The Warning (1980 film)

The Warning (L'avvertimento) is a 1980 Italian crime-giallo film directed by Damiano Damiani.

Plot
The story takes place in Rome, Italy. During a delicate investigation into various personalities of the upper business and banking world, colluding with organized crime, the chief commissioner Vincenzo Laganà is killed in his office for not accepting a bribe of 200 million. Meanwhile, Commissioner Barresi is about to resign, after having found 100 million credited to his bank account and having received a phone call from unknown persons who clarify how he will have to behave during the investigation that will follow the assassination of Laganà.

After having followed the assassins in vain, Barresi makes an agreement with the commissioner to resolve the case. Silvia, Laganà's widow, is blackmailed by a woman who says she has proof that the deceased commissioner was a corrupt man: the blackmailers are arrested, however.

Barresi then questions Silvia and discovers that she had appropriated the bribe offered to her husband to bribe him, and manages to save her just a moment before the woman tries to commit suicide, desperate. At this point, Commissioner Barresi decides to play all out and go through with his investigation.

Cast

 * Giuliano Gemma as Commissioner Antonio Baresi
 * Martin Balsam as Quaestor Martorana
 * John Karlsen as Ferdinando Violante
 * Guido Leontini as Gianfranco Puma
 * Laura Trotter as Silvia Laganà
 * Giancarlo Zanetti as Prizzi
 * Marcello Mandò as Pastore
 * Geoffrey Copleston as Prosecutor Vesce
 * Vincent Gentile as Ludovico Vella
 * Elio Marconato as Nicola Vella

Release
The Warning was released in Italy on August 15, 1980 where it was distributed by Cineriz. It grossed a total of 1.011 billion Italian lire on its theatrical run.