This is a movie filmed with great quality and heart. It feels special, it feels almost poetic, it feels human, it feels warm, it feels dramatic and moving, it feels artistic and even refined. On the other hand it feels original and unique for its distinguish story but also for the Italian way of film-making (obviously different from the American standard).
Not only this is an Italian film, it also takes place in Italy and has fine settings and backgrounds, without forgetting that it does a good work in showing the places in Italy where the action takes place. The Duncombe's house is gorgeous and its garden is no less gorgeous. That is definitely a house for high society people.
The actors's portrayals are wonderful: Anthony Quayle as Sir John Edward Duncombe, Stefano Colagrande as Andrea, Simone Giannozzi as Milo, John Sharp as Uncle Will and Giorgia Moll as Miss Judy.
Even though the Duncombes are a British family, we hardly even think of them as British. They only speak Italian, plus they have no British accent. The two kids are Italian in real life. Anthony Quayle and John Sharp were actually British in real life but they speak Italian so well (without any signs of British accent) that you don't even think of them as British. Other than the lead characters speaking perfect Italian, the Italian in this movie is calmly spoken and relatively simple to understand.
'Incompreso' is simply one of the finest dramas I know. The story is emotional and there is always the beautiful classical music to put more emotion into a story that is already so sentimental.
The crazy Uncle Will is the comic relief of this emotional film. Who wouldn't like to have an extravagant uncle like him?
Miss Judy (the nanny), while not that relevant as a character, is nevertheless an enjoyable character, certainly much nicer than the first nanny. Not to mention that Miss Judy is hot...
More than an Italian masterpiece, it's a take on youngsters's feelings. In fact, "Incompreso" means "Misunderstood", which is how our friend Andrea (a handsome and sensitive boy) feels: heavily misunderstood by his father (who is loving but severe and distant). Add to it the fact that he faces the loss of his mother and the challenge of taking care of his infant brother Milo (who is adorable and cute as a button but also very demanding).
Yet, as dramatic as the movie is, it has many funny moments too - and not just because of the eccentric uncle.
If there ever was a movie that didn't need to be remade, this is it. Still, this film had a decent American remake in 1984 under the title 'Misunderstood' (an exact translation of the original Italian title). Each with their differences and similarities, but make no mistake: the Italian is much better.
I don't know the title of this in Portugal.
