Two broke men tried to rob a supermarket. They ended up robbing a police recruiting office by mistake — and joined the force to avoid arrest.
"Crime Busters" (Italian: "I due superpiedi quasi piatti") is a 1977 Italian action-comedy directed by Enzo Barboni, starring the beloved duo of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer. Set in Miami, it follows two unemployed dock workers who accidentally become police officers after a botched robbery attempt.
The Plot
Wilbur Walsh (Bud Spencer) and Matt Kirby (Terence Hill) are struggling to find work as longshoremen in Miami. Broke and frustrated, they decide to rob a local supermarket, but burst through the wrong door and end up inside a police recruiting office instead. To avoid arrest, they claim they were there to enlist — and end up joining the force for real. What follows is a string of slapstick fights, car chases, and comic mayhem as the mismatched pair stumble their way through police work and eventually take on a local trafficking gang.
A Beloved Duo
Hill and Spencer made this film as their eleventh collaboration together, part of a long run of Italian buddy comedies that made them enormously popular across Europe. The film leans entirely on their established chemistry: Spencer's deadpan, food-obsessed strongman playing off Hill's smooth-talking, quick-witted charmer. The soundtrack, composed by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis (credited as Oliver Onions), is a genre staple of their films together.
Reception and Legacy
"Crime Busters" received the Golden Screen Award in 1977, alongside "The Exorcist" and "The Towering Inferno." It was released in the U.S. a few years later, trimmed by roughly 17 minutes, under alternate titles including "Trinity: In Trouble Again" and "Two Supercops." Retrospective reviews have generally described it as lightweight, likeable slapstick that depends entirely on one's fondness for Hill and Spencer's shtick — "shaggy around the edges," as one review put it, but endearing enough for fans of the genre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "Crime Busters" a sequel to any other Hill/Spencer film?
No. Despite a similarly titled 1985 film, "Miami Supercops," that one is not a sequel to "Crime Busters."
What other titles was this film released under?
"Trinity: In Trouble Again" and "Two Supercops" are among its alternate English-language titles.
Where can I watch it?
It has been available on Netflix and other streaming platforms carrying classic Italian comedy titles.