Movie Ad of the Week: FLATFOOT (1975)

The first of four Italian crime comedies starring Bud Spencer as Inspector “Flatfoot” Rizzo, PIEDONE LO SBIRRO (1973) was released in the U.S. under three different titles by a small distributor (S.J. International) hoping to capitalize on Spencer’s stateside success in THEY CALL ME TRINITY and TRINITY IS STILL MY NAME. Three sequels followed -- FLATFOOT IN HONG KONG (1975), FLATFOOT IN AFRICA (1978), and FLATFOOT ON THE NILE (1980) -- none of which received much, if any, exposure in the U.S.

FLATFOOT
Kansas City, KS
April 18, 1975

THE MARSEILLES CONNECTION
Thomasville, GA
July 20, 1975

A FISTFUL OF HELL
Cedar Rapids, IA
December 12, 1975

Movie Ad of the Week: EVEN ANGELS EAT BEANS (1973)

Italian actor Bud Spencer (real name: Carlo Pedersoli) had already appeared in a half dozen films as the beefy sidekick to Terence Hill (Mario Girotti) when the director of their most successful team-ups decided to pair Spencer with Giuliano Gemma for the TRINITY-type roaring '20s gangster comedy ANCHE GLI ANGELI MANGIANO FAGIOLI (1973). 20th Century Fox, perhaps eager to cash in on Avco Embassy's stateside success with the Hill-Spencer films, acquired the U.S. rights and began a theatrical rollout on December 5, 1973 in San Antonio, TX. Spencer didn't return for the sequel, ANCHE GLI ANGELI TIRANO DI DESTRO, also directed by Enzo Barboni under his "E.B. Clucher" pseudonym (misspelled "Clutcher" on the IMDb, which has this as a 1974 release in the U.S.).