The Suspicious Death of a Minor
The Suspicious Death of a Minor
Detective Paolo Germi (Claudio Cassinelli) is assigned to investigate the suspicious murder of a very young girl, but every time he gets closer to unraveling the mystery, more killings occur. Eventually, through his investigation, the detective uncovers a prostitution ring with ties to very powerful people.
Matthias_812 reviewedMay 11, 2025
Among the flurry of Italian crime films released in the mid-70's, The Suspicious Death of a Minor stands out- not for being the most polished or brutal, but for being one of the weirdest hybrids of the era. Sergio Martino attempts to fuse the intensity of Poliziotteschi with the sleek suspense of Giallo, adding flashes of black comedy. A sort of genre mash of the Italian's answer to Dirty Harry.
The Suspicious Death of a Minor dances between tones, layering its social commentary (centered on child exploitation) with tonal shifts and action scenes that border on slapstick. It’s less concerned with realism or political anger and more interested in genre subversion. Pacing is inconsistent on top of running longer than needed- it's no Torso.