I like giallo as a genre but I must admit that I found 'The Fifth Cord' to be very difficult to stay interested in. Half-way through I began to get bored, and by the end when the identity of the killer was revealed and their motive explained, all I could do was shrug and rewind. I can appreciate Franco Nero as much as the next guy, but even his utter coolness can't keep this one from a one way ticket to snoozeville. Nero plays an alcoholic journalist attempting to solve a series of odd murders in which he himself is a suspect. The whole movie has a second-hand Argento feel to it, but it just meanders along in a dull and uninteresting fashion. I would only recommend this to super giallo buffs who must see every movie of this kind ever made. The rest of you shouldn't bother, as it is a disappointing example of the genre, and really has nothing but Nero going for it. Too bad.