Progeria, a terrifying and extremely rare disease that leads to degeneration of the human body with symptoms of premature aging, underlies the murderous actions of Robert Dominici (Michael York) an accomplished pianist. In his last, sad days of life he devotes himself to the wildest murder and obsession that the child in Helene's (Edwige Fenech) womb, the fruit of a brief affair she had with him , may be born inheriting the terrible disease.
On the trail of the heinous murders, Commissioner Datti (Donald Pleasence) suspects Robert, but elements of forensic detection attribute the criminal actions to a much older man, thus sidetracking the entire investigation. Meanwhile, Robert, coinciding with the degeneration of his body, is increasingly psychologically tested and wanders, unrecognized through a festive and carefree Venice (made joyous by a Carnival party); anyone who coincidentally intertwines his path is destined to pay with his life (first an elderly man who "theorizes" about aging, then a prostitute from a "dating house").
The musician, now at the end, confesses (unacknowledged) to a friend from his youth (Giovanni Lombardo Radice), who has become a priest, and highlights his (very legitimate) "doubt" about the existence of God...
Then, now bereft of strength, he approaches the house where Helene lives, intending to kill her....
An Uncommon Murder, also known as The House on Rubens Street, is an excellent thriller and this time, along with the successful splatter effect, it combines a respectable plot as well as a decent performance sustained by the actors. Consider, for example, the hapless character played by Michael York who, in a fit of lucid madness, indulges in moral digressions about God and death (the scene inside the confessional, where an atypical Giovanni Lombardo Radice absolves the man of his crimes, is beautiful). Or, again, to the role of the distraught detective (an outstanding Donald Pleasence) who, haunted by the killer's phone threats, catapults himself into a square shouting at the top of his lungs against the "elusive" killer.
Also excellent, incredible to say, is the performance of a superb Edwige Fenech. Powerful, then, is the whole investigative part (misled by contradictory clues due to gradual aging), as well as the sequence set in a park where the killer, in a hallucinating defiance of the police, kills the inspector's colleague inside the patrol car and, despite being confronted by a victim who has been assaulted (Fenech), manages to escape capture.
A sad, highly dramatic film, perfectly calibrated and, above all, carefully crafted both narratively and visually, based on an impeccable-and tremendous-presentation of a fact that, unfortunately, could be extremely realistic.
The screenplay (by Clerici and Mannino) was to be used by Fulci for The New York Ripper (1983), but following some changes made by Dardano Sacchetti, the original subject was set aside to be brought back to the screen by Deodato on this occasion.
Review by undying1
