The Offence (1972)

Director - Sidney Lumet 

Gritty British cop drama staring Sean Connery as a cop that kills a suspect during an interrogation. Not quite up there with Lumet’s greatest films (Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, 12 Angry Men), but for a taught itchy '70s drama you could do far worse.

Naked Violence (1969)

Director - Fernando Di Leo 

Early Di Leo crime flick about a group of young offenders who rape and murder their teacher during class. It’s down to detective Duca (Pier Paolo Capponi playing much the same role here as he did in Cat o' Nine Tails), to figure out who the ringleader is. Dirty and sweaty and with a twist ending ripped straight from an Argento film. Nowhere near as over-the-top as Di Leo’s more famous crime flicks, but well worth hunting down if you like gritty Italian crime flicks.

Sweeney! (1977)

Director - David Wickes

Big screen debut of the superb British ‘70s police TV series. All the swagger that made the TV show so essential is present and correct with the added bonus of swearing and nudity. Barry Foster plays a corrupt American power broker out to influence an OPEC conference. Collin Welland is an angry journo who has caught whiff of what's going on, while Jack and George (John Thaw and Dennis Waterman) are left to try and figure out a string of murders that will eventually lead them to Foster's door. The whole cast look like they spent the time they're not on screen down the local, Thaw in particular. Wickes is a veteran from the show and directs the whole thing as an extended episode. If you love your gritty London '70s films then this is a must see.