The Facts of Murder

Starring: Pietro Germi, Claudia Cardinale, Franco Fabrizi, Cristina Gaioni, Claudio Gora, Eleonora Rossi Drago, Saro Urzi, Nino Castelnuovo
Directed by: Pietro Germi
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Drama, Mystery
1959

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After a robbery and a murder occur in the same building, a police detective (Pietro Germi) begins investigating to see if the two crimes are linked to find the killer.

Review:
Tim: The 1959 Italian film, The Facts of Murder surprised me. I quickly became engrossed in the film- the complexity of the cast, the cast of characters, the attempt to simultaneously solve two different crimes that may or may not be linked- this is an exceptional crime mystery. It benefits from the solid foundation of the source novel and it feels like a realistic, centered-story. It often felt more like we were watching an actual police investigation, verses anything dramatic and over-the-top. It's riveting at times and you are drawn into the story, anticipating and intrigued to find how it all plays out.

I was also surprised to learn that Pietro Germi was both the star and the director of the film. I have to admit, I'd never heard of Germi before. When I watched the film, I was most excited to see Claudia Cardinale- she's the only cast member I knew and I've been a big fan of her work. As the film progressed, though, I was blown away by Germi. His performance just hits all the right notes- he projects this worldly experience, this earnestness, this inner strength. He felt so authentic in this role, I was just so impressed with him. He emerged as perhaps the film's greatest strength- this likeable, complex, intriguing protagonist. After the film, I was quite surprised to learn he was also the director of this tight, focused film. Suffice to say, I left the movie more than a little impressed by Germi. He not only does a terrific job in this memorable role, but he directs a thoroughly enjoyable, memorable film.

As for Cardinale, she's good in her supporting role. It's not as glamorous and meaty as some of her others, but she has a tendency for the camera to be drawn to her. I enjoyed the work she did here. Claudio Gora adds a nice supporting performance that adds complexity and mystery to the story. Franco Fabrizi was effective in his role, too. The entire cast works well.

Germi's film manages to weave together a compelling crime mystery, introduce us to a large cast of interesting characters, give us insight into 1950s Italy, and hold our attention throughout. The movie is a bit of a slow boil- it was only towards the end when I realized how invested I was in learning the truth. The movie is long at 1 hour, 55 minutes, but not too long. This does give the film plenty of breathing room to develop the characters and the mystery. However, the movie's middle is a bit soggy. There's a certain point where I felt my interest waning. We get a bunch of characters, suspicious motivations, potential lies, and at a certain point, you're just ready for some answers. It takes a long time to get to that point, but as the film refocuses on moving to the conclusion, those different strands all start to weave together and the film rights the ship. Along with this, it's important to note that the film manages to throw a good deal of comedy into the mix, too. That was a pleasant surprise. The two other detectives bring a lot of joy to the proceedings and I found myself smiling quite a bit, with the occasional laugh at their dialogue. That was absolutely a pleasant surprise.

All in all, The Facts of Murder takes a bit of work, but it delivers an intelligent, top notch murder mystery. It's exceptionally well made a movie worth seeking out.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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