PRETTY POISON

PRETTY POISON (1968). Director: Noel Black.

A twisted romance develops between a disturbed young man named Dennis Pitt (Anthony Perkins of Chillers) and an even more disturbed young woman named Sue Ann Stepanek (Tuesday Weld). Pitt, who was institutionalized for a time, draws Sue Ann into games in which he pretends he's a CIA agent involving her in his dangerous assignments. This leads to more than one murder and a plot by Pitt to get even with the man who fired him. Reasonably entertaining film holds the attention and features some good performances -- especially from Beverly Garland as Sue Ann's unpleasant mother -- and is very well photographed by David Quaid. Good supporting performances from John Randolph and Dick O'Neill (of Gammera, the Invincible). Screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr. Noel Black also directed Prime Suspect. 

Verdict: Some good moments but nothing really special. **1/2.

THE SWEET BODY OF DEBORAH

Carroll Baker and Jean Sorel

THE SWEET BODY OF DEBORAH (aka il dolce corpo di Deborah/1968). Director: Romolo Guerrieri. 

Deborah (Carroll Baker) marries handsome Marcel (Jean Sorel) after only knowing him a few weeks. Marcel had been practically engaged to a woman named Suzanne (Ida Galli) who committed suicide when he left her. Visiting his hometown, Marcel sees signs that his former lover is either still alive or someone is trying to make it look that way. Deborah begins to receive unsettling phone calls and fears for her life. Then there's the angry Phillip (Luigi Pistilli of A White Dress for Mariale), who was in love with Suzanne and is furious at the way Marcel treated her. After Deborah and Marcel rent a truly fabulous house, they run into their neighbor, Robert Simack (George Hilton of The Dark is Death's Friend), who seems to have his own agenda. But then maybe everyone in this movie does -- a sinister plot eventually unfolds ... 

Jean Sorel

The Sweet Body of Deborah is a smooth if minor bit of romantic suspense that has some plot similarities to, of all things, Midnight Lace with Doris Day. Baker is so beautiful, and her character seems so completely appealing,  that it's a wonder anyone would think all she had going for her was her money. As usual Baker and Sorel make a good and sexy team; the couple also appeared together in Paranoia. Galli, Hilton and Pistilli all appeared together in The Case of the Scorpion's Tale. 

Verdict: Reasonably absorbing Italian mystery with an attractive cast. **3/4. 

THE NAME OF THE GAME IS KILL

THE NAME OF THE GAME IS KILL (1968). Director: Gunnar Hellstrom.

A Hungarian named Symcha Lipa (Jack Lord) comes to a sleepy desert town and encounters a strange woman (T. C. Jones) and her three daughters, Nan (Tisha Sterling of Betrayal), Diz (Collin Wilcox Paxton), and Mickey (Susan Strasberg), all of whom seem to be keeping secrets. Symcha and Mickey seem to fall in love, but will they get the chance to get out of town and start a new life? The dialogue in Gary Crutcher's screenplay isn't bad, but this is one of those weird "psycho-thrillers" (another with an obvious nod to Psycho) that may have you scratching your head at the end trying to figure out the motivations of the demented characters. The acting is decent -- Lord and Paxton are fine, with Strasberg, and especially Sterling taking top honors. Mort Mills is as professional as ever as the sheriff, but Marc Desmond is poor as the doctor; he had few succeeding credits. T.C. Jones isn't bad either, although many will prefer his Alfred Hitchcock Hour vehicle "An Unlocked Window." Strasberg starred in the more memorable thriller Scream of Fear.

Verdict: This isn't terrible, just half-baked. **1/2. 

THE HAND OF POWER

Death's Head: the killer laughs

THE HAND OF POWER (aka The Zombie Walks aka Im Banne des Unheimlichen/1968). Director: Alfred Vohrer. 

In yet another West German film based on a novel by Edgar Wallace, laughter seems to come from the coffin at Sir Oliver's funeral. This unnerves his brother, Sir Cecil (Wolfgang Kieling of Our Man in Jamaica), especially when someone wearing a death's head mask, cape and hat starts running around poisoning victims via a ring shaped like a scorpion. As Inspector Higgins (Joachim Fuchsberger, as usual) investigates, there are several suspects: Dr. Brand (Siegfried Rauch of The College-Girl Murders); Potter, the vicar (Hans Krull); the stonemason Ramiro (Peter Mosbacher); nurse Adela (Claude Farell); the black chauffeur, Casper (Jimmy Powell); and others. Meanwhile reporter Peggy Ward (Siw Mattson) runs about alternately investigating and interfering. 

