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Technically, The Suspicious Death of a Minor is a giallo. It has a mystery, and all of the exploitation elements of prostitution, crime, and violence. Too bad this film wanted to be trashy American tv.

As an American watching Italian films, part of what I appreciate about giallos is that they are very Italian (though some are also Spanish) and differ from American mysteries and horror from the 1970s in significant ways - with the exception of Alfred Sole's Alice Sweet Alice and the British film Don't Look Now. These last two films are excellent English-language tributes to the giallo. But The Suspicious Death of a Minor is decidedly NOT an excellent tribute to American cinema.

Essentially, it's a buddy comedy featuring an adult man in his 30s befriending a younger petty thief of about 20, who showers his mother and siblings with gifts he steals by snatching purses from street walkers and other tacky ventures. They team up to solve a murder, and from there it's all downhill.

This mediocre giallo is filled to the brim with fist fights, numerous car accidents, and slapstick comedy better suited to an episode of The Dukes of Hazard and features mystery elements reminiscent of the cop soap Hart to Hart rather than of giallo-inspiration Agatha Christie. I mean, I can see why some people would like this sort of thing, but I just don't. There was some physical comedy which appeared to be an intentional homage to 1920s silent film which I appreciated, but it just wasn't enough to carry the flick. I cannot believe Sergio Martino was even involved with this.

As other reviewers have said this is a strange movie. It is kind of an "unofficial" sixth entry to the series of excellent gialli directed by Sergio Martino in the early 1970's (although, as such, it is definitely step down from his previous film "Torso"). It has a very familiar "giallo-esqe" starting point where the investigation of a murdered underage prostitute leads to a lot of equally nasty killings. It also functions as a "poliziani" with lots of action and chase sequences and a cynical plot involving high-level political intrigue. Claudio Cassinelli plays a cop who makes Dirty Harry look restrained and by-the-book. He sleeps with prostitutes, consorts with minor criminals, feels up underage girls, shoots at civilians, and even leads the regular police on a wreckless high-speed chase for no real reason. The people he is after though are even worse, involved in everything from kidnapping to drugs and teenage prostitution to money laundering.

But if all this isn't a little too much, the movie also tries to be a comedy. Cassanelli has a comical side-kick, and there is a running gag where he keeps breaking his glasses. Sometimes the comedy works, but other times it tends to sabotage the drama, like when he incorporates slapstick pratfalls into what is already a very over-long car chase (a bane of these type of movies ever since "The French Connection" was released in Italy). Fortunately, Cassinelli has charisma to spare in his first of many roles for director Martino (he didn't have the impressive breasts of Martino's other frequent collaborator Edwige Fenech, but he was no doubt a better actor). Jenny Tamburi, on the other hand, was pretty much wasted (both as an actress and pair of impressive breasts). But Mel Ferrer and most of the other obscure more actors acquit themselves pretty well. Not as good as Martino's earlier movies, but better than his later ones, and it has just been released in widescreen with English subtitles on (import) DVD. So check it out for yourself.

An authentic Italian 70's Crime/Giallo movie with loads of comedy elements and even slapstick? What's next …a Disney's Pixar movie featuring graphic sex and gory massacres? Say what you want about director Sergio Martino, but you certainly can't claim he hasn't experimented with all the different genres imaginable. He directed several brilliant and prototype Gialli ("Torso", "Case of the Scorpion's Tail"), but also Spaghetti Westerns ("A Man Called Blade"), relentless cop thrillers ("The Violent Professionals"), sleazy comedies ("Sex with a Smile"), Apocalyptic Sci-Fi ("After the Fall of New York"), Cyborg action-flicks ("Fists of Steel"), cheesy monster movies ("Big Alligator River") and cannibal adventures ("Mountain of the Cannibal God"). Yet, of his entire versatile repertoire, "Suspected Death of a Minor" is perhaps his most awkward accomplishment. Judging from the title, the basic plot synopsis and the picture images on the back of the DVD box, the film looks like a standard Giallo, but the story further unfolds itself more as a bitter crime thriller interlarded with large bits of comedy. And the absolute strangest thing is that this unusual hodgepodge of styles and genre also actually works, or at least up to a certain degree. It's hard to picture yourself a Giallo plot, covering crude topics such as teen prostitution networks and vile murders, and simultaneously witness comical car chases and clichéd running gags. It's rather difficult to write a brief summary of the plot without giving away surprise details or essential twists. Most reviews – even the one on the DVD box – already reveal a nice detail regarding the main character's identity even though the script keeps it a secret up until 45 minutes into the film! I think it's best to know nothing about the story and simply watch it unfold. I'll simple reveal that all the required ingredients of a supreme Giallo dish are present, including a vicious reflecting sunglasses-wearing killer, rooftop & roller coaster showdowns and perverted men with money & power. Claudio Cassinelli depicts one of the most likable characters I've ever seen in an Italian film. He's eloquent and witty, but ultimately arrogant and provocative towards everyone who crosses his path. There are a couple of brutal murders on display but the amount of female nudity is sorely disappointing, presumably because Martino didn't engage his heavenly luscious muse Edwige Fenech this time. Luciano Michellini's musical score is reminiscent to Goblin's work for Dario Argento and the photography is very nice. "Suspected Death of a Minor" is a good film and recommended to fans of the director and the genre. However, make sure it's not your first acquaintance with the Giallo, otherwise you might get a misconception of what this wondrous sub genre is all about.

Nothing like the gialli of Sergio Martino, "The Suspicious Death Of A Minor" is really a poliziotteschi with giallo elements. There are some giallo-esque murders and the rest is a mystery involving prostitution. The main character does a fine job and the supporting cast is fine as well. The music is groovy prog-rock except for the chase scenes, which sound like the music from "Watch Out, Were Mad." The main character's car is like the car from "Deep Red," where you have to climb in through the roof. All-around fine film with a "Dirty Harry" type cop facing off with an evil banker and a hitman with sunglasses.

If you are expecting a 'giallo' to unfold, and with the title, box art and opening of the film, you have every right to do so, you will be a little disappointed.

For instead this is a right hotchpotch of styles and levels of seriousness. Once aware that this is going to go all over the place and include social comment and slapstick comedy whilst retaining a sleazy back story of under age prostitution one can relax and enjoy, at face value, a most likable film.

Made after most of his 'giallo' greats this is always watchable with fine moments. It's just that it's not what you would expect.