A Dangerous Toy

A Dangerous Toy (originally Il giocattolo) is a 1979 Italian noir thriller directed by Giuliano Montaldo and co-produced by Sergio Leone. The film follows a frustrated, timid accountant whose life changes once he gets hold of a gun — the 'toy' of the title — and gradually turns into a cold, ruthless executioner. What begins as the story of an ordinary, repressed man becomes a study of how easy access to violence can corrupt and transform him. Nino Manfredi stars, with a supporting cast that includes Pamela Villoresi, Marlène Jobert, Vittorio Mezzogiorno and Renato Scarpa. The screenplay is credited to Sergio Donati, Montaldo and Manfredi, and the score was composed by Ennio Morricone. Blending drama and thriller elements, the film portrays one man's descent from meekness into vigilantism.