say, Maggadino doesn't approve, but wholly reluctantly allows him to go his own way. A short while later, Garafolo played by Euro cult hero, Francisco Rabal, becomes unhappy with the status quo and decides to orchestrate his own crime family, thus engendering a most bloody war between the rival factions. The consigiliori cannot bear to see his Don go down like that and, Milian, girding his considerable loins, armed to the nines prepares to defend him once again. This wonderful movie is a stone groove from the very get-go, containing all the exquisitely exciting elements of a 'poliziotto' genre, plus many entertaining motifs of a gritty mafia expose; including great sit-down meetings in restaurants, numerous sanguinary shoot-outs, two exhilarating car chases, and the requisite revenge bloodbath! The relationship between the always excellent Balsam and Milian in a more subdued role here is excellently realised. Great use is also made of urban San Francisco and rural Sicily for a truly rousing finale. Riz Ortolani provides yet another lush soundtrack, and Albert De Martino ('Blazing Magnum') again, proves himself to be a very capable director of exploitative fare. 'Il Consigliori' is a must for Mob film and euro crime enthusiasts alike.

Sure, the plot sails very close to the Godfather, but this is a great film nonetheless.

In San Francisco, a goon running a bowling alley has gone berserk and his arrest has made the Mafia very worried. This guy need taken out by Capo Martin Balsam wants it done clean and painlessly, and is annoyed to find that sidekick Francisco Rabal just hired a crooked cop to do it. This, and Balsam's decision to allow his godson Tomas Milian to leave the Mafia way of life, cause a gang war as Rabal goes rogue and starts his own gang.

Rabal goes too far and in trying to kill Milian (whom he still sees as a threat) he ends up killing a child instead. No child is ever safe in an Italian film, but at least Milian rejoins the Mafia to avenge her death. Girlfriend Dagmar Lassander isn't too happy about that though.

Balsam is an old school, respected mobster, so he has plenty of allies to help him out. Can he take back the business he's lost or will he and Milian have to go into exile? As Rabal says - no one walks away from that way of life...

The best thing about this film is Balsam's relationship with Milian - he genuinely seems to love the guy, showering him with affection and treating Lassander with laid back charm. Milian is more subdued as the godson but still makes his mark as the reluctant mobster.

This one is quite fast paced for an Alberto De Martino film, and he doesn't shy away from the violence either. The bittersweet ending made a mark on me too, and once again Martin Balsam proves that he was one of the true greats.

Martin Balsam, Tomas Milian, Francisco Rabal, three good actors, whom I have seen in many other movies, much better than this one. This is an incredible story with mobsters killing each other. Riz Ortolani's music, always of superior quality, is better than the movie.