An odious architect is beaten to death and a high society wife (Jacqueline Bisset, Day for Night) and her gay friend (Jean-Louis Trintignant, The Conformist) are the key suspects with a discarded letter implicating them in the crime. Commissioner Santamaria (Marcello Mastroianni, Fellini’s 8 ½) is assigned to the case and tries to uncover the murder suspect in upper-class Turin. With a murder mystery narrative worthy of Agatha Christie, The Sunday Woman is also a sharp critique of Turin’s upper crust. The screenplay, by the celebrated duo Age & Scarpelli, famed for their masterpieces in the Commedia all’Italiana boom including Big Deal on Madonna Street and The Organizer, is a whip-smart adaptation of the best-selling novels by Carlo Fruttero and Franco Lucentini with the lead character of Santamaria inspired by the real-life head of the Flying Squad.

For thoughts on The Sunday Woman, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/Ulnm4-JZ-EI?t=1500]

Video Quality

The Sunday Woman comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Radiance Films sourced from a 2K scan of the Original Camera Negative with additional color grading and correction performed by Radiance. The film is presented in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio along with an optional 1.85:1 widescreen viewing option as intended by cinematographer Luciano Tovoli. This new transfer is a stunner as it showcases a natural grain structure that resolves finely while retaining its filmic look. While not as gritty as some older features, there is no trace of DNR as this picture delivers distinct details in the various interiors and any location out and about around Turin.

The color grading and correction from Radiance allows the film to shine with natural hues radiating off the screen without any unnatural push. A few small specks of damage may have made it through the remastering process, but the viewing experience is truly a thing of beauty almost the entire time. The contrast of the picture holds firm, even in the most shadow-drenched moment. Black levels hold up well with great depth to the image, and highlights never bloom. A handful of shots contain a bit of softness, but these moments are few and far between. Radiance Films has delivered one of their finest transfers yet with this release.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track in the original Italian (with optional English subtitles) that was restored further by Radiance Films. The musical moments come through with a fine stability with nothing sounding overly brash from the lovely Ennio Morricone score. The film is very dialogue heavy with voices always delineated clearly for a problem-free listening experience. To this point, it should be noted that dialogue was post-looped due to the production process, so the sync is understandably not perfect at all times. Conversations do not get overwhelmed by the sound effects or the score. Everything comes through accurately with amiable 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 The Sunday Woman includes a booklet featuring new writing on the film by Mariangela Sansone, a reprint of an archival piece on the film 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:

Richard Dyer: A new 18-minute appreciation piece by film historian Richard Dyer in which he discusses the themes of the narrative, its place as an adaptation, the satirical nature of the tone, the dynamics between the characters, how the film portrays certain characters and more.

Luciano Tovoli: A 22-minute archival interview with the cinematographer from May 2008 in which he discusses his career, how this film fits into his work, working with director Luigi Comencini, the relatively reserved nature of the production, memories of working with certain performers, his feelings about the film and more.

Giacomo Scarpelli: A new 36-minute interview with screenwriter Giacomo Scarpelli, who discusses the life and work of his father, Furio Scarpelli and his writing partner Agenore Incrocci. There is great context given to the background of his father, their creative process, the relationship between the screenplay writers and the book’s author and more.

Jean-Louis Trintignant: A nearly five-minute archival interview from 1976 in which the actor discusses the story, his character’s place in the narrative, some of the themes on display and more.

Trailer: The nearly four-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

The Sunday Woman is a really entertaining mystery which offers some dark humor and engaging twists and turns. The ensemble sports no weak links, and the direction leaves no unnecessary fat on the presentation. If you liked Glass Onion taking on the wealthy elite, you should have a good time with this sharp satire. Radiance Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and some noteworthy special features. If you are a fan of a well crafted “whodunit,” add this to your list. Recommended

The Sunday Woman is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

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.