Misunderstood — Misunderstood( Blu Ray)
Misunderstood is a mid-1960s Italian melodrama regarding an emotionally distant Consul General whose wife dies- he then has to deal with the aftermath with his two young sons. The film is both heartwarming & heartbreaking- dealing with childhood mischief, emotional muting, and the understanding of grief. It’s a beautiful shot & conceived film- which really did move me, and at points had me tearing up. Here from Radiance is a new Blu-Ray release of the film- featuring a 2k scan of the picture, a new visual essay, and a few archive interviews.
Misunderstood ( Incompreso Vita col figlio ) is from 1966- filmed around Florence, mainly in the house & grounds of a large property, but also in the city itself. It was directed by Salò, Lombardy-born Luigi Comencini. Between the late 1940s and early 1990s, he had thirty-eight credits to his name. These take in gold-digging focused comedy L'imperatore di Capri (1949), romantic comedy Frisky ( 1954), thriller drama Unknown Woman (1969), and older folks-focused romantic comedy Buon Natale... Buon anno (1989).
The film opens with an attached-to-the-side-of-a-car shot as it pulls into the drive of a large house. Inside the car is Sir John Edward Duncombe ( Anthony Quayle) and the local priest. We find out John’s wife has recently passed, and his two sons have been sent away while this happened- he’s going to tell his older son Andrew(Stefano Colagrande) who is nearing his teens, but not his younger around five-year-old Miles(Simone Giannozzi)- as he a poorly child.
From the off, it’s clear John is very emotionally reserved & has had little or nothing to do with the boy's upbringing. He’s the UK Consul General in Florence- been a good diplomat, but a distant father- who loved his wife deeply, but finds it difficult showing love to his boys especially Andrew- who he treats a lot older than he is, often putting the safety/ care of his younger brother on his shoulders.
As the film unfolds we see, well boys been boys as the two brothers give the just brought-in prim & proper nanny the run-around. Playing risky games, and making their way into Florence on their own without permission. This element of the film made me nostalgic for my own boyhood- not that I had a nanny, but I can relate to getting up to things you should be, and the fun of it.
Also, we of course see how John and the two boys deal with their loss. He listens to a tape recording of his wife trying to hold back tears, John tries to be grown-up but is often hit by the loss unexpectedly, and Miles just misses his mother- asking when she’ll be back from being away.
The film is largely set around a large house and its grounds which include gardens, and a body of water. It’s scored by lush orchestrated classic music, and melodic piano work.
Acting wise Quayle is excellent as the initially emotionally reserved, trying to deal with his emotions diplomate. Colagrande as the older son is very believable- balancing the loss of his mother, while still trying to be a mischievous boy. Giannozzi as his younger brother is also excellent- shifting between being poorly/ fed-up with it, mischievous, and at points amusing. Also worth a mention is the boy's uncle Willam (John Sharp) a balding red-faced man, who often speaks his mind/ teases the boys
The film, as you’d expect for a melodrama, is fairly slow/ building. With at points it having a rather episodic feel, we get snap-shots of the boy's days, and their father's evenings trying to come to terms with things. It’s a film you have to let yourself get sucked into, and boy when you do it’s both heart-warm/ charming and later on heartbreaking/ tragic- to be honest I can’t recall the last time I was so emotionally impacted by a film- both in the nostalgia & sadness stakes.
This new region-free Blu-Ray features a 2k scan- this looks wonderful bold and bright, with lush and crisp colours throughout- simply put a lovely job.
We have a few extras- the only new thing on the disc is A Child’s Heart(24.51) a visual essay by David Cairns- this is excellent as he goes from talking about the original novel the film was based on which was written in 1869 by Florence Montgomery, and how it was popular in the upon its release in Britain. Moving on he talks about how the director came to make the film, going on to give a bio of Luigi Comencini. He discusses how many of his films focus on childhood- we get quotes from an interview with the director on why the theme interests him so much. He talks about the acting in the film, and we find out that the two children's actors never acted again. He compares the book to the film, and does a deeper dive into the director's other key childhood-themed films. So a must-watch/ play!.
Otherwise, we get two other on-disc extras- The Lost Childhood (23.41) a 2021 interview with critic Michel Ciment. And Speaking Of…( 35.10) from 2008 Interview with co-screenwriter Piero De Bernardi and Cristina Comencini, the director’s daughter and herself a noted filmmaker.
The release comes presented with a thirty-two-page inlay booklet- this takes in new writing by critic Manuela Lazic and a newly translated archival interview with Comencini. As well as a good selection of colour stills from the film.
Misunderstood is a wonderfully made and acted film- which is both heartwarming & deeply moving- been truly one of the greatest films regarding childhood/ family loss. This Radiance release features a lovely 2k print and a good selection of extras.