Inspector Salvo Montalbano

"Il commissario Montalbano" Il gioco delle tre carte (original title) 2006

translates to: three card game play

I stumbled across this episode of Detective Salvo Montalbano (season 6 episode 2) and have become an instant fan of the series. This show is everything that detective shows in the U.S. use to be; suspenseful and hypnotizing with a cast of characters that move the story along in a very convincing and sometimes humorous way.

The main character, played by actor Luca Zingaretti, plays the lead inspector role to perfection with smart determination.

The crisp Sicilian cinematography is off the charts with authentic scenes of village architecture, inhabitants and surrounding landscape. There's no shooting, no car chases, no beat downs or violent acts of any kind. It’s just one suspicious death that sends curious detective Salvo's investigation down a series of corridors toward the discovery of truth.

The whodunit keeps you wondering throughout with an ending that's so incredible it'll have you applauding, at least I did. I hope to see more episodes of this sensational series and definitely plan to watch this episode again.

As for the "women" part in my review title (wine, women and wonderful suspense,) there's a beautifully shot scene with actress Barbara Tabita in a taut pink dress, walking past the inspector and his assistant so provocatively that no man can deny nor resist the power of a seductive woman. Salutari!
Sicilian with English subtitles version