Siw Mattson and Joachim Fuchsberger

The film is introduced by a voice claiming to be (the late) Edgar Wallace. This is followed by an absolutely terrible theme song. The plot is very good and quite intriguing, but there's a surfeit of dumb humor, which greatly minimizes any tension. Instead of the buffoonish Sir John, we get the equally buffoonish Sir Arthur (Hubert von Meyerinck) giving Higgins his orders -- he is not only a ballet fan but tries out a few steps in the office. At least the annoying Eddi Arent isn't in the cast. 

Verdict: Good story; so-so execution. **3/4. 

THE HORROR OF BLACKWOOD CASTLE

Siegfried Schurenberg and Karin Baal

THE HORROR OF BLACKWOOD CASTLE (aka Der Hund von Blackwood Castle/1968). Director: Alfred Vohrer. 

"Everyone's dying here -- so inconsiderate!" -- Lady Agatha. 

Captain Wilson (Otto Stern) has died and his daughter, Jane (Karin Baal), has inherited his creepy old castle. As an insurance investigator, Connery (Heinz Drache of The Brides of Fu Manchu), tries to recover the stolen Amsterdam jewels, members of the late captain's crew are being killed by a hound outfitted with fake poisoned fangs -- are they also searching for the jewels which the captain might have stolen? In addition to the castle, much of the action centers on a rundown Inn managed by the feisty Lady Agatha (Agnes Windeck), whose guests are dropping like flies. Meanwhile Jane's avaricious long-lost mother, Catherine (Mady Rahl) shows up to see what she can get from her daughter's inheritance. Can Sir John of Scotland Yard (Siegfried Schurenberg) stop the murders and solve the case? 

von Berlepsch, Engel, Drache,

Usually in these movies Siegfried Schurenberg as Sir John pops up now and then to act the buffoon and gives orders to the detectives who are actually doing the investigating, but in Blackwood Castle he seems to be the chief investigator, which gives the whole film a comic or even campy -- or at the very least tongue-in-cheek -- tone to it which works against the suspense. (It's almost as if Schurenberg got so much screen time to make up for the absence of Eddi Arent, who generally plays the comic relied in these krimi films.) 

In any case, even though it comes together at the end, Blackwood Castle is a bit too convoluted for its own good. The movie is introduced by a voice claiming to be Edgar Wallace, and there is a terrible rock-like theme song. The actors, including Tilo von Berlepsch as Lady Agatha's brother, Henry, and Alexander Engel as Dr. Adams all give flavorful and adept performances. The hound (or hund) itself is not given that much to do, and the storyline is quite different from "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Pretty good ending to this. 

Verdict: Rather weird Wallace krimi that seems to go all over the lot. **1/2. 

DEADLY INHERITANCE

Tom Drake and Valeria Ciangottini

DEADLY INHERITANCE (aka Omicidio per vocazione/1968). Director: Vittorio Sindoni. 

When Oscar (Arnaldo De Angelis), the supposedly poor patriarch of a family, is killed, it turns out that he was actually wealthy. However his will has a stipulation that none of his daughters -- Simone (Femu Benussi), Rosalie (Giovanna Lenzi) and Colette (Valeria Ciangottini) -- are entitled to anything until their adoptive brother, Janot (Ernesto Colli), turns twenty-one in three years. This does not sit well with Rosalie's husband, Leon (Ivo Garrani), who has serious debts, while Simone is hoping to give her married lover, Jules (Isarco Ravaioli), enough money to divorce his shrewish wife, Natalie (Alessandra Maravia). When some of these people wind up dead, Inspector Greville (Tom Drake of Date with Disaster), assisted by Etienne (Virgilio Gazzolo), has to find out who the killer is. 

Drake with Femi Benussi

Deadly Inheritance suffers from too much padding -- a business involving one of the main suspects running away from the police -- and running and running -- goes on forever, for instance -- and it doesn't have much style or directorial panache. Some of the acting is amateurish as well. What this Italian nominal giallo film has going for it is an absorbing plot and a couple of good and unexpected twists at the end (although they are a bit far-fetched). An unintentionally comical scene has a character lighting a candle to walk up a supposedly dark staircase only the staircase is so brightly lit that it's like daylight! 

