A Hyena in the Safe (1968)

Original title: Una iena in cassaforte

A rare Italian crime thriller from the early giallo period. It seems to have had only a brief theatrical run before slipping into obscurity, which makes its rediscovery all the more intriguing.

The cast is an interesting mix of familiar faces and near-complete unknowns. Cristina Gaïoni (Jeanine) already had a handful of credits and continued working afterward, eventually appearing in Morrissey’s Flesh for Frankenstein (1973). Sandro Pizzochero – credited here as Alex Morrison to have a more American sounding name – also maintained a modest career. Ben Salvador (Juan) and Karina Kar (Karina) each appeared in only a film or two beyond this one. For all of the remaining cast, A Hyena in the Safe was their sole screen credit. It’s a shame, honestly. I would have loved to see more from Maria Luisa Geisberger (Anna), who brings a bold and charismatic presence to the movie. One more bit of trivia: Dimitri Nabokov (Steve) was the son of the famous author, Vladimir Nabokov.

For a movie that received almost no attention and featured actors who largely vanished from cinema, this is a surprisingly entertaining and well-shot suspense thriller. The premise isn’t entirely original. There’s a clear trace of And Then There Were None (1945), itself adapted from Agatha Christie’s novel, but Canevari gives it his own spin. Six criminals gather at a beautiful villa in the midst of Carnival celebrations to divide the spoils of a bank heist: a stash of diamonds locked in a hidden safe. The catch is that the safe requires all six keys to open, and each guest holds one of the keys.

From the start, things feel off-kilter. Albert, the young hotshot who pulled off the job, brings along his uninvited girlfriend Jeanine, provoking the ire of the others. An expected guest, Thomas, is not preset. Juan is in his place and claims he won Thomas’s key in a bet. He has a letter to prove it. Bruno, who arranged the rendezvous point at the villa, never arrives; instead, his wife Anna shows up, announcing that Bruno is dead but producing his key and the knowledge of where the safe is. When the group finally gathers to open it, Albert discovers his key is missing. Without all six, the safe stays shut. Suspicion spreads quickly, alliances form, and bodies begin to drop as each guest schemes to control the remaining keys and claim the diamonds.

A Hyena in the Safe offers some artistic camera work, clever editing choices, and more character development than you’d expect from something this obscure. Celluloid Dreams deserves real credit for rescuing it from what would likely have been permanent oblivion. Fans of quirky Italian suspense thrillers with a dash of early giallo flavor will find plenty to enjoy here.