An American of Sicilian descent is blackmailed into returning to his ancestral homeland by a vicious Mafia drug kingpin, to convince a local judge -- a distant relative -- to call off his Mafia investigation. This rather violent international co-production, made by an Italian cartel with a number of

An American of Sicilian descent is blackmailed into returning to his ancestral homeland by a vicious Mafia drug kingpin, to convince a local judge -- a distant relative -- to call off his Mafia investigation. This rather violent international co-production, made by an Italian cartel with a number of familiar American names and faces in the starring roles, was filmed on location in Sicily and New York.

Brad Davis is the used and abused American who ultimately exacts his own vengeance on the mob, Tony Lo Bianco is the dedicated Sicilian judge who won't be deterred, Vincent Spano is the flashy but sinister drug czar, Michael V. Gazzo is Davis' father who is held hostage until Davis' mission is completed, and Maria Conchita Alonso (Robin Williams' girlfriend in "Moscow on the Hudson") is the mistress of an aging Mafia financier in Sicily. "Blood Ties" was the grand prize winner for television production at the 1986 Venice Film Festival.