Nico Palmieri (The Big Racket)

  * Real Name: Nico Palmieri

  * Occupation: Avenger. Former cop gone rogue.

  * Eyes: Brown

  * Nationality: Italian

  * Age: Probably early 30s

  * Hair: Well groomed dark brown hair

  * Appearance: Class act all the way. Suits, turtleneck, perfectly groomed. Nico sets himself apart even when undercover. This contines after the inspector is fired-he still cuts quite a form in his jeans ensemble. There's nothing seedy about Palmieri even when he dresses down.

  * Personality: Stubborn to the point of self-destruction, Nico's tactics are not unlike those he takes out. While others claim police brutality, Palmieri is fighting back. Often he shoots first and asks questions later, but Nico is compassionate and eager to get rid of this very ugly threat before it consumes all of Italy. He is a passionate man who thinks of the innocent before himself. His descent back into crime as a result of going vigilante leaves him ruined emotionally.

  * Weapons: Guns, fists (working that cast), feet, mouth, mind.

  * Skills : Superior marksman, hand-to-hand combatant, agile, he can nail a crook with words alone.

  * History: As revealed by master thief Pepe, Nico's youth was crime-ridden as well. The two have a long history, yet both were on opposite sides of the fence until recently. Palmieri has crossed that near invisible line of lawfulness and lawlessness. It's presumed by his unorthodox actions that Nico never really left the underworld when he became a cop, but it's because of this he has an understanding of malicious intent that few other police do. For all the years he worked to get out of the gutter, his illicit bravery and head-strong belief bring him right back to where he started. Perhaps more interesting is the character's future, what would he do now that he's lost everything?

Dialog:

"Hey, am I wrong or have we met before?" - Nico to the racket.

"You setting fire to this place by any chance?"  - Palmieri to the female racketeer.

"Criminal methods in this case were necessary. Look sir, in six months if we don't stop them we'll be paying for the air we breathe. I know my methods are-let's say- somewhat illegal but if the results are right don't they justify the means? " Nico to his superior just before he's fired.

I have to admit when I saw the Vipco cut release of The Big Racket some four plus years ago I wasn't ready for a) the at-times weak English dub, and b) the excessive nastiness and brutality on screen. To me, Fabio's inspector Palmieri didn't quite register. In fact, between this and Four of the Apocalypse I was almost ready to give up on the guy.

But then I saw Enzo's amazing La Via Della Droga (The Heroin Busters), which changed my tune as far as Fabio, while strengthening my admiration of Enzo G. Castellari's work. When watching Blue Underground's print of The Big Racket I suddenly understood everything about the film, especially Testi's performance.

I get it from the both character and actor levels. So now I know why Nico acts in the manner he does, and why Fabio begins his performance in such a restrained fashion before exploding into near supernova rage. He does this to allow the stuntmen and actors portraying the racketeers the chance to really display true criminal elements. These people really are evil: base in every single way.

Testi plays this duality rather quietly at first-almost to the point where you think he's doing nothing at all-but then as the stakes escalate blam! The Nico this decent inspector tried so hard to bury rises to the surface. Fabio's Palmieri is clearly torn between the civic duty-minded cop and the young hood who apparently spent some time around master thief Pepe.

What's different about this performance than, say, Eastwood's turn as Dirty Harry is the emotional center within Nico. He never loses that compassion, that heart. So when he erupts at films' end you understand every last ounce of pain rippling off him.

It's too bad, we're limited to Fabio's Italian performance in the trailer, as Testi's own profondo basso really delivers a far greater range of emotion than the fellow providing the English dub. Regardless, this film really awakened me to the sometimes subtle technique Fabio employs depending on the character he's playing.

Testi's turn as Nico equals Nero's performance as High Crime's explosive vice commissioner Belli in the way that Fabio completely becomes the character. Both men travel through a compelling dramatic arc ending in their ruin. Another heart-breaking cop from Enzo and his leading man. Bravo gentlemen!