Starring Barbara Steele, Robert Flemyng, Silvano Tranquilli, Maria Teresa Vianello, Harriet Medin
Directed by Riccardo Freda
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Twelve years after the accidental death of his wife, an acclaimed surgeon returns to his mansion with a new bride, who soon becomes convinced the house is haunted.
I viewed the American release of this Italian chiller, which according to film historian Troy Howarth has had scenes cut from the original, which likely explains why I found some of the film's subtexts a little difficult to understand. The film however is a well-photographed and paced gem, with fine direction by Freda, which keeps the audience guessing as to what is going on. This isn't one of Steele's greatest roles, playing the victimized second wife, but she's fine in the part, and gives the audience its entryway into the story and central character to follow. Roman Vlad's music score, although at times a bit simplistic and at others a bit over the top, gives the thriller a worthy musical setting that helped sustain my interest. I look forward to seeking out the Italian release in hopes of an even richer cinema experience.
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