FOUR WAYS OUT (LA CITTA SI DIFENDE) (director/writer: Pietro Germi; screenwriters: story by Federico Fellini & Luigi Comencini &Tullio Pinelli/Tullio Pinelli/Giuseppe Mangione/Federico Fellini ; cinematographer: Carlo Montuori; editor: Rolando Benedetti /Gianna Lanni (English version); music: Carlo Rustichelli ; cast: Gina Lollobrigida (Daniela), Renato Baldini (Paolo Leandri), Enzo Maggio (Alberto Tosi ), Paul Muller (Guido Marchi), Fausto Tozzi (Luigi Girosi), Cosetta Greco (Lina Girosi); Runtime: 77; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Carlo Civallero; Sinister Cinema; 1953)-Italy-in Italian with English subtitles)
“Unoriginal but entertaining minor Euro crime drama that mixes American film noir and Italian neorealism.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Unoriginal but entertaining minor Euro crime drama that mixes American film noir and Italian neorealism. The Italian writer- director Pietro Germi(“Serafino”/”Alfredo, Alfredo“/”Divorce—Italian Style“) adequately handles the story by Federico Fellini, Luigi Comencini &Tullio Pinelli. The film’s centerpiece heist scene has some things Kubric used in hisThe Killing (1956).

Four amateur criminals (Renato Baldini, Enzo Maggio, Paul Muller and Fausto Tozzi) rob the box office of a stadium while a soccer match is going on. When the cops arrive, they split up but without splitting the loot. Germi follows each as they try and elude the law and catch up with their share of the loot without getting caught. The story enlarges character development over suspense.

It never brings about much depth, but is visually sound and fun to catch the underworld figures featured. The young Gina Lollobrigida fills the screen with a sexy look in her small part.

REVIEWED ON 2/14/2016 GRADE: B-

Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”

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