WEEKEND MURDERS (1970) Directed by Michele Lupo
Now this is the type of British whodunnit I've been longing to see. After viewing many Agatha Christie adaptations both for film and TV, and other British murder mysteries such as on PBS' MYSTERY! I've been left wanting something with a little more pizazz and some comedy to enliven the proceedings up. The search is over with THE WEEKEND MURDERS. All the typical characteristics are present: a country estate with family gathered for a reading of the patriarch's will, murder, tea-time, a healthy lot of suspects including servants, and a police investigation. But here's the difference, WEKEND MURDERS is Italian. Well, its actually an Italian-British co-production filmed in England. But the Italian style is written all over this 1970 film and that I conclude provides the spark for one of the most entertaining, well-made and best murder mysteries I have seen. Not only that, but THE WEEKEND MURDERS is easily one of the top giallos as well.
Michele Lupo directs and and the viewer gets rewarded with a polished, fluid, entertaining and highly rewatchable gem. The cinematography with its zooms and interesting camera movements and placements spices things up without ever misstepping. The cast is mostly Italian-film related but also includes some British actors as well. Familiar Italian-movie faces include Ida Galli (Eveline Stewart), Giacomo Ross-Stuart, Quinto Parmeggiani, Orchidea de Santis, Marisa Fabbri, Anna Moffo, Gastone Moschin. Lance Percival and Christopher Chittell lead the British and Peter Baldwin is an American actor-director. The musical score by Francesco De Masi is most famous for incorporating Tchaikovsky's 'Piano Concerto no. 1', particularly when another murder is discovered (coincidentally, Evelien Stewart played in the other giallo that also incorporated Tchaikovsky's piece - "The Bloodstained Butterfly"). But the original music is also worth noting, perfectly complementing the various moods and action and underscoring what the WEEKEND MURDERS is all about: good fun.
As for the story, the Baron Carter has passed away and all his family joins on the estate for a reading of the will. Only here the contents of the will are a bit radical as well as sarcastic. Greed, petty family squabbling, and murder ensue. The local police as well as Scotland Yard are called in to investigate. As they do, the bodies pile up (in some very strange places as well). And thats where I'll stop.
Much of the fun of the WEEKEND MURDERS comes from its cast of characters. The performances are uniformly excellent. Anna Moffo, who I have never seen before does an excellent job as the niece. Eveline Stewart and Peter Baldwin play the couple who seem to be searching for something or someone else. Marisa Fabbri (Aunt Gladys) and her practical-joking son, Christopher Chitell (Georgie) are delightful to watch. Giacomo Ross-Stewart plays the fun-loving nephew who shocks his family with his new exotic bride played by Beryl Cunningham. Quinto Parmeggiani portrays the reserved brother. Gastone Moschin is wonderful as Sgt. Thorpe the seemingly bumbling local constable. Moschin is hilarious and yet his comedy never degenerates into overt sillyness, as in say, Inspector Clouseau. Lance Percival plays the superior Scotland Yard Inspector who looks down on Sgt. Thorpe as a bumbling local yokel policeman. However, as the story unfolds, the relationship between the two becomes more and more interesting as the true sleuth finds the clues. Orchidea de Santis lends her pleasant presence as the maid. Let me tell you there is one warped scene involving Georgie, his mother, and the maid which is a real howler, particularly the non-verbal punchline. Add in some other characters (suspects) and you have all the ingredients for a bloody-good mystery.
WEEKEND MURDERS is the perfect blend of whodunnit-comedy with plenty of style to boot. I've seen close to 100 giallos and this is easily in the top 20. It doesn't boast the violence and sleaze that would punctuate most of the giallos even the following year. But it doesn't need it. WEEKEND MURDERS takes the traditional British murder mystery and adds some Italian spices to produce an enjoyable take.
Recommended. 8/10.
Now this is the type of British whodunnit I've been longing to see. After viewing many Agatha Christie adaptations both for film and TV, and other British murder mysteries such as on PBS' MYSTERY! I've been left wanting something with a little more pizazz and some comedy to enliven the proceedings up. The search is over with THE WEEKEND MURDERS. All the typical characteristics are present: a country estate with family gathered for a reading of the patriarch's will, murder, tea-time, a healthy lot of suspects including servants, and a police investigation. But here's the difference, WEKEND MURDERS is Italian. Well, its actually an Italian-British co-production filmed in England. But the Italian style is written all over this 1970 film and that I conclude provides the spark for one of the most entertaining, well-made and best murder mysteries I have seen. Not only that, but THE WEEKEND MURDERS is easily one of the top giallos as well.
Michele Lupo directs and and the viewer gets rewarded with a polished, fluid, entertaining and highly rewatchable gem. The cinematography with its zooms and interesting camera movements and placements spices things up without ever misstepping. The cast is mostly Italian-film related but also includes some British actors as well. Familiar Italian-movie faces include Ida Galli (Eveline Stewart), Giacomo Ross-Stuart, Quinto Parmeggiani, Orchidea de Santis, Marisa Fabbri, Anna Moffo, Gastone Moschin. Lance Percival and Christopher Chittell lead the British and Peter Baldwin is an American actor-director. The musical score by Francesco De Masi is most famous for incorporating Tchaikovsky's 'Piano Concerto no. 1', particularly when another murder is discovered (coincidentally, Evelien Stewart played in the other giallo that also incorporated Tchaikovsky's piece - "The Bloodstained Butterfly"). But the original music is also worth noting, perfectly complementing the various moods and action and underscoring what the WEEKEND MURDERS is all about: good fun.
As for the story, the Baron Carter has passed away and all his family joins on the estate for a reading of the will. Only here the contents of the will are a bit radical as well as sarcastic. Greed, petty family squabbling, and murder ensue. The local police as well as Scotland Yard are called in to investigate. As they do, the bodies pile up (in some very strange places as well). And thats where I'll stop.
Much of the fun of the WEEKEND MURDERS comes from its cast of characters. The performances are uniformly excellent. Anna Moffo, who I have never seen before does an excellent job as the niece. Eveline Stewart and Peter Baldwin play the couple who seem to be searching for something or someone else. Marisa Fabbri (Aunt Gladys) and her practical-joking son, Christopher Chitell (Georgie) are delightful to watch. Giacomo Ross-Stewart plays the fun-loving nephew who shocks his family with his new exotic bride played by Beryl Cunningham. Quinto Parmeggiani portrays the reserved brother. Gastone Moschin is wonderful as Sgt. Thorpe the seemingly bumbling local constable. Moschin is hilarious and yet his comedy never degenerates into overt sillyness, as in say, Inspector Clouseau. Lance Percival plays the superior Scotland Yard Inspector who looks down on Sgt. Thorpe as a bumbling local yokel policeman. However, as the story unfolds, the relationship between the two becomes more and more interesting as the true sleuth finds the clues. Orchidea de Santis lends her pleasant presence as the maid. Let me tell you there is one warped scene involving Georgie, his mother, and the maid which is a real howler, particularly the non-verbal punchline. Add in some other characters (suspects) and you have all the ingredients for a bloody-good mystery.
WEEKEND MURDERS is the perfect blend of whodunnit-comedy with plenty of style to boot. I've seen close to 100 giallos and this is easily in the top 20. It doesn't boast the violence and sleaze that would punctuate most of the giallos even the following year. But it doesn't need it. WEEKEND MURDERS takes the traditional British murder mystery and adds some Italian spices to produce an enjoyable take.
Recommended. 8/10.
