The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
(1970)
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The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
(1970)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Tony Musante | ... |
Sam Dalmas
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Suzy Kendall | ... |
Julia
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Enrico Maria Salerno | ... |
Inspector Morosini
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Eva Renzi | ... |
Monica Ranieri
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Umberto Raho | ... |
Alberto Ranieri
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| Renato Romano | ... |
Professor Carlo Dover
(as Raf Valenti)
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Giuseppe Castellano | ... |
Monti
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Mario Adorf | ... |
Berto Consalvi
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Pino Patti | ... |
Faiena
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Gildo Di Marco | ... |
Garullo
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Rosita Torosh | ... |
4th Victim
(as Rosa Toros)
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Omar Bonaro | ... |
Police Detective
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Fulvio Mingozzi | ... |
Police Detective
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Werner Peters | ... |
Antique Dealer
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Karen Valenti | ... |
Tina, 5th Victim
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Sam, an American writer in Rome, witnesses a murder attempt on the wife of the owner of an art gallery by a sinister man in a raincoat and black leather gloves - but Sam is powerless to do anything as he gets trapped between a double set of glass doors in going to her aid. The woman survives, and the police say that she is the first surviving victim of a notorious serial killer. But when they fail to make any progress with the case, Sam decides to investigate on his own, turning up several clues that point in the direction of just one possible suspect - assuming that he really knows who he's looking for... Written by Michael Brooke <michael@everyman.demon.co.uk>
Bird With Crystal Plumage is as fine a thriller as you're likely to come across. It strikes me as having Hitchcock's mastery of suspense coupled with the hip urban paranoiac intrigue of the film Blow Up. But Argento has a style that is more original than referential. What we have here is a very stylish giallo with very few peers.
The film follows Sam, an American in Italy who happens to bare witness to an attempted murder. But Sam isn't sure just what he's seen because a vital piece of information has left his memory. It doesn't add up. Since the local authorities on the case won't allow him to leave the country anyway, Sam decides to do a little investigating on his own. Of course, snooping leads him into some dark places and puts him in contact with some shady sources. Not only that, it's apparent that someone wants him out of the picture.
If you've never seen this, you'll never guess how it ends--it comes out of nowhere and the only complaint I will voice about the entire film is that the finale feels a bit forced. Beyond that, it's all gravy. Argento shows much love for the details, like the flick of a razor and a splash of blood. The tension is thick as Sakrete by the last act and, needless to say, Argento piles on atmosphere, especially in the death scenes. Bottom line: 9/10.