YOUR VICE IS A LOCKED ROOM AND ONLY I HAVE THE KEY

Luigi Pistilli and Anita Strindberg

YOUR VICE IS A LOCKED ROOM AND ONLY I HAVE THE KEY (aka Il tuo vizio e una stanza chiusa e solo io ne ho la chiave/1972). Director: Sergio Martino. 

Dissipated author Oliverio Rouvigny (Luigi Pistilli of The Case of the Scorpion's Tail), who has writer's block and is supposedly impotent, spends his time in his crumbling mansion being cruel to his wife, Irina (Anita Strindberg) and maid, Brenda (Angela La Vorgna). Oliverio instantly becomes a suspect when one of his mistresses, Fausta (Daniela Giordano of The Night of the Scorpion), is found slashed to death. More murders follow as the killer is seemingly unmasked. If this family weren't dysfunctional and toxic enough, along comes the Rouvigny's niece, Floriana (Edwige Fenech), a free spirit who sleeps with both aunt and uncle, and picks up an attractive boyfriend along the way. As a nasty cat named Satan runs around attacking Irina's doves and Irina herself, Floriana suggests a way she can rid herself of Oliverio ... 

Fenech and Strindberg

Your Vice is a wild giallo -- often ridiculous and illogical but always amusing -- that combines a mad slasher or two with marital discord, sadomasochism (of an emotional kind), and even a dollop of Edgar Allan Poe what with that black cat and its activities. Pistilli offers a virile portrait of an obnoxious monster, while Strindberg gives one of her best performances as his put-upon, dissatisfied wife. Fenech, despite her obvious assets, looks almost plain and boyish in this, especially compared to the gorgeous Strindberg. (Fenech only bares her breasts with male lovers, but is more modest when she gets it on with Strindberg. The lesbian aspects are clearly meant for titillation and not any insight into homosexual relationships. Director Martino probably couldn't resist putting two sex symbols of giallo films into bed together.)  Ivan Rassimov of The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardj -- also directed by Martino and starring Fenech -- has a small but pivotal role. 

Verdict: One strange household -- and lots of twists. ***. 

THE CASE OF THE SCORPION'S TAIL

George Hilton

THE CASE OF THE SCORPION'S TAIL (aka La coda dello scorpione/1971). Director: Sergio Martino. 

Lisa Baumer (Ida Galli) discovers that her wealthy husband has died in a plane crash, and flies from London to Athens to claim a one million dollar insurance policy. Insurance investigator Peter Lynch (George Hilton) rescues her when her late husband's former mistress, Lara (Janine Reynaud), and a hulking associate, threaten her it she doesn't turn over half the money. Peter is confused to learn that Lisa cashed the insurance check and has booked a flight out of the country. Meanwhile a figure in a black mask, outfit and gloves, is attacking assorted people involved in the case with knives. Peter teams up with reporter Cleo Dupont (Anita Strindberg) to get to the bottom of things. 

Anita Strindberg

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail is a pleasant surprise, one of the few giallo films that has a truly interesting and twisty plot along with a few surprises. In that way it reminds one of a Dario Argento film except for the fact that Sergio Martino's direction is nowhere near as stylish as Argento's. However, there are still some good scenes in this, such as a suspenseful attack upon Lara in her gothic-like townhouse, and an exciting finale that reveals the true perpetrator. George Hilton, an attractive actor from Uruguay who appeared in a number of giallo films such as The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, gives a strong performance, as does the quite beautiful Swedish actress Anita Strindberg, as well as Reynaud as the bitchy Lara, Luigi Pistilli as Inspector Stavros, Alberto de Mendoza as an Interpol agent; and others. The title has to do with a pair of cufflinks found at a crime scene. If this movie only had somewhat better characterization and a much better musical score, it really would have been a contender, but it's quite entertaining as it is. NOTE: Not to be confused with The Night of the Scorpion or The Black Scorpion!

Verdict: Superior giallo. ***.  

THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDJ

George Hilton and Edwige Fenech

THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDJ (aka Lo strano vizio della Signora Wardh/1971). Director: Sergio Martino. 

In order to get away from her abusive lover, Jean (Ivan Rassimov), Julie  (Edwige Fenech) married her more pliable husband, Neil Wardh (Alberto de Mendoza), first secretary at the American embassy. Jean is still pursuing her when she meets the cousin, George (George Hilton), of her friend Carol (Conchita Airoldi), and with some initial reluctance begins an affair with him. Meanwhile a mad razor slasher is running around the city of Venice where they all live, brutally murdering young women. The latest victim, who went to a park to confront a man blackmailing Julie over her affair, is Carol. Unable to deal with it all, Julie runs off to Spain with George, where her final fate awaits her ... 

the underground garage sequence

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardj is better-known in shortened versions under the titles Next! or Next Victim! or Blade of the Ripper. Although listed on imdb.com as being 81 minutes long, Strange Vice actually runs 97 minutes (and could have used a little trimming frankly). Still, it's an intriguing giallo film under any title. There is a terrific sequence in an underground parking garage where the killer pursues Julie, and another suspenseful sequence in the gardens of the Schonbrunn Palace. And, of course, the umpteenth shower murder sequence, although this is not done with much elan. Sergio Martino's direction is adequate but not exactly stylish. 

Ivan Rassimov

Edwige Fenech, who made a career starring in movies like this and stripping to her birthday suit at the drop of a hat, is adequate as the unsympathetic heroine, but she was never hired for her acting skills. Born in Uruguay, George Hilton has a certain presence and appeared in a large number of foreign productions, as did Ivan Rassimov, who was actually born in Italy. He was also in Planet of the Vampires. Sergio Martino also directed Torso. 

Verdict: A twisty and unpredictable script will keep you guessing. ***.  

TORSO

 

TORSO (1973/Italy). Director: Sergio Martino. 

While this Italian giallo film lacks the style, finesse and classy art direction of the best of Mario Bava and Dario Argento, it does manage to work up some suspense and chills in the final quarter. Young women are being stalked, murdered and dismembered in Rome. The suspects include a professor, a love-sick student, a handsome doctor, a co-ed's uncle, the "village idiot" and others. The heroine, Jane, (Suzy Kendall) retreats with three friends to a house in the country high atop a cliff, but finds she can not escape the killer. The movie begins inauspiciously and promises to be a pretty dull item, but it sustains interest until an excellent sequence when Jane hides from the maniac as he begins to dismember her friends. Later there is a very taut, chilling sequence when he goes through her room in search of her and nearly finds her. If the whole movie had been on the level of these tense scenes it really might have amounted to something. As it is, horror fans may find it worthwhile. The professor, Franz, is played by John Richardson, who co-starred with Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C. (1967) and did little else of note. The script throws in a lesbian love-making scene for no apparent reason other than to presumably add some extra titillation. None of the killer's many victims, either male or female, ever seem to fight back. At one point he manages to dispatch three women (off-screen) at the same time! 

Verdict: Not great, but of interest to fans of psycho-shockers. **1/2.