The Facts of Murder (1959) in Color — Starring Pietro Germi & Claudia Cardinale

The Facts of Murder (1959) — Buy This Classic in Color

Experience the masterful Italian crime drama The Facts of Murder (1959) Colorized, originally titled Un Maledetto Imbroglio, Pietro Germi’s brilliant detective thriller that follows a tenacious police inspector through the winding streets and apartment blocks of Rome as he investigates a murder that reveals the hidden lives and secrets of an entire apartment building, starring Germi himself alongside the luminous Claudia Cardinale, now available for purchase in stunning color — a colori — for just €15.00. This digitally enhanced version brings the atmospheric beauty of late-1950s Rome to vivid life with rich colorization that perfectly complements Germi’s blend of neorealist observation and gripping procedural suspense. Own this DRM-free digital download and enjoy one of Italian cinema’s finest detective films.

Plot Summary

Inspector Ingravallo (Pietro Germi) is a rumpled, methodical police detective working in Rome, a man whose quiet exterior conceals a sharp analytical mind and a deep understanding of human nature. When a robbery occurs in a middle-class Roman apartment building, Ingravallo is assigned to investigate what appears at first to be a routine property crime. But the investigation quickly becomes far more complex and far more disturbing.

A woman in the building — the beautiful and seemingly respectable Signora Balducci (Eleonora Rossi Drago) — is found murdered, and the robbery now appears to have been either a cover for the killing or connected to it in ways that are not immediately apparent. Ingravallo begins the painstaking process of interviewing the building’s residents, and each conversation reveals new layers of secrets, lies, jealousies, and hidden relationships that no one wants exposed.

The apartment building becomes a microcosm of Roman society. Behind the closed doors of each flat, Ingravallo discovers private dramas that the residents have carefully concealed from their neighbours — illicit affairs, financial desperation, family dysfunction, and simmering resentments. Every resident has something to hide, and each new revelation shifts the web of suspicion in unexpected directions.

The investigation leads Ingravallo from the respectable apartment building into the poorer quarters of Rome, where the dead woman’s connections prove even more surprising. The trail passes through markets, trattorie, cramped working-class apartments, and the marginal spaces where Rome’s respectable middle class and its underworld brush against each other. Germi’s camera captures the city with an observant, unsentimental eye that recalls the great neorealist tradition while serving the demands of a compelling mystery narrative.

As the evidence accumulates, Ingravallo must confront the uncomfortable truth that understanding the murder requires understanding the compromised moral landscape of ordinary people — people who are neither heroes nor villains but complex, flawed human beings whose secrets have deadly consequences.

Cast & Crew

Director: Pietro Germi

Stars: Pietro Germi as Inspector Ingravallo, Claudia Cardinale as Assuntina the maid, Franco Fabrizi as the Cousin, Eleonora Rossi Drago as Signora Balducci, Claudio Gora as the Husband, Nino Castelnuovo as the Electrician Diomede

Pietro Germi delivers a wonderfully understated performance as the dogged inspector, bringing intellectual rigour and quiet compassion to his investigation. Claudia Cardinale, in one of her early significant roles, is captivating as the young maid whose testimony becomes increasingly important. The ensemble cast of apartment residents creates a vivid portrait of Roman middle-class life.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

The colorization of The Facts of Murder brings 1950s Rome to atmospheric life — the warm terracotta and ochre tones of Roman buildings, the bustling streetscapes, the varied interiors of the apartment building from bourgeois sitting rooms to modest servants’ quarters, and the striking visual contrast between respectable Rome and its grittier margins all gain tremendous depth through colour. Germi’s careful visual compositions are enhanced beautifully by the colour palette’s atmospheric richness. Now also available in colour — a colori — for audiences worldwide. Buy The Facts of Murder (1959) Colorized today for €15.00 and own this Italian crime masterpiece in a DRM-free format you can enjoy forever.

Historical Significance

The Facts of Murder (Un Maledetto Imbroglio) is based on Carlo Emilio Gadda’s celebrated novel Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana (1957), one of the masterworks of twentieth-century Italian literature. Germi’s adaptation brilliantly translates Gadda’s baroque literary style into cinema, creating a detective story that is simultaneously a rich social portrait of postwar Rome. The film showcases Claudia Cardinale at the beginning of the career that would make her one of international cinema’s greatest stars. Germi himself, who would later win the Palme d’Or at Cannes for Divorce Italian Style (1961), demonstrates here his mastery of both directing and acting. Through colorization, this essential Italian crime drama is preserved for modern audiences.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Yes, professional AI-assisted colorization
• Audio: Original Italian mono soundtrack with English subtitles
• Runtime: Approximately 115 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: What is the original Italian title?
A: The film’s original Italian title is Un Maledetto Imbroglio, which translates roughly as ‘A Terrible Mess’ or ‘A Damned Muddle,’ reflecting the tangled web of secrets and lies that Inspector Ingravallo must unravel.

Q: Is this the same director as Divorce Italian Style?
A: Yes, Pietro Germi directed both films. He also stars in The Facts of Murder as Inspector Ingravallo, demonstrating his remarkable dual talent as both director and actor. He would win the Palme d’Or at Cannes for Divorce Italian Style in 1961.

Q: What language is the film in?
A: The film is in Italian with English subtitles. The original Italian dialogue adds tremendous authenticity to the Roman setting and the interactions between characters from different social classes.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as a high-quality MP4 file in HD 720p resolution, compatible with virtually all modern devices and media players.

Q: Is the download DRM-free?
A: Yes, your purchase is completely DRM-free. You own the file outright and can watch it on any device without restrictions or recurring fees.

Q: How quickly will I receive the download?
A: Your download link is available immediately after payment is confirmed. You can begin watching The Facts of Murder (1959) Colorized within minutes of your purchase.

Related Colorized Classics

• Bicycle Thieves (1948)
• Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958)
• Umberto D. (1952)
• Rome, Open City (1945)
• Rififi (1955)