Released in Italy as L’uomo senza memoria (The Man Without a Memory), Puzzle was directed by Duccio Tessari, who like many Italy exploitation directors had a career that went from genre to genre: peplum (he wrote several, including Goliath and the Vampires and Mario Bava’s Hercules in the Haunted World),  westerns (he wrote and directed A Pistol for Ringo and The Return of Ringo), Eurospy (Kiss Kiss…Bang Bang), blacksploitation (Three Tough Guys) and the giallo with The Bloodstained Butterfly and this film.

Tessari took the amnesia trope and gave it a cold, sharp, European edge. It’s less about a masked killer stalking fashion models and more about a man trapped in a labyrinth of his own making.

Eight months ago, Ted Walden (Luc Merenda) woke up from a brutal car crash with a clean slate and a vacant mind. He’s been trying to piece his life back together, but the universe seems to have other plans. Every time he crosses paths with someone from his former life, one of two things happens: they either pull a gun on him or they end up dead.

His ex-wife (Senta Berger) has moved on, thinking he’s been dead this whole time, which, in a way, he was. But the syndicate hasn’t forgotten him. They know he stole a million dollars before that fateful wreck, and they aren’t looking for an apology. If Ted can’t find the cash, he’s going to lose his life—and he’s going to take his ex-wife down with him.

What makes Puzzle stand out in the crowded Italian thriller landscape of the 70s is the character arc. It’s fascinating to watch Ted slowly realize that the man he used to be was an absolute piece of work. There is a delicious tension in watching a man use the ruthless instincts of his former, evil self to protect the decent man he’s accidentally become. And, because this is an Italian production from the 70s, let’s be honest: the man has taste. For an amnesiac, Ted knows his way around a wardrobe—the suits are sharp, the setting is moody, and the style is top-tier.

While it lacks the hyper-violent, glove-wearing killer obsession of some other Gialli, it leans hard into the “discovery of identity” thriller subgenre. It’s a mystery that feels like it’s constantly folding in on itself, leading to a crowd-pleasing, high-stakes finale that lands with a punch. Interestingly, this movie hit the screens the same year as a certain grisly little film from Texas (you know the one), but Puzzle brings its own distinct brand of Euro-cruelty that demands your attention.

I kind of love that Ted slowly learns what a horrible person he used to be and how he can use it to remain the better person he has become. Also, for an amnesiac, he has not forgotten how to dress well. Less a murder-based giallo and more an exploration of identity — with a crowd-pleasing ending made the very same year as a certain film from Texas — this one surprised me.

You can watch this on Tubi.