Verdict: Unexceptional but watchable Italian thriller. **1/2. 

FULLER REPORT

Lincoln Tate and Ken Clark

FULLER REPORT (aka Rapporto Fuller, base Stoccolma/1968). Director: Sergio Grieco.  

American race car driver Dick Worth (Ken Clark of Attack of the Giant Leeches) is in Stockholm when he becomes innocently embroiled in espionage, suddenly mixed up with CIA agents like Pearson (Lincoln Tate) and Clay (Gianni Brezza), Russian agents like Bonjasky (Serge Marquand), and a defecting ballerina named Svetlana (Beba Loncar), as well as other duplicitous females who are murdered. Despite all the different factions and their confusing schemes -- everyone wants to get their hands on something called the Fuller Report -- Dick doesn't realize that the true architect behind his problems may be much closer to home, and that there is a right wing conspiracy afoot to assassinate a certain world leader. 

Clark with Beba Loncar

Ken Clark appeared in a number of eurospy features playing super-spies, but in this he's an ordinary man, as such, thrown into intrigue. Fuller Report doesn't have that bad a plot but the pacing is slow, and it may not be long before you find that you couldn't care less about what's really going on. Clark looks the part of the hero, and the dubbed supporting cast all seem more than adequate for the task. The movie has an imitation James Bond type theme, sung by a lady who tries to imitate Shirley Bassey, and it wears out its welcome pretty quickly. Shot in Stockholm, Zurich, and London, with interiors in Rome. Clark also did Mission Bloody Mary for director Grieco. 

Verdict: Watching this on fast-forward might improve it. **. 

NAKED YOU DIE

Mark Damon and Eleonora Brown

NAKED YOU DIE (aka Nude ... si muore/1968), Director: Antonio Margheriti (Anthony Dawson). 

In the exclusive girls' school, St. Hilda College, students and faculty are either going missing or being murdered. Meanwhile student Lucille (Eleonora Brown) is having an affair with teacher Richard Barrett (Mark Damon), something of which headmistress Miss Transfield (Vivian Stapleton) would certainly disapprove. Other potential victims and assailants include the strange Mrs. Clay (Ludmila Lvova); physical education instructor Di Brazzi (Giovanni di Benedetto); the gardener (Luciano Pigozzi), who spies on the young ladies in the shower; mystery-loving Jill (Sally Smith), who proves to be quite courageous;  elderly Professor Andre (Aldo De Carellis); Betty Ann (Caterina Trentini); and others. 

The headmistress with her girls

More of a mystery film than a true giallo, Naked You Die features some fairly lame strangulation sequences and hasn't much style. Still, the picture builds up considerable suspense as you wonder who will get it next and who is behind it all and why. Alas, when the murderer is unmasked it is not too big a surprise (it's also sort of given away if you're paying attention). It's hard to judge the acting. The biggest name in the cast, Michael Rennie (of The Lost World), who plays a police inspector, is dubbed. Considering how bodies keep turning up, no one seems as frightened as they should be. 

Verdict: Okay Italian time-passer. **1/2.  

DEATH AND DIAMONDS

George Nader as Jerry Cotton

DEATH AND DIAMONDS (aka Dynamit in grune Seide/1968). Director: Harald Reinl. 

The FBI has been after a hoodlum named Stone for a long time, and learns that he has come up with a master plan that will employ a career criminal and safecracker named Trevor (Claus Tinney). It is decided to have top agent Jerry Cotton (George Nader) replace Trevor and infiltrate the gang. Cotton, who deals primarily with Charles Bloom (Carl Mohner), Stone's good right hand, discovers that Stone's plan is to use paralyzing gas in a plot to steal millions of dollars worth of diamonds. Cotton's problem is to maintain his false identity while doing everything he can to foil this plot -- and keep himself from being murdered. 

Carl Mohner (right) as Bloom

Death and Diamonds is another fast-paced and entertaining Jerry Cotton thriller from Germany, with Nader and the rest of the cast in good form. In one suspenseful bit Jerry is nearly incinerated when he's locked in a kind of furnace, and there's an incredible scene when he simply launches himself at an approaching car and smashes through the windshield with his feet! Silvia Solar plays a blonde associate of Bloom's who winds up kidnapped by him, and there's a wild scene when a nasty brunette named Mabel (Marlies Drager) takes a slashing whip to the woman. Heinz Weiss is back as Jerry's associate Phil Decker and Claus Holm plays his boss "Butt" Lancaster. The finale of the film has Jerry trying to capture Stone while Bloom and the others try to outwit Cotton, Stone and each other over 12 million dollars in diamonds. Followed by Death in a Red Jaguar. 

