MISUNDERSTOOD (1966)

The needs of a child are often misunderstood.

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.

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• New 2024 2K restoration from the original negative
• Uncompressed mono PCM audio
• Interview with co-screenwriter Piero De Bernardi and Cristina Comencini, the director’s daughter and herself a noted filmmaker (2008, 36 mins)
• Interview with legendary critic Michel Ciment (2021, 24 mins)
• A Child’s Heart - a visual essay by David Cairns on Comencini and the filmmaker’s affinity for childhood stories (2023, 25 mins)
• Trailer
• Newly translated English subtitles
• Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original promotional materials
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by critic Manuela Lazic and a newly translated archival interview with Comencini
• Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings