John Duncombe, the British consul in Florence, returns home from his wife’s funeral to his two children, who are unaware of their mother’s passing. He makes the decision to tell his eldest son, Andrea, but hides the truth from his sickly younger son, Milo. Director Luigi Comenicini (The Sunday Woman) captures the innocence and carefree moments of youth alongside the agonising feelings of grief, creating one of the finest films about childhood, one which can stand alongside The 400 Blows, The Spirit of the Beehive and L’enfance nue. A Palme d’Or nominee at the Cannes Film Festival and recipient of multiple awards from Italian institutions, Misunderstood features remarkable performances from the children and from Anthony Quayle (Lawrence of Arabia) as Duncombe.
For thoughts on Misunderstood (1966), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Misunderstood comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Radiance Films sourced from a 2K scan of the Original Camera Negative with restoration work performed by Radiance. The film is presented in the original 1.66:1 aspect ratio. There are some obvious shortcomings with the source, but this new transfer is largely gorgeous as it retains the natural grain structure that resolves finely while spotlighting its filmic look. There is no indication of DNR as this picture delivers impeccable details in the house interiors and location in the city and at school. The color grading appears to be natural to the creative aesthetic of the film as it shines with deep hues saturating the screen.
The most notable issue with this transfer is some of the lingering damage that remains even after the restoration. While the care taken with this title is apparent, there are numerous instances throughout the viewing experience where you will spot a stretch of discoloration or stains to the print. We did not spot much in the way of tears or even small specks of damage, but the negative has obviously degraded and caused some wonky issues. Yet, the film looks so nice for the majority of the picture that we are glad Radiance did not scrap the plans to restore this one when they saw what they were working with. The contrast holds up nicely even in darker spaces. Black levels hold up well with significant depth to the image, and highlights never get too hot. Radiance Films has made the film look the best it can at the present time.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with an LPCM 2.0 split mono track in the original Italian (with optional English subtitles) that holds up even better than the video side of things. The film focuses heavily on dialogue with voices always distinguished clearly for a listening experience free of any hiccups. Conversations do not get overshadowed by the sound effects or the score. When the boys are out playing on the grounds, you get some lovely environmental notes that make the world feel more alive. The musical elements come through with nice consistency with nothing sounding harsh. Everything comes through with ideal fidelity and nearly nothing in the way of age-related wear and tear.
Special Features
The first pressing of the Radiance Films Blu-Ray of Misunderstood includes a booklet featuring new writing by critic Manuela Lazic, a newly translated archival interview with Comencini, and restoration notes. These all provide a great analysis of the film through an exploration of its themes, the talent involved, and more. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Michel Ciment An archival 24-minute appreciation piece by legendary critic Michel Ciment from 2021 in which he discusses the atypical nature of director Luigi Comencini, the themes of the narrative, recurring motifs in his work, how the film addresses class dynamics, the dynamics between the characters, how the film portrays certain characters, the arc of Italian cinema, and more.
- Piero de Bernardi and Cristina Comencini A 35-minute archival interview from 2008 with co-screenwriter Piero De Bernardi and Cristina Comenicini, the director’s daughter and herself a noted filmmaker. The two discuss his collaboration with her father Luigi Comencini, the development of the script, the background of the production, memories of certain performers, their feelings about the film, and more.
- A Child’s Heart: A new 25-minute visual essay by film historian David Cairns who discusses the work of Luigi Comencini, how he captures childhood, the adaptation of the classic novel, how the director avoids alienating the audience, and more.
- Trailer: The nearly three-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Misunderstood is a heartbreaking tale of loss and the tragedy of being overlooked. Director Luigi Comencini brings great pathos and importance to this story of a life that could easily be dismissed due to the age of the character. The characters are rarely written to be wise beyond their years which lends the film a sense of authenticity. Even when the narrative indulges in some familiar territory, there is an artistic vision driving the action that elevates it to something special. Radiance Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a decent A/V presentation and a nice selection of special features. If you want to be hit with an emotional gut punch, this is one to seek out. Recommended
Misunderstood will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on April 30, 2024.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Radiance Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.