It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Ricco Aversi (an amiable and acceptable performance by Christopher Mitchum) vows to get revenge on ruthless drug smuggler Don Vito (Arthur Kennedy in peak mean and slimy form) for not only killing his father, but also for stealing his girlfriend Rosa (ravishing busty brunette Malisa Longo, who spends the bulk of her screen time either nude or wearing some skimpy apparel). Brash and beautiful con artist Scilla (the divine Barbara Bouchet at her most saucy and desirable) helps Ricco out.Director Tulio Demicheli, working from an exceptionally gritty script by Mario di Nardo, Jose G. Maesso, and Santiago Moncada, keeps the entertainingly trashy story moving along at a brisk pace, maintains a tough seamy tone throughout, delivers oodles of tasty gratuitous distaff nudity (Bouchet's jaw-dropping late night striptease in the middle of a road rates as a definite scorching highlight), stages the stirring action with rip-roaring brio, and goes whole hog with the no-holds-barred brutal violence that includes a truly wince-inducing castration set piece. The ubiquitous Vic Israel pops up as wormy club owner Checana while Eduardo Fajardo does well as the slippery Cyrano. Nando De Luca's funky-grinding score hits the get-down groovy spot. Francisco Fraile's slick cinematography provides a nice glossy look. The surprise bummer ending packs a devastating punch. A supremely nasty and scuzzy treat.

OK, here's the plan. I've been working my way through all the films IMDb has listed with the keyword Slasher. Can you tell I'm a fan? So, when I ran across this film, and look at the tagline and my screen-name...obviously I would be interested, and wow, what a piece of trash this turned out to be.I'll be generous and tell you the score was decent, occasionally the cinematography was creative, and it's violent. But, come on. Look at the poster/cover art listed on this site. And even the name alternative. It's got horror film written all over that. But this isn't a horror film in the least. The Italian actors in a B film do as best as you might expect, which I am fine with. But, seriously, I've seen Ed Wood and Andy Milligan films with better acting than what Chris Mitchum "executes" in this picture. I can't believe this guy was in 3, count them, 3 John Wayne movies before this one. He is awful. He may have improved, but his performance here totally killed what could have been a decent action/mobster/revenge flick. He is not the least bit intimidating anywhere in the painful 90 minutes. It's almost like he doesn't even want to be there and it's written all over his face the entire time as well as his half-hearted delivery. Utter vomit.The only, and I mean only, thing this movie really has going for it is a few nude scenes, lots of gunshot wounds, a decent fog-wrapped striptease on a car hood, and an up close and personal castration scene, which subsequently has said disembodied genitals shoved into the poor guy's mouth. But, don't be put off by how awesome that sounds. It's not even worth it for the other 90 minutes of yawns.

Originally, when "Ricco The Mean Machine" came out on VHS in America, it was an edited version, but the 2006 DVD release put all the footage back into it that makes it a violent, brutal movie. This contemporary Italian produced revenge thriller chronicles the last days of Ricco Aversi (Christopher Mitchum-the son of the legendary Robert Mitchum) after he gets out of prison where he served two years. He has been let out of jail a year ahead of time for good behavior. Ricco is coming home to see his married sister and invalid mother. Mom tries to thrust an automatic pistol into his palm because Mafiaso Don Vito (Arthur Kennedy) had his father, Gaspara Aversi (Luis Induni), murdered. Duty-bound Ricco assures his mom that he will handle things in his own way. Ricco infiltrates the gang with the help of an old friend (Eduardo Fajardo of "The Mercenary") who turns out to be pretty treacherous and his new girlfriend Scilla (Barbara Bouchet) who likes to hustle guys with her cleavage when she is trying to exchange funny money for genuine green.Basically, this is a violent shoot'em up crime movie with some tough, gritty action. The uncut version shows a mafia soldier getting dumped naked into a tub of acid after the villains have cut off his genitals--yes, you see a super hairy cock & balls slashed off and then shoved in his mouth before they tumble him into the acid bath. Rosa (Malisa Longo) joins him a moment later; Rosa was the girlfriend of Don Vito and she was cheating on him with one of his crime lieutenant because she wanted to have sex with young meat.This nimble European actioneer opens with the ambush of Gaspara Aversi. He is ambushed trying to get the night watchman to open a gate so that he can park his car. Three men open fire on him and wound him repeatedly but the mafia chieftain guns them down. Gaspara is not as lucky when the fourth gunman delivers a coup de grace to the him and blasts away his noggin. Amoral crime drama from start to finish with its own message that revenge begets killing and more killing until there is nobody left to kill, including the protagonist who dies in a duel with Don Vito. One interesting scene occurs about half-way through the movie when Ricco and Scilla rob two guys carrying protection collection money gathered by the Vito mob. Scilla walks in front of their car on a foggy bridge and strip-teases. When they get out of the car to approach her, Ricco surprises them from behind and sends them plunging into the river. The consequences for their ill-advised behavior is not good. An unhappy Don Vito has both of them thrown unceremoniously into an acid bath. The ironic thing about the Don Vito character is that he is a mobster who makes soap! If you crave exploitation European movie-making at its best, do not miss "Ricco The Mean Machine!" This movie was made when it was fashionable to zoom and pan with film cameras. Christopher Mitchum studied karate, too. The production lensed the action on location around Rome, Italy.

