Misunderstood (1966) Beautiful and genuine Italian Melodrama (Review)

I love the rich history of classic Italian Cinema. I’ve marvelled over the films of Rossellini, De Sica, Antonioni, Pasolini, Visconti and Fellini. Since their inception Radiance Films have been unearthing hidden gems from Italy and shining a light on some of the country’s best under-watched directors, one of which is Luigi Comenicini. Radiance have previously released Comenicini’s The Sunday Woman (1975), a star-studded crime satire that plays out like a hangout whodunnit, which was a blast. Radiance’s latest release Misunderstood (1966) is another film directed by Luigi Comenicini, giving audience’s the opportunity to discover the depth and diversity of the director’s talents as he tackles a beautiful coming-of-age melodrama. 

Andrea (Stefano Colagrande) and his younger brother Milo (Simone Giannozzi) have been shielded from the news of their mother’s death by their father John Duncombe (Anthony Quayle), who returns from the funeral in Florence heartbroken and unsure how to tell his young children about the news. He chooses to inform Andrea, who has already managed to piece together what’s happened and doesn’t react in the way that John expects. John mistakes Andrea’s lack of melodramatic reaction as a sign of maturity and entrusts him with more familial responsibility, primarily caring for his younger brother on their affluent estate. John hires a Nanny, who unsuccessfully tries to install discipline and is fired after the brothers rebel, desiring instead to have fun and play games. At his father’s request, Andrea tries to include Milo in his activities, which consequently leads to Milo accompanying Andrea sneaking into town to buy a birthday gift. John catches the two on their return, scolding Andrea for his immaturity, while also being emotionally touched by the boy’s thoughtful gift. John continues to give Andrea more responsibility, taking him to work at the British embassy and preparing him for future work. John is working often and fails to notice Andrea’s private grief, which includes listening to a tape of his mother’s voice over and over again. The film takes a tragic turn, forcing John to reckon with his absence and seeing Andrea for the child that he is. 

Misunderstood is deeply moving and beautifully realised by Comenicini. It is a touching and heartbreaking look at a family in grief and the consequences of miscommunication. John begins the film having kept a huge secret from his children in hope of protecting them, but he misreads his eldest son’s reaction and ends up consequently corrupting Andrea’s youth by trying to share the burden of raising Milo with him. Comenicini plays this delicately; these are good people trying to find their way through something cataclysmic, prevented from working through their grief by their inability to communicate. Comenicini crucially understands the emotional intelligence that children possess and this quality sets Misunderstood apart from its peers. Andrea is perceptive. He can see that his father is in pain and wants to ease the burden, protecting his father from his own pain by taking on more responsibility. This beautiful sentiment tragically sets Andrea on a path to disaster. 

Another thing that sets Misunderstood apart is the quality of the child acting. Stefano Colagrande and Simone Giannozzi give two of the finest young performances I’ve ever seen and their authenticity grounds the melodrama in something relatable and real. Stefano Colagrande as Andrea is particularly incredible, his ability to convey vulnerability and sensitivity is striking. To talk of only tragedy doesn’t do justice to Misunderstood. This film contains some of the most infectiously joyful scenes of children playing games and having fun. In that sense, Comenicini perfectly captures the exuberance of youth, bottling the magic of feeling like the whole world is your playground. 

I have always been a sucker for melodrama. It’s a genre that allows you to tell small stories with grand, sweeping emotions. I went through the full range of emotions with Misunderstood, grinning alongside Milo and crying alongside Andrea. Radiance have re-discovered a magnificent film, stunningly restored in 2K from the original negatives, that is beautiful, genuine and painful. If you’re like me, and you watch films to share in an emotional experience, then you need this move in your life.

There’s plenty to dig into with The Special Features, including an Interview with co-screenwriter Piero De Bernardi and Cristina Comencini and an Interview with legendary critic Michel Ciment. There’s also an exclusive visual essay by David Cairns on Comencini and the filmmaker’s affinity for childhood stories, which I loved because it gives more context to a director who I am now invested in watching more of. 

Jimmy’s Archive – Misunderstood