Mister X (1967)

Mister X (Italy, 1967) 94 min color DIR: Piero Vivarelli. SCR: Adriano Bolzoni, Eduardo Manzanos. STY: Adriano Bolzoni, Augusto Caminito. MUSIC: Manuel Parada. DOP: Emanuele Di Cola. CAST: Norman Clark, Gaia Germani, Armando Calvo, Anna Zinnemann, Umi Raho, Helga Liné. (Copercines, Cooperativa Cinematográfica)

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Many of the Italian superhero films lack an origin story: the hero is already established and well known to the public. In this case, Mister X (also known as Avenger X in some prints) is unpopular among the authorities. When Lamaro (Armando Calvo), a gangster in charge of a narcotics ring, is blackmailed by his secretary, he has her killed and has her death blamed on Mister X. Like Kriminal, Mister X (Norman Clark) is a master of disguise, appearing as a morgue attendant, window washer, etc., to get the goods on the mob ring, when it convenes at a resort. His Mister X costume recalls the jumpsuit and black mask worn by The Phantom in the long-running comic strip. We are reminded that people involved in espionage are less colourful than the James Bond stereotype. Out of disguise (or superhero wardrobe), Mister X is a perfectly average man who can easily blend into the background. He could have been a middle-aged lovelorn character in a film by François Truffaut or Eric Rohmer.

While the characterizations are often superficial, and the finale is rushed, there is still a pretty good caper movie beneath the surface, even without the costume gimmick, benefiting from gorgeous Capri locations, and some memorable sequences including the discovery of the secretary’s body in a stadium, and an amusing bit where the gangsters’ wives talk about keeping their mouths shut to stay healthy. Helga Liné was becoming a staple in these films by now. Here she is again as the duplicitous Gloria.