Detective Belli

A typical police mystery from Italy. It skirts with the giallo genre at times but is much more of a police procedural. Franco Nero gives good value as a corrupt cop who doesn't mind roughing up a string of suspects, and indeed the film plods a bit due to the basic and somewhat repetitive construction of him visiting and interrograting one suspect after another. Eventually the mystery is solved and the usual conspiracy exposed. Middle of the road for this genre.

During Christmas time, a corrupted policeman "from the old school" (Franco Nero) acts like a private detective with pale eyes, ironic smile and direct methods. While he tries to get closer and closer to the identity of a mysterious killer, dead bodies pile up. He tricks with the true and false game to dig out some right clue, and deals in a fantastic sequence with the psychological torture of being a passenger trapped in a crazy car. Lost in a labyrinth of wrong leads in this very giallo fit little world of the fashion photo, he has to cop with the traditional "I don't know nothing" replies to make his path until "the end is near", whilst climate gets heavier around the giallist actress Florinda Bolkan.

Mixed bag

The acting is better than average for this kind of film.

And the mystery component is actually really well written and unravels nicely!

However, Franco Nero's character is such a jerk. Like he's impossible to care about as the hero because he treats everyone around him like a punching bag.

Also, the fact that his character is so clever and thinks ahead and solves mysteries, but he was somehow surprised in the end was unbelievable. That ending was truly garbage... especially compared to how well it was written leading up to it.

Un Detective, also known as Detective Belli or Ring of Death, is a dialogue-heavy murder mystery set in Rome. Franco Nero takes the lead as Stefano Belli, a morally ambiguous character who navigates a web of deceit, corruption, and violence.

The film draws inspiration from classic noir tropes, with a torn photograph serving as a crucial clue in a murder investigation. As Belli delves deeper into the case, he encounters fashion models, photographers, and a list of suspects. The story twists and turns, keeping viewers engaged throughout.

Nero's portrayal of Belli is captivating. He's a brute of a man, roughing up suspects without discrimination. His testosterone-fueled determination to solve the cases drives the narrative forward. The film's sordid content-police brutality, sexism, and excesses-reflects the era but remains surprisingly compelling.

One standout scene features Belli intimidating British model Sandy Bronson (Delia Boccardo) by dangerously driving through city streets. The cast includes an array of "Euro-babes," including Florinda Bolkan, Boccardo, and Susanna Martinkova.

While Un Detective lacks memorability, it's a decent entry in the European crime genre. If you enjoy gritty mysteries and Franco Nero's rugged charm, this film is worth a watch.

A dialogue heavy murder mystery whose story is just full of twists and turns, "Un Detective", a.k.a. "Detective Belli", a.k.a. "Ring of Death", is a reasonably entertaining, competently made movie that does provide handsome leading man Franco Nero with a good vehicle, based upon the novel "Macchie Di Belletto" (translated as "Make Up Stains" in the English dubbed version) by Ludovico Dentice.

Franco plays police commissioner Stefano Belli, a shamelessly crooked individual who takes a pair of cases offered to him by prominent criminal lawyer Fontana (Adolfo Celi). The details of these cases include a provocative photograph, blackmail, and cheating partners.

One review read by this viewer was certainly on the mark when it comments on the story's resemblance to the legendary "The Maltese Falcon", right down to the final showdown when Belli confronts the killer with the knowledge he's gained. (Of course, the denouement here is one that the viewer may NOT expect.) A fair amount of the screen time actually involves Belli confronting one character after another, so it gets kind of repetitive, and what with all of the exposition relayed throughout, it does require one to pay close attention. One standout scene features Belli intimidating British model Sandy Bronson (Delia Boccardo) into giving up information by driving dangerously through the city streets.

There's a brief scene of delectable bare female skin but the scene is over a little too quickly. Still, it's nice to see an assortment of "Euro-babes" among the cast: Florinda Bolkan, Boccardo, and Susanna Martinkova (whose dubbed in French voice is ridiculous yet still rather cute). Uncredited appearances are made by the likes of Laura Antonelli, Geoffrey Copleston, Silvia Dionisio, and John Stacy. But the most fun to be had is in watching Nero play a man of absolutely no moral fibre who always looks out for number one while becoming intent on solving the cases. He's a real brute of a man, yet is very democratic about it, roughing up men and women alike.

The movie is decent entertainment overall, if not particularly memorable, and may please plans of European crime stories.

Seven out of 10.