Bird with the Crystal Plumage, The

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

An American writer in Italy is finishing up a job that will pay him enough money to return back to the states. One evening on his way home he sees a woman being attacked by an assailant. When he goes to her aid he gets trapped in the foyer to the store and is forced to watch the woman struggle with her wounds. Luckily he gets the attention of a passerby and is able to summon the police who arrive in time to save the victim, the first survivor of a serial killer that has been plaguing the city. The Police are unwilling to allow the writer, Sam, to leave for home and take his passport until they have solved the case. Since he is stuck in Italy Sam and his girlfriend Julia go about on their own investigation, which gets the attention of the killer who starts to stalk them. Can Sam figure out who the killer is before he or Julia becomes the next victim?

This is the first of the movies that Argento directed and in many ways is my favorite. The story is well put together and provides the viewer with enough mystery to keep them guessing as to the identity of the killer till the end. Not only that but the story is plausible and doesn’t force the audience into large leaps of faith or shall we say lapses in logic. For anyone who complains about later Argento movies having stories that don’t make much sense this might be the film for you. This movie also boasts what is easily the best group of characters in any Argento movie ever. From the Snitch who speaks in riddles, the pimp with a speech impediment, and the shopkeeper that really “enjoys” Sam’s company a bit too much they are all memorable and fun to watch on screen. Hell I’ve almost forgotten to mention the artist with shall we say unusual tastes in lunch! Great story and great characters make for a great movie.

The performances in the movie are okay. Again I think that they might suffer a bit from the dubbing, which always seems to happen in Italian made films. But even with this disadvantage Tony Musante in the role of Sam stands out. He does an excellent job as the writer who at first is unwilling to get involved and just wants to go home that eventually gets so interested that he has to stay and help solve the crime. Also without giving too much away the person who is eventually revealed to be the killer is portrayed very well by the cast member.

Even in this, his first outing as director, Argento shows flashes of what he will become known for later in his career. The staging and execution of the attack on the victim that gets Sam involved in the case is brilliant. It seems like such a simple setup with Sam being trapped between the two glass doors, but it works so damn well. Plus there are a few very subtle visual clues that Argento shows you along the way to clue you in on who the killer is. After watching this the first time go back and watch it again to see what you missed.

What else can I say? This is a great movie that belongs in the collection of anyone who considers himself or herself a fan of Giallos or Italian cinema. As I’ve already stated even if you aren’t normally a fan of Argento I think this may be the one that you would like. I highly recommend it.

3 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer