Venetian Bird (1952) on Netflix
Approved19521h 30mCrimeMysteryThriller
Detective Edward Mercer travels to Venice for a French insurance company to find an Italian who helped a downed Allied airman during the war. He is drawn into an assassination plot.
- Watch on NetflixThis title is not on Netflix right now. Please check back later for updates.
- Watch on Prime
- Watch on NordVPN
- Netflix3.2/5
- IMDb6.4/10612 votes
- Rotten TomatoesNot available
Clip
Plot summary
Private detective Edward Mercer goes to Venice at the request of a French insurance company to locate a brave Italian whom they wish to reward for his part in the rescue of an Allied airman shot down during the war. At least, that is what Mercer thinks as he steps off the steamer at the Piazza San Marco and is greeted by a smiling street photographer, Cassana. Mercer makes his way to a shop and finds his first contact dead from a knife stab, and the trail leads him to Adrianna. He faces danger from police chief Spaloni and also from a group of foreign patriots, led by Count Borian and Lieutenant Longo, who want to use him as a stool-pigeon for a planned Coup d'Etat. A hectic race across the roof tops, high above the great square, brings Mercer to grips against his unknown enemy.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Venetian Bird (1952)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Richard Todd, borrowed from Associated British, says Gina Lollobrigida wanted to make Venetian Bird but her English was not good enough at the time.
- Michael Balcon initially rejected a film of Victor Canning's novel because it was set in Italy and dealt with Italians, not Britons; Betty Box appealed to Earl St John, who overruled Balcon.
- Italian censors required that the script clarify the political struggles in post-war Venice that Victor Canning's novel had portrayed.
- Betty Box and Ralph Thomas decided not to shoot the film in color, feeling that it would not suit the genre.
- John Gregson's performance in Venetian Bird led to him being offered a long-term contract by Earl St John at Rank.
