Your enjoyment of the tenth and second to last installment of the Inspector Giraldi series, "Delitto in formula Uno", hinges on whether how much you enjoy watching Tomas Milian as the scruffy looking cop. Sort of a comical Serpico, super-cop Giraldi likes to have as much of his body covered at all time, wearing ski outfits, gloves, long woolly scarfs and never taking off his woolly hat. Even Mike Nesmith took his off occasionally, but not Giraldi. Perhaps he's suffering from terminal chills and fever or something, for nobody around him is dressed for winter. Oh wait, one other person does wear a similar hat and scarf: the Inspector's son, Rocky (who also has a very nice Smurf collection).
Formula One racing driver Paulo Cortesi has had a fatal accident on the racetrack (in footage obviously lifted from another source) and foul play is suspected. Inspector Nico Giraldi is upset at having been passed over for a promotion again and vents his rage on his childhood friend and foil Venticello (Bombolo). Nico's wife Angela asks her husband to keep an eye on her delinquent brother Fabrizio, who ignores the Inspectors advice and steals a car with a dead body in it. Giraldi tries to cover up for his hapless brother in law and soon suspects a connection between the body in the car and the Formula Uno murder case.
Despite the title, very little time is spend around race cars. Mostly we see Giraldi paying 'Columbo' visits to talk to several women who were close to the deceased, including Dagmar Lassander, Licinia Lentini and Isabel Russinova in parts so small they might be considered cameo's (had they not gotten prominent billing at the start). The inspector meets up with (musical star) Lentini during an aerobic class and decides to show the ladies he's better at 'Flash-dancing' than any of them. This preposterous scene goes on far too long (including slow motion) and is a fine example of this films 'lover it or hate it' mentality. If you enjoy Milian's type of humor, you'll love it. If not, you'll probably won't be watching this film anyway. It's also a good thing Milian is hardly recognizable in all those warm clothes and with all that facial hair, making it easier for a professional dancer to step in.
For some reason Giraldi becomes obsessed his family has become a target, and gets Venticello to drive his wife and young clone to her mother. Although they turn out never to have been in danger, Giraldi still manages to get suspended from the force (as all good movie cops do), just in time to solve the case (at the scene of the crime, no less). This leads into a very silly chase scene in Formula 1 race cars across the city of Rome which might have been exciting if not for the silly comedy music accompanying it. Still, at least they made the effort to end the film with an unusual action sequence. Giraldi's next and final case would get even more silly...
7 out of 10
