An oddly little known noir masterpiece
One of my regrets as a movie lover is that I have only recently discovered Pietro Germi as director, writer and actor - and he is phenomenal at every level!
MALEDETTO IMBROGLIO stands as one of the very best films noir cum whodunnit I have had the privilege to watch and, to add to my bewilderment, hardly any of my fellow cinephiles knows about it.
With masterful B&W cinematography by Leonida Barboni and editing by Roberto Cinquini, it boasts highly inspired direction by Pietro Germi, who also delivers superbly as the dark spectacle-wearing, quiet, demanding, astute, attentive to detail, persevering police commissioner Ingravallo.
Stunningly beautiful Claudia Cardinale would always stay in my mind, but the impressive support performances come from Saro Urzi as mareschialo, a senior subordinate to Ingravallo, and Franco Fabrizi as an opportunistic medical doctor who beds any woman he can, steals money from the dead, lies to police and amounts to what a member of the very noble medical profession should never be.
Nino Castelnuovo, as Cardinale's love interest, also makes the most of his small but crucial role.
I am not Italian but, trusting my Latin language background, I watched the film on Youtube in Italian, so I must have missed some important details along the way. Even so, I found MALEDETTO IMBROGLIO thoroughly engrossing from beginning to end.
Recommended viewing. 9/10.
MALEDETTO IMBROGLIO stands as one of the very best films noir cum whodunnit I have had the privilege to watch and, to add to my bewilderment, hardly any of my fellow cinephiles knows about it.
With masterful B&W cinematography by Leonida Barboni and editing by Roberto Cinquini, it boasts highly inspired direction by Pietro Germi, who also delivers superbly as the dark spectacle-wearing, quiet, demanding, astute, attentive to detail, persevering police commissioner Ingravallo.
Stunningly beautiful Claudia Cardinale would always stay in my mind, but the impressive support performances come from Saro Urzi as mareschialo, a senior subordinate to Ingravallo, and Franco Fabrizi as an opportunistic medical doctor who beds any woman he can, steals money from the dead, lies to police and amounts to what a member of the very noble medical profession should never be.
Nino Castelnuovo, as Cardinale's love interest, also makes the most of his small but crucial role.
I am not Italian but, trusting my Latin language background, I watched the film on Youtube in Italian, so I must have missed some important details along the way. Even so, I found MALEDETTO IMBROGLIO thoroughly engrossing from beginning to end.
Recommended viewing. 9/10.
- adrianovasconcelos
- Dec 8, 2025