Der Todesengel

The influence for this film is clear; it's basically an Italian twist on the Hitchcock classic Strangers on a Train. Being a big fan of that film, I was of course intrigued to see how this was going to turn out. I wont say I was too disappointed overall, but it's nowhere near as good as the original and certainly could have been a lot better. The main problem with it is that director Maurizio Lucidi has aimed too high; it's clear he wanted this to be a high quality thriller rather than a slice of Italian exploitation - and personally I'd rather it have been the latter. The basics of the plot will be familiar to most fans of thrillers, and in this film we focus on Stefano Argenti, an advertising executive who is at odds with his wife over the sale of a joint business. He wants rid of it so he can live a life of luxury with his mistress; but his wife wont agree the sale. Stefano meets Count Mateo Tiepolo, who it transpires, is at odds with his violent brother. Mateo suggests a plan in which each man murder the other's vice; though Stefano is reluctant. But then Mateo kills Stefano's wife, and demands that the favour is returned.

The lead roles are taken by Tomas Milian and Pierre Clémenti, and both perform well and share an intriguing (almost homo-erotic) bond on screen together. The plot itself is rather slowly paced and it has to be said there's not a great deal of excitement; I was never on the edge of my seat waiting to see what's going to happen, and that's unfortunate since the film is supposed to be a thriller. It's all very well orchestrated, however, and the film has themes that go deeper than merely what we're seeing on screen. Director Maurizio Lucidi obviously wanted to keep the film clean, and therefore we don't see any murders actually happen, which is a bit of a disappointment. The locations are all very beautiful and well shot, and this brilliantly offsets the dark themes of the film. The soundtrack is rather interesting also and not merely the norm for Giallo. The film deviates from Hitchcock's original with the ending, which features a clever twist; though I have to say I prefer how the original turned out. Overall, I would definitely say that this film is worth a look; however, I'd have preferred some more of the classic Giallo style.

Not the most obviously giallo although the Shameless DVD says it is one and also Troy Howarth in his splendid book, 'So Deadly, So Perverse' makes the point Patricia Highsmith's books are much in tune with the gialli, so who am I to disagree? The film taking a twist of Hitchcock's, Strangers on a Train (1951) and is in Italy. There are amazing shots in Milan and Moltrasio on Lake Como, of course in Venice and even up high in the Santa Maria Della Salute someone with a rifle. Tomas Milian at his best and Pierre Clementi, almost as well-known such as The Leopard (1963), Belle De Jour (1967) and The Conformist (1970). A great story and a different take especially with these wonderful locations and Milian and Clementi both together. Splendid!

Strangers on a Train is given the giallo treatment in The Designated Victim, which is sadly nowhere near as good as Hitchcock's classic, nor is it one of the better Italian murder mysteries to hail from the '70s.

Tomas Milian plays successful advertising executive Stefano Augenti, who tries unsuccessfully to get his wife Luisa (Marisa Bartoli) to sell her half of the company, which would free up funds for Stefano to leg it to Venezuela with his sexy mistress, French model Fabienne (Katia Christine). While on a dirty weekend with Fabienne in Venice, Stefano encounters the foppish Count Matteo Tiepolo (Pierre Clémenti, who looks like Russell Brand crossed with Freddie Mercury) who comes up with a scheme that would benefit them both: Matteo would kill Luisa, and, in return, Stefano would murder Matteo's bully of a brother. Stefano brushes the idea off as morbid chit-chat, but Matteo goes through with his part of the plan regardless, strangling Luisa with a stocking. When the police investigate, they discover all about Stefano's affair and his intention to leave the country, which makes him the prime suspect.

What follows is a rather mundane thriller as Stefano tries to prove his innocence, with Matteo always one step ahead. Director Maurizio Lucidi fails to wring any tension from the set-up, and, barring some brief T&A from Christine during the opening credits, the film is totally devoid of the genre staples - gratuitous nudity and creative killings, making it a pretty pedestrian affair all round. A daft ending that requires Stefano to be an Olympic standard rifleman really takes the biscuit.

4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb.

Not a tennis player this time but a business man who has a matrimonial conflict with his wife and also a mistress. Noble friend Mateo Tiepolo offers him the "perfect crime" - i.e. he will murder Milian's wife and Milian is supposed to kill his evil brother. After doing his job Mateo expects the compensation. This more stylish version with a good score can be recommended to Milian fans. Considering that I didn't even like the original very much I'll give this one

5 / 10.

This Italian re-working of Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train has Tomas Milian star as an immoral advertising executive who is frustrated with his wife's refusal to sell their business. Angry that he won't be cashing in any time soon, he goes on a trip to Venice where he has a chance meeting with a foppish aristocrat who looks like a cross between Russell Brand and Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen. The two of them make a pact where Brand-Llewellyn-Bowen will kill Milian's wife in return for the latter murdering the former's brother.

In its early stages The Designated Victim looks quite promising. The scenes in off-season Venice where Milian meets the Count and his mysterious lady friend are quite unusual and atmospheric. Unfortunately, the odd lady friend vanishes from the scene leaving Milian and the fop to lead the picture. You will sort of know roughly where the story is going if you are even vaguely familiar with the Hitchcock original. But it's not predictability that's the problem here; it's more the fact that there is a serious lack of suspense and thrills. The film drags for the most part and the dynamic between the two central characters isn't as interesting as it should be. I couldn't really wholeheartedly recommend this one. When you consider the other Italian thrillers on offer in the 70's, this one pales quite a bit by comparison.