'Nick the Sting' (1976) - Fernando Di Leo.

It should come as little surprise that this extremely likeable Italian Poliziottesco is made the grand magus of stylish 70s Euro-crime, Fernando Di Leo. 'Nick The Sting' has an engaging cast, a splendidly serpentine plot, sleek, break-neck pacing, and an excess of cinematic chutzpah. This cracking, twist-laden thriller remains no less essential to poliziotteschi freaks as 'Milano Calibro No 9' or 'Manhunt'. When two-bit con-man Nick Hezard (Luc Merenda) is hand-picked by duplicitous mob boss, Robert Clark, (Lee J. Cobb) to be the fall-guy for his audacious insurance scam; ultimately they both get a bit more than they initially bargained for!

Slick Nick's delectably sly revenge is to swindle the conniving Mobster for a ton of cash, besmirching his reputation, so severely that the disgraced gangster must leave town! Watching the artfully orchestrated heist, still makes for compelling viewing, as Fernando Di Leo's outstanding poliziottesco comes replete with all the requisite action one expects from the master filmmaker, plus a well-crafted script, and the muscular performances from Hollywood Heavy, Cobb, and relative newcomer, Merenda prove irresistible! Nick the Sting remains a refined, genuinely exhilarating crime caper, and it's a shame that such credible entertainment is so rarely mentioned outside of the cloistered, J&B-soaked world of the Euro-crime cognoscenti. A definite must-see for fans of, Di Leo's seemingly effortless brand of cinematic cool, and, once again, Luc Merenda's signature coiffure is a voluminous vision of transcendent beauty!