What (1963)
"La frusta e il corpo" (original title)

In the 19th century, a sadistic nobleman terrorizes the members of his family. He is found dead, but his ghost soon returns to haunt the residents of his castle.

Director:

Mario Bava

Writers:

Ernesto Gastaldi (screenplay), Ugo Guerra (screenplay),

Stars:

Daliah Lavi, Christopher Lee, Tony Kendall

Cast

Cast overview:
Daliah Lavi	...	Nevenka Menliff
Christopher Lee	...	Kurt Menliff
Tony Kendall	...	Christian Menliff
Ida Galli	...	Katia (as Isli Oberon)
Harriet Medin	...	Giorgia (as Harriet White)
Gustavo De Nardo	...	Count Menliff (as Dean Ardow)
Luciano Pigozzi	...	Losat (as Alan Collins)
Jacques Herlin	...	Priest

Storyline

Kurt Menliff is a ruthless and sadistic 19th Century nobleman who returns to his seafront castle home after years of wondering. He finds himself immediately at odds with his invalid father, a Count, as well as Kurt's spineless younger brother Christian, whom is married to Kurt's cousin and former lover Nevenka. When Kurt is found in his room on the next night, murdered, suspicion falls on everyone which gets more complicated when Nevenka begins seeing his ghost (real or imaginary?) haunting the castle supposedly wanting revenge against his killers.

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Plot Keywords:

castle | ghost | gothic horror | funeral | beyond the grave | 

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Taglines:

What is her terrifying secret?? Is she the victim of a madman???? Or a dead man? You must see "What?"!

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

10 December 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Whip and the Body

Filming Locations:

Tor Caldara, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$66,500 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Francinor-PIP, Leone Film, Titanus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Christopher Lee's voice was dubbed by another actor even though the film was shot in English.

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Quotes

Kurt Menliff: I have never had a warmer welcome.

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Connections

Referenced in Blood Fiend (1967)

User Reviews

Bava at his most Gothic

This unrelentingly-creepy tale of obsession and perversion plays like a more-horrific version of _Wuthering Heights_: cobwebbed crypts, dark castles with secret passages, rotting bodies, muddy footprints, pale faces scowling through windows, love-hate relationships that continue beyond the grave, sea cliffs, turbulent ocean, sunsets, and a very haunting music score. The sets are rich and the direction is moody, with lots of brilliantly-composed photography and a convincingly-cruel performance by Christopher Lee. This one does require some patience, but it's one of Bava's greatest masterpieces and deserves to be saved from obscurity.