Death Laid an Egg (1968)
"La morte ha fatto l'uovo" (original title)

A love triangle develops between three people who run a high tech chicken farm. It involves Anna (who owns the farm), her husband Marco (who kills prostitutes in his spare time) and ... See full summary »

Director:

Giulio Questi

Writers:

Franco Arcalli, Giulio Questi

Stars:

Gina Lollobrigida, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Ewa Aulin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gina Lollobrigida	...	Anna
Jean-Louis Trintignant	...	Marco
Ewa Aulin	...	Gabrielle
Jean Sobieski	...	Mondaini
Renato Romano	...	Luigi
Vittorio André
Giulio Donnini	...	Hotel Manager
Biagio Pelligra	...	Chemical operator
Cleofe Del Cile	...	Prostitute #1
Monica Millesi
Ugo Adinolfi
Conrad Andersen
Aldo Bonamano	...	Police Inspector
Rina De Filippo
Livio Ferraro

Storyline

A love triangle develops between three people who run a high tech chicken farm. It involves Anna (who owns the farm), her husband Marco (who kills prostitutes in his spare time) and Gabriella (the very beautiful secretary). Marco continues to kill as jealousy becomes more prevalent on the farm.

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Plot Keywords:

farm | love | prostitute | chicken | female rear nudity | 

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Taglines:

See them tear each other apart. Then see what they do with the pieces.

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Genres:

Thriller

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Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

9 January 1968 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Death Laid an Egg

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cine Azimut, Les Films Corona S.R.L. de Nanterre, Summa Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

"Diabolique" on acid (and with a lot of chickens)

Like many other European thrillers this early Italian giallo was obviously very influenced by the French film "Diabolique" with it's basic plot of a wealthy husband, wife, and mistress all scheming against each other. And like the later film "So Sweet, So Perverse" the movie throws another man (Jean Sorel)into the mix as a kind of a fourth side to the main triangle. This movie is no conventional thriller, however. For one thing it has kind of psychedelic, surrealist pop-art late 60's sensibility to it that always threatens to overwhelm (and occasionally does) the rational story-line. For another thing, it has a VERY bizarre setting, a fully-automated chicken plant. (There's a scene where the scientists at the plant create "monster" chickens without wings or beaks that really makes one want to swear off poultry for life). This unusual setting adds a whole industrial conspiracy angle and, moreover, a weird sort of social commentary to the proceedings.

The acting is all very good. Jean-Louis Tritigant plays a similar role to the one he'd later play in "So Sweet, So Perverse", but here he also might be a serial killer who is offing prostitutes in a roadside motel. Latin sex symbol Gina Lollabridga makes a rare appearance in this kind of film (which is actually much more entertaining than some of the bigger-budgeted movies she starred in)as the domineering wife. The young mistress is believably played by Ewa "Candy" Aulin, although she is not quite as enjoyable when she's not naked and not speaking in her natural (undubbed) heavy Swedish accent. (Aulin also appeared in another excellent, if even more obscure, giallo called "The Double"). The best thing about the movie though is the ending where EVERYBODY manages to get their just desserts--and then some. Definitely check this one out.