Before the Jury/Corte d’Assise (1931)

Banker Adolfo Calandri is shot and killed in the park of a villa where a reception is being held. Aroldo Cramoli, a journalist who is among the guests, begins his own investigation, finding a key and a cigarette butt at the crime scene: the clues point to Marcello Barra, a gamekeeper who is arrested even though he claims to be innocent.

The second Italian sound feature film, the first being La Canzone del Amore directed by Gennaro Righelli, grandfather of Sergio and Luciano Martino. Corte d’Assise is, however, considered the first Italian giallo (or crime) film of the sound era.

Starring Marcella Albani, Lia Franca and Carlo Ninchi and filmed at the Cines Studios in Rome.

Director Guido Brignone was the father of actress Lilla Brignone and younger brother of actress Mercedes Brignone. Born in Milan, Italy. He was the first Italian director to win the Venice Film Festival or Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica, the oldest film festival in the world, for ‘Best Italian Film’ with Teresa Confalonieri (1934). He died in Rome in 1959.