"Anche gli angeli mangiano fagioli" or "Auch die Engel essen Bohnen" or "Der Dicke in Amerika" or "Even Angels Eat Beans" is a co-production between Italy, France and Spain from 1973, so this movie is also getting closer to its 50th anniversary now. I listed many titles because they were kinda interesting. This film won Spencer another Golden Screen here in Germany, so no surprise there are several German titles even. One of them is the same like the Italian and English title, but the other focuses on Spencer in particular who is of course the main attraction here. It is one of the man's longer versions as the original film runs for almost two hours and the Blu-ray version even crosses the 120-minute mark. The director is Enzo Barboni, who has worked with Bud Spencer on many occasions as the man in charge behind the camera. Often Terence Hill was also part of these projects, but not this time here. They got somebody else for that part. I will get to him soon. As for Barboni, he was credited as a cinematographer many more times than as a director, but because of Buddy's presence the films he directed will probably be remembered for much longer. I hope so at least. It would be nice if coming generations could also see the fun in these films, so they don't fall into oblivion. This one here is unfortunately not the best example I must say. I struggled with it quite a bit and it may in fact be the weakest from many Spencer films I have seen recently. He is not too blame though. He is alright most of the time. One thing that surprises me a bit here is that this film is set in America, but the USA are not one of the production countries. And I cannot really see any French and Spanish influences here. But I guess it is telling enough and really makes clear that Spencer was a way bigger star in Europe than in America where he was basically unknown. But this is not from his later projects, so maybe the fact that this is set in America shows us that they were still trying to turn him into a star in America as well. the attempt did not turn out successful, but it's alright. Their loss. I will always love Buddy (Pedersoli) and I am grateful for all the films he left us. Means something I am doing a rewview marathon on him right now and I have really seen many of his films during the last weeks and months even. And more will come for the rest of January at least. But back to this one here now: There is even a sequel by the way, which got made one year later, but this one did not feature Spencer. Gemma returned though and the picked another European actor with a similar physical shape like Spencer to play the man's part. Does not really make Gemma more likable for me. If he could be more unlikable even. Not sure. I really found him annoying and he is maybe the biggest reason why I give this film only 2 out of 5. Man I could not stant watching him and the longer the film went, the more he was basically in every single scene next to Spencer. So yeah, I wish this would simply have been with Spencer as the only lead or maybe Hill, but certainly not with Gemma. I know he is pretty famous in Italy, even today, but this does not change a thing for me and from what I have seen here, I have zero interest to see more films with him anytime soon. I cannot say a lot more about the cast honestly, simply because I don't know the actors, even if many of them were pretty prolific. One I definitely want to mention though is Riccardo Pizzuti. He is still alive today and getting closer to 90 and it would be amazing if he ready my words here because I have only praise for him. He is always easy to identify and I am always glad to see him as he has been in many other Spencer movies. Definitely a very welcome addition, also with all the different clothes he wears in these films. Hope he lives for a few more years. Thanks Riccardo. Of course, I thank Spencer too, but with him I do it always and Pizzuti also deserves the mention and I wish he could have played Gemma's character here maybe, although I know he is always one of the bad guys and also always gets beaten up by Buddy.
Okay, now a few words on the specific story and characters here. First of all, let me say that I found it interesting that Buddy played a wrestler this time, so basically a guy who is a bit of a professional fighter because honestly with all the men he has beaten up in all these movies, this profession is really the perfect fit for his character. However, he quickly ends up in another profession and this is just his background as we find out at the start and also at the end we see how he wants to return to this profession. Makes total sense. The other guy in here is an ice cream vendor, but he is not really interested in returning to that profession. I am of course talking about Gemma's character here. Pretty ridiculous he even got first crediit here on imdb, but then again Hill also always does and this may at least partially explain it. But even better and more humble by Bud if he does not care about being first. Which he totally should be. He should be first I mean, not that he should care. One other fun scene here that comes to my mind is really the one when we see the two protagonists during this concert, mostly because they (almost) end up fighting because Spencer's character is annoyed by the noise, but when Gemma's character kicks him between the legs and Spencer does not react one but, it is pretty funny because also Gemma's character clearly hurt his leg or goot there. Spencer's character is really a man of steel. Forget Superman. Still, it feels a bit weird to see him dressed the way we see him on the film's poster here on imdb. It also does not really feel representative of him in the movie. Keep an eye out. He is a fighter, not a nobleman. But the above is also pretty much the only kinda positive thing (or things) I can say about this film here. I thought that not only Gemma's character was really obnoxious because he did not have 