Verdict: Fun and often exciting German thriller. ***.   

CORRUPTION

Peter Cushing and Sue Lloyd

CORRUPTION (1968). Director: Robert Hartford-Davis.

"The more you succeed, the more you fear the failures."

Surgeon Sir John Rowan (Peter Cushing) is in love with a greedy young model named Lynn (Sue Lloyd). When Lynn refuses to leave a party given by photographer Mike (Anthony Booth), Rowan tries to force her to come with him, resulting in an arc light falling over and smashing into Lynn's face, disfiguring her. Surgery helps for a time, but Rowan discovers he needs fluid from women's pituitary glands to repair the damage to his lover's face time and again. This leads into a series of gruesome murders and even a beheading on a train. Where will it all end? Rowan thinks he's gotten his latest unwilling donor in Terry (Wendy Varnals), a girl runaway who turns out to have some cretinous friends. This leads into a nerve-wracking laser surgery sequence and a gross climax with an out-of-control laser that is one of the wildest things I've ever seen. 

In addition to its delightfully lurid plot, what Corruption has going for it is two excellent lead performances from Cushing and Lloyd. Kate O'Mara also scores as Lynn's sister, Val, as does Noel Trevarthen as Dr. Steve Harris; a friend and colleague of Rowan's. After the climax, the best scene is the grisly train murder with an especially intense and determined Cushing doing his best to achieve his horrible objective. The one element of the film that not only doesn't work but almost works against it is the jazzy, inappropriate score by Bill McGuffie. An advertising campaign (see photo) suggested that no woman would be admitted to the film without an escort!

Verdict: Lurid and tasteless as hell but a lot of wicked fun! ***1/4. 

KOMMISSAR X: KILL PANTHER KILL

Brad Harris and Tony Kendall escape from a trap

KOMMISSAR X: KILL PANTHER KILL (aka Kommissar X - Drei blaue Panther/1968.) Director: Gianfranco Parolini. 

Jo Louis Walker (Tony Kendall) and Captain Tom Rowland (Brad Harris) re-team to investigate the case of twin brothers (Franco Fantasia) who are in the stolen gem business. As usual, there's an amusing love/hate relationship between the two men as they dodge bullets, romance gals, and get involved in a terrific and protracted karate fight where they manage to defeat all of their opponents in record time. There's a flying jet pack like something out of James Bond, but generally this "Kommissar X" adventure is not a typical eurospy film, and the 007-isms are kept to a minimum. The best sequence has Walker trapped when his leg is caught in some mud and he appears to be flattened by a bulldozer, distressing Rowland, who is gratified to find him alive. This high-spirited flick is one of the better Kommissar X adventures. 

Verdict: Playful and fun. ***. 

DEATH IN A RED JAGUAR

George Nader

DEATH IN A RED JAGUAR (aka Der tod im roten Jaguar/1968). Director: Harald Reinl. 

FBI agent Jerry Cotton (George Nader) is called to San Francisco after a series of murders which point to the same killer -- the same pistol and same silencer were used. Cotton, who drives a sleek red jaguar, works with SF detective Sam Parker (Herbert Stass), partner Phil Decker (Hans Weiss). and Parker's associate, Ria (Daniela Surina) in an effort to pinpoint the murderer. As the bodies pile up, Cotton and the others uncover a kind of "Dial a Death Service" in which hit men are hired to murder unsuspecting innocents, and the hit men themselves are exterminated once their usefulness is over. 

Cotton flips Harry (Frank Nossack) to his side

This is another dubbed German Jerry Cotton movie, and like The Violin Case Murders it is slick, fast-paced and entertaining. As usual in these stories, the authorities don't seem capable of protecting witnesses and more than one gets offed during the running time. Robert Fuller shows up in an exciting prologue as a machine-gun toting bad guy that Cotton pursues into a theatrical establishment, frightening -- but also saving -- a whole bunch of chorus girls. Frank Nossack is cast as Harry, a hit man who is somehow flipped into working with Jerry, and Carl Lange is the sinister Dr. Saunders. The identity of the true mastermind comes as a bit of a surprise. 

Verdict: Jerry Cotton is back! ***.