I have seen this film on TV very recently. I haven´t been able to watch it in theatres because it remained unreleased in some countries, which I think it´s a shame. If I´m not wrong, this was the debut of Carlo Nero (son of Franco Nero and Vanessa Redgrave) as a feature film director (he had been the third assistant director of "A Month By The Lake", starring his mother) and I believe he did a fine job. The movie´s plot is a fortunate blend of crime thriller and romantic drama with some touches of humour and it works rather well. Nevertheless, the film had a lukewarm response when exhibited at the San Sebastián Film Festival two years ago (coinciding with the presentation of the Donostia Prize to Redgrave, and with Nero Sr. - who is also the producer - and Nero Jr. in attendance) and some journalists pointed out that the director had "misused" his parents, especially his mum, who had been given "only" an eight-minutes-or-so cameo role, despite the fact that she´d got second-billing in the credits behind Franco Nero. Well, she could have replied that she won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for a film in which her appearance wasn´t much longer ("Julia") and so did Dame Judi Dench for her brief work in "Shakespeare In Love". (On the other hand, nobody has ever remarked on Redgrave´s labour in "Wilde", where she also received second-billing and made an even shorter role.) Going back to "Uninvited", I personally think that the story is interesting and poignant - a young boy is charged with the murder of the stinkingly rich husband of the girl he´s loved since high school - the characters are highly credible (including Redgrave´s amusing bit as a severe schoolteacher) and the subplot of the unhappily married woman who sympathizes with the framed boy and becomes his penfriend is warm and touching. But if I had to show up just one thing in the film, it would be undoubtedly Franco Nero´s wonderful performance as the boy´s defending counsel. This notable actor has been unfairly underrated and overlooked for many years, and I think it´s time to do justice to him. All his scenes, particularly his speech before the court during the trial, are priceless and prove what a good actor he really is. OK, this is family business, but maybe Francis Ford Coppola´s films aren´t? This movie has much more merits to be screened in a theatre than many others that usually get to people those premises. I hope time dots the i´s and crosses the t´s.