1% of Hill's charm, but also the movie had way too many characters and it just got too much. I mean you don't have to fill two hours by all means. Just keep it 15-20 minutes shorter and turn it into a more essential watch. That would have been my suggestion because the way it turned out became really forgettable at times. And all over the place. Also sometimes iit barely felt like a Spencer film anymore. Just take the big scene for Gemma towards the end when he keeps firing at all these Mafia fellas or whatever they were. Honestly, by the, I had already stopped caring. But this scene was so not Spencer. Kinda fitting that he reacted the way he reacted. It almost felt to me as if he was baffled what scenes like this are doing in one of his films. Did not belong there with all the shooting and it does not really matter if it was real bullets or blanks. As for the story, it also could not win me over. All the Mafia references felt half-baked and the idea of the two working for the bad guys initially before no longer wanting to do evil deeds did not keep me interested. I still was a bit surprised about the derogatory manner in which they are talking to the ones they are supposed to harass. The way they acted there, it did not really feel as if they had doubts about their job. So yeah, I don't think there is really a lot more I have to say about this film. Seeing Spencer with his mask in the ring sure felt unusual. Maybe I am also a bit biased with Gemma because physically he reminded me of two fairly untalented German actors. I hope he is better in other films. That is really it now. One of my least favorite Spencer films, maybe even my number one on the bottom scale, and I have almost no interested to watch this film anytime soon again. Maybe never even. The bank robbery scene, the lineup scene, the casino scene - it all felt so mediocre and uninspired. Pity. Not even Spencer my hero could save this movie. Watch something else instead. Maybe a Scorsese film if you are in the mood for a better Mafia movie about organized crime.
Okay, now a few words on the specific story and characters here. First of all, let me say that I found it interesting that Buddy played a wrestler this time, so basically a guy who is a bit of a professional fighter because honestly with all the men he has beaten up in all these movies, this profession is really the perfect fit for his character. However, he quickly ends up in another profession and this is just his background as we find out at the start and also at the end we see how he wants to return to this profession. Makes total sense. The other guy in here is an ice cream vendor, but he is not really interested in returning to that profession. I am of course talking about Gemma's character here. Pretty ridiculous he even got first crediit here on imdb, but then again Hill also always does and this may at least partially explain it. But even better and more humble by Bud if he does not care about being first. Which he totally should be. He should be first I mean, not that he should care. One other fun scene here that comes to my mind is really the one when we see the two protagonists during this concert, mostly because they (almost) end up fighting because Spencer's character is annoyed by the noise, but when Gemma's character kicks him between the legs and Spencer does not react one but, it is pretty funny because also Gemma's character clearly hurt his leg or goot there. Spencer's character is really a man of steel. Forget Superman. Still, it feels a bit weird to see him dressed the way we see him on the film's poster here on imdb. It also does not really feel representative of him in the movie. Keep an eye out. He is a fighter, not a nobleman. But the above is also pretty much the only kinda positive thing (or things) I can say about this film here. I thought that not only Gemma's character was really obnoxious because he did not have 1% of Hill's charm, but also the movie had way too many characters and it just got too much. I mean you don't have to fill two hours by all means. Just keep it 15-20 minutes shorter and turn it into a more essential watch. That would have been my suggestion because the way it turned out became really forgettable at times. And all over the place. Also sometimes iit barely felt like a Spencer film anymore. Just take the big scene for Gemma towards the end when he keeps firing at all these Mafia fellas or whatever they were. Honestly, by the, I had already stopped caring. But this scene was so not Spencer. Kinda fitting that he reacted the way he reacted. It almost felt to me as if he was baffled what scenes like this are doing in one of his films. Did not belong there with all the shooting and it does not really matter if it was real bullets or blanks. As for the story, it also could not win me over. All the Mafia references felt half-baked and the idea of the two working for the bad guys initially before no longer wanting to do evil deeds did not keep me interested. I still was a bit surprised about the derogatory manner in which they are talking to the ones they are supposed to harass. The way they acted there, it did not really feel as if they had doubts about their job. So yeah, I don't think there is really a lot more I have to say about this film. Seeing Spencer with his mask in the ring sure felt unusual. Maybe I am also a bit biased with Gemma because physically he reminded me of two fairly untalented German actors. I hope he is better in other films. That is really it now. One of my least favorite Spencer films, maybe even my number one on the bottom scale, and I have almost no interested to watch this film anytime soon again. Maybe never even. The bank robbery scene, the lineup scene, the casino scene - it all felt so mediocre and uninspired. Pity. Not even Spencer my hero could save this movie. Watch something else instead. Maybe a Scorsese film if you are in the mood for a better Mafia movie about organized crime.