Okay, rewind your minds with me for a second. Picture this: it’s late, the VCR is humming that familiar tune, and you stumble upon a brightly coloured tape sleeve featuring a mustachioed Italian fellow looking perpetually stressed. You pop it in, and suddenly you’re transported not to the gritty streets of New York or the neon jungles of LA, but to a sun-drenched Sicilian island where the biggest crime might just be disturbing the afternoon siesta. Welcome, fellow VHS voyagers, to the delightful absurdity of 1986’s Il Commissario Lo Gatto (Commissioner Lo Gatto).
### Sun, Sea, and Stupidity
This isn't your typical hard-boiled detective story; it's pure Commedia all'italiana filtered through an 80s lens, served up by the legendary director Dino Risi. Risi, the maestro behind classics like Il Sorpasso (1962) and the original Scent of a Woman (1974 – yes, the one Pacino remade!), knew exactly how to blend social observation with outright farce. Here, he teams up with comedy megastar Lino Banfi, basically Italy's answer to… well, there’s only one Lino Banfi! Banfi plays the titular Commissario Natale Lo Gatto, a Roman police commissioner whose career takes a nosedive after a spectacularly public blunder involving – wait for it – accidentally disrupting the Pope. His punishment? Exile to the sleepy, picturesque island of Favignana. Think of it as witness protection, but for incompetent cops.
The initial scenes perfectly capture that fish-out-of-water feeling. Lo Gatto arrives, full of Roman bluster, expecting crime and instead finding… fishermen, tourists, and a pace of life measured in espresso breaks. Banfi is a whirlwind of exaggerated expressions, rapid-fire Pugliese-inflected Italian (thank goodness for subtitles, eh?), and simmering frustration. It’s a classic comedic setup, and Banfi, a true icon of Italian popular cinema throughout the 70s and 80s, absolutely nails the lovable buffoon archetype. He’s not incompetent out of malice, just… spectacularly prone to chaos.
### A Mystery Most Mild
Of course, this idyllic exile can't last. A wealthy, attractive tourist (played by Viola Valentino, a notable Italian singer at the time) vanishes, and Lo Gatto, starved for action, immediately suspects foul play. Murder! Kidnapping! International intrigue! He ropes in his perpetually bewildered subordinate, Agente Gridelli (Maurizio Ferrini, who brings his own brand of deadpan silliness), and launches an investigation that mostly involves offending the locals, jumping to wild conclusions, and generally causing more trouble than he solves. Remember how investigations in 80s comedies often relied more on coincidence and character quirks than actual police work? This film is a masterclass in that.
The "mystery" itself is feather-light, serving primarily as a framework for Lo Gatto to bounce off the eccentric island inhabitants, including a sultry countess (Isabella Biagini) and a gaggle of gossiping locals. The real joy isn’t the whodunit, but the how Lo Gatto messes it up. Risi, along with co-writer Enrico Vanzina (another huge name in Italian comedy), uses the plot to gently poke fun at Italian bureaucracy, the media's hunger for sensation (even on a tiny island), and the clash between traditional island life and encroaching tourism. It feels authentic partly because it was filmed on location in Favignana, Sicily. That beautiful, sun-bleached scenery isn't a set; it's the real deal, providing a gorgeous backdrop to the comedic chaos.
### That 80s Italian Charm
Watching Commissioner Lo Gatto today is like opening a time capsule directly to mid-80s Italy. The fashion, the attitudes, the slightly grainy film stock quality that somehow felt right on a CRT television – it’s all there. There are no slick CGI effects here, obviously. The "action" is all character-driven, relying on Banfi's physical comedy, the snappy dialogue (even through translation), and the sheer absurdity of the situations. It has that unpolished, slightly anarchic energy that defined so many European comedies of the era found tucked away in the "Foreign Films" section of the video store.
Did you know that Dino Risi initially considered other actors, but Lino Banfi was becoming such a box office draw in Italy with his specific brand of comedy that he became the obvious choice? His persona was practically a genre unto itself by this point. The film was indeed a domestic success in Italy, tapping right into the audience's love for Banfi and this style of sunny, slightly satirical farce. It might not have made huge waves internationally back then, but finding tapes like this felt like uncovering a secret slice of cinematic fun.
### The Verdict on Lo Gatto
Commissioner Lo Gatto isn't trying to be high art. It's a breezy, funny, and utterly charming piece of 80s escapism powered by a legendary comedic performance. It moves quickly, rarely takes itself seriously, and delivers exactly what it promises: laughs, sunshine, and a protagonist you can't help but root for, even as he trips over his own feet. It’s the kind of film that might have seemed slight back in the day, maybe overlooked next to the big American blockbusters, but holds up surprisingly well as a delightful slice of its time and place.
Rating: 7/10
Justification: The film excels as a vehicle for Lino Banfi and captures a specific, sunny 80s Italian vibe perfectly. It's genuinely funny in places, beautifully located, and directed with a light touch by a master (Dino Risi). It loses a few points for a very thin plot and humour that might feel dated or very culturally specific to some, but its charm and energy earn it a solid recommendation for fans of retro European comedy.
Final Thought: For a taste of pure, unadulterated 80s Italian farce served up with sunshine and a side of Banfi-brand chaos, Commissioner Lo Gatto is a delightful rewind. Proof that sometimes, the best discoveries on VHS weren't the explosions, but the exasperated sighs of a hilariously out-of-his-depth Commissario.