Just a quick post, as we’re all working away like crazy here on the upcoming Gwyl Crime Cymru Festival, but I recently watched this early fifties British noir and thought it was worth recording given the Venice connection.

First of all, why that title (take from the source novel by Victor Canning, in the US it went out under the rather generic name of “The Assassin”)? Well, the plot centres around British private detective Edward Mercer (Richard Todd) searching for Italian war hero Renzo Uccello (John Gregson) in post-war Venice. Although I do wonder how many people would have made the connection of Uccello = bird.

As you can see, we’re firmly in Third Man territory here, only with a Venetian spin. The trouble is Todd is no Joseph Cotten, Gregson is no Orson Welles, and Eva Bartok is no Alida Valli. And so, sadly, Venetian Bird is no Third Man.

Perhaps that’s unfair. We’re holding up a masterpiece of cinema as a point of comparison here and Venetian Bird has plenty to enjoy on its own merits. There’s a veritable who’s-who of fifties character actors amongst the cast – George Colouris, Miles Malleson, Eric Pohlmann – and best of all, there’s Sid James. Now (as those of you who listen to The House of Hammer will know) this is Sid in his pre-Carry On days, demonstrating just what a great character actor he was.

But what really makes Venetian Bird worth watching is the location filming in Venice. The black and white photography is gorgeous and the final set piece, as Mercer pursues Uccello over the rooftops above San Marco, is terrific.

Not a classic then, but well worth a watch.

Right, that’s all for now – hoping to see some of you at Gwyl Crime Cymru Festival next month!

Cheers

Philip