Bruno Corbucci
Delitto In Formula 1

Hello guys, today we're talking about a classic.

"Delitto In Formula 1" ('84) is the penultimate film in which Thomas Milian plays the role of inspector Nico Giraldi, the protagonist of a series of comedies with a vaguely detective theme, acted from the mid-70s.

These are films that, as is known, despite enjoying a certain public favor, have never received critical acclaim and are often even cited as one of the lowest points in our cinema, undoubtedly as a symbol of the decline of Italian comedy after the glories of the past.

These are criticisms that, in part, seem reasonable, since the comedy of the films featuring Milian as the protagonist—alongside characters like Bombolo, Jimmy il Fenomeno, and beautiful women like Dagmar Lassander, Isabel Russinova who appear in this film—lives mainly on the boorishness of the character whom the Cuban-born actor personifies, but whose soul is in the dubbing of the late Ferruccio Amendola (notably, Claudio Amendola has recently been the Monnezza's son in a nearly unnoticed film). Thomas himself was aware of this, who, as a cultured student of the Actor's Studio, lent his face and movements to inspector Giraldi with a certain, progressive estrangement—and related tiredness—which according to some, led him, in those years, to become a slave of cocaine.

Viewed with the right balance, "Delitto In Formula 1" turns out to be a bit boring, does not exceed in heaviness, and, though being produced with a good budget, does not lose the hasty character often attributed to these works, yet it has some merits.

The plot tells us about the mysterious death of a Formula 1 champion, due to the sabotage of his car at the Monza Grand Prix (one of the paddock characters visibly depicts the then-engineer Forghieri of Ferrari). A few days later, in Rome, the body of a shady character involved in Formula 1 dealings is discovered in the trunk of a stolen car. Since the rash perpetrator of the theft is the lazy brother-in-law (and rockabilly!!) of inspector Giraldi, the latter starts investigating, uncovering the relation between the two crimes and holding the culprit accountable.

Tiredly performed by a Milian now nauseated by the character, with a Bombolo akin to a sketch (the poor Lechner knew nothing else), the film is appreciated for some directorial and scenic ideas that should at least temper the negative judgment often given to these works.

First and foremost, the locations betray the popular extraction of the film, describing for us a Rome completely detached from the cliché, never framing any of the monuments that make the city known worldwide, except for a fleeting and distracted appearance of the dome seen from Giraldi's home window. The scenes unfold in bars, police stations, billiard halls, workshops, that is, in "non-places" that could be typical anywhere and which mark a total detachment from the tourist Rome regarding the story narrated, restoring the city's living soul (I like to think that the members of the Magliana moved in environments more similar to these than to those described by Placido in "Romanzo Criminale").

Equally beautiful is the description of Giraldi's house: those who lived through those years can recognize a typically '80s petty bourgeois interior, starting from insignificant details like the model of the color TV, the bathroom mirror, the Smurf collection, the miniature foosball, the tablecloths, etc. A touch of neo neo-realism that fits well and connects us precisely to the tradition of Italian comedy.

Some sequences also appear technically impeccable: interesting not only the opening scenes on the Formula 1 race (where, however, late '70s models are used), with nice cross-editing, but also the long tracking shot towards the end of the film depicting Milian|Giraldi's arrival at the Formula 1 team (car framing in progress-arrival inspector-walking inspector towards the box-dialogue at the box with no change in framing), as well as the epic final car chase through the Roman suburbs, the Eur, the Lazio countryside, and a quarry where the film reaches its climax.

In conclusion, I don't feel like rehabilitating this cinema, but neither do I join the chorus of those who disdain every detail of it. There's always something worth saving, just watching it with a distanced and non-ideological eye.

Rating: 2/5 on the Debaser scale, 3/5 compared to Italian comedies of the time.

Yours, Il_Paolo