A young man named Ricco(Chris Mitchum)gets a year off his sentence after serving two years in prison, and quietly sets out to even a score against mafioso king Don Vito(Arthur Kennedy), the man responsible for murdering his mob boss father so that he could have control over the entire city. What erupts is a blood feud where many tragic casualties, innocents whose blood are shed, lie in the wake of Ricco and Vito's rivalry. Ricco finds an ally in an old friend of his father's niece, Scilla(Barbara Bouchet)..Scilla, at first, participates for kicks, but soon finds that she's in love with Ricco and realizes that his feud with Vito will only leave a lot of innocent people dead. Once Ricco gets mixed up with a crooked partner of Vito's, Cyrano(Eduardo Fajardo), once a pal of his father, there's no turning back. Diamonds, and collected dues of those benefactors for whom Vito "protects", soon play into matters as does Ricco's old squeeze, Rosa(Malisa Longo)now "property" of the Don. Vito cherishes Rosa, and anyone who dares even attempt to touch what is his will inherit a trip into his vat of acid. The climax is a shoot-out at Don Vito's factory with Ricco seeking revenge when those he loves are slain in horrific gang-land style fashion.Ultra violent crime thriller with Christopher Mitchum walking tall, saying only what needs to be said..like his father Robert, Chris doesn't overexert himself. He's quite the cool customer, approaching even the most violent situations with a laid-back calm staring down possible death at every turn. Kennedy inhibits the sadistic Don Vito as if born to play him..having portrayed villains in westerns with ease, playing the heavy in "Ricco" is a piece of cake. The true star of this film, besides Barbara Bouchet who always knows how to make a scene, is Malisa Longo as Rosa, who takes you completely away from the film immediately casting your eyes towards her. She's quite a feast to salivate over..the kind of sex kitten who would have you turning cart-wheels and barking like a dog. She's "to die for" and one does, but I certainly understand why one would risk the chance to bed her. Whether walking around in lingerie or bathing top-less, she's a tasty dish..no a gourmet meal. Matter of fact, she's the best part of the meal..she's the desirable dessert. I found that Mitchum and Bouchet had good chemistry and that both knew the wattage they carried on screen. Mitchum carries that effortless cool and Bouchet is so damn sexy, and knows it, I never questioned why I liked watching them together on screen. Bouchet even performs a nice little strip-tease for the viewer..thanks dear for providing another memorable scene(..like Bouchet hasn't provided ample memories already!)I can carry away into my fantasies.Getting away from the babes, I have to mention the castration scene. One fellow, Tony(Manuel Zarzo)can not resist Rosa's sexual advances(..given the situation, I can see why he succumbs to her wiles)and is caught by the Don. Tony fights three of the Don's goons before getting his privates sliced off with a knife..he then gets his penis and testicles shoved down his throat before being tossed in Vito's acid vat! If the opening scene where Ricco's father's face is shot in point-blank, then this gory sequence of events does. When it comes to subtlety, you'd better look elsewhere because the Italians always go for broke.