User Reviews

Spoiler warning! This early 70s movie, as the previous comments have already pointed out, is a mix of drama and "giallo" (in Italy a crime story is nicknamed "giallo", that is to say "yellow", because a very successful series of detective stories published before WWII by Mondadori had yellow covers). "La morte risale a ieri sera" is marred by poor acting, silly dialogues and forced plot lines, but remains enjoyable as an overall view of the (north)Italian society of almost forty years ago. However, the title is incredibly meaningless: it doesn't allow the occasional viewer to tell this movie from thousands of other Italian crime stories of the 70s. The book which the movie is based upon was written by Giorgio Scerbanenco and entitled "I milanesi ammazzano al sabato"(=People who live in Milan kill on Saturday): it ironically refers to the fact that "milanesi" are people so hard-working that they kill only when they do not have to go to work! This attractive sociological touch is completely lost in the ultra-generic title "The death occurred last night".

Death Occurred Last Night (also known as Death Took Place Last Night and Horror Came out of the Fog) was based on the Giorgio Scerbanenco novel Milanesi Ammazzano al Sabato (The Milanese Kill on Saturdays) and was directed by Duccio Tessari, who co-wrote A Fistful of Dollars before making his name with A Pistol for Ringo and The Return of Ringo. More to the interest of those who love black gloves and switchblades, he made The Bloodstained Butterfly and Puzzle. He co-wrote the script with Biagio Proietti, who was also the writer of The Killer Reserved Nine Seats and Fulci's The Black Cat. Tessari even wrote the lyrics to two of the songs in this movie!

Avanzio Berzaghi (Raf Vallone) has come to Milan to find his runaway daughter and works to solve the case himself - much like an Italy proto-Hardcore - at the very same time that detective Duca Lamberti (Frank Wolff) - a character who also appears in the movies Caliber 9 and Cran d'arrêt - and his partner Mascaranti (Gabriele Tinti, husband of Laura Gemser) investigate the seamier side of the city. They finally find her body in a field, burned beyond all recognition. Now, all Berzaghi has left is seeking out revenge that will never be enough.

The film also shows flashbacks of Berzaghi's relationship with his daughter Donatella (Gillian Bray), a three-year-old child in the body of a fully grown woman with the needs that go with the physical maturity of a twenty-five-year-old. As she lusts after nearly every man she sees, her father had intended to keep her locked up after the death of his wife, but that plan obviously fails.

A cross between giallo and poliziottecschi - each of the two storylines takes each of the genre to heart and then meet at the end - this is a film that doesn't take its cues from Argento - it was made the same year as The Bird With the Crystal Plumage - and emerges as a unique take on the form with an even more unique soundtrack by Gianni Ferrio which doesn't sound like any other giallo score - it doesn't sound like any other music from a film at all - and often puts people off on this movie. Not me.

Speaking of Bird, Lamberti's wife is played by Eva Renzi, who is so important to Argento's film. She's incredible here, not just the most fashionable person in the movie, but her relationship with her policeman husband is one of equal standing.

SPOILER WARNING - There is information in this post which may upset you if you have not seen the movie. If this troubles you = Please do not read on..

SPOILERS AHEAD...

I couldn't agree more with the user aboves comments. This is a first rate giallo directed with clinical precision by Duccio Tessari. Raf Vallone's performance as the troubled father is incredibly moving. The plot isn't really typical of a giallo; A retired parent (Vallone) investigates the disappearance of his retarded daughter, last seen at home. As he searches for clues, so do the police, headed by the police commissioner (excellently played by American actor Frank Wolff, in one of his last roles). Both parties follow their own different lines of investigation meeting up in the final reel for the inevitable bloody conclusion.

Aside from innumerable Italo-Westerns, Tessari only directed one other pure giallo 'Una Farfalla con Le Ali Insanguinate' (The Bloodstained Butterfly). Also a fine example of the genre and his talents, but it's nowhere near as well executed as 'La Morte...'. Whilst 'Butterfly' looks great and really does deliver the giallo goods the performances always seemed quite lacking to me. In 'La Morte..' it's the performances that hold it all together, rather than the other way around.

If anyone has the chance to re-release this film (The Death Occurred Last Night) Please do! It was available in Italy on the CHV label during the 80's and 90's, sadly, now it is almost impossible to find in any format. 'The Bloodstained Butterfly' is readily available (in Italian language only) on DVD.

Amazing giallo. Unlike most giallo or even poliziottesco the characters are fairly developed and the dialogues have some depth and feel to them. For example the fact that we see Duca Lamberti at his house playing the guitar while he talks to his wife ( whose work we get to see as well) about his day gives the film a sense of reality and makes you care about what happens to him. Like that i can mention his relationship with Mascaranti or even Salvatore. Its small death count whileunusual for a giallo also makes the deaths seem memorable and emotional, like that one scene right after Berzaghi hears about the death of his daughter where he painfully slowly throws all her toys and clothes in the garbage. Other of the films highlights for me are the excellently jazzy soundtrack, the beautiful photography and the fact that even though the film deals with some depressing subjects it still finds a way to keep it funny and entertaining. Can't say enough good things about it, great movie.

DEATH OCCURED LAST NIGHT is a low-key Italian mix of crime thriller and giallo, although, sad to say, it fails as a film in both genres. The story is about a woman with the mind of a child who is abducted and forced to work in a brothel before something even more horrendous befalls her. Her father notes her disappearance and goes on a hunt to find her, becoming increasingly unhinged as he does so. Meanwhile, the stolid police team mechnically conduct the slowest investigation ever. And slow is the word here; although the film is well shot by Duccio Tessari, the amount of incident it contains is very low and there are only one or two shocking moments. It picks up in the last ten minutes but before then it's all so cold, lifeless, and, well, a little bit boring. It's a pity, as the photography is fine and Frank Wolff makes for a decent cop protagonist; this is one of those films that needed a lot more 'oomph' for it to work.