One on Top of the Other (1969) Una sull'altra (original title)

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Lucio Fulci (screenplay)
Lucio Fulci (story)
(more)

Release Date:

April 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

What Is The Most Incredible Thing A Woman Ever Did For $1,000,000?

Plot:

An insurance scam lands a man on death row for murdering his wife. What everyone doesn't know is she really isn't dead.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Insurance | Death Row | Stripper | Murder

Cast

Jean Sorel	...	Dr. Geroge Dumurrier
Marisa Mell	...	Susan Dumurrier / Monica Weston
Elsa Martinelli	...	Jane
Alberto de Mendoza	...	Henry Dumurrier
John Ireland	...	Inspector Wald
Riccardo Cucciolla	...	Benjamin Wormser
Bill Vanders	...	Insurance Agent (as Bill Wanders)
Franco Balducci	...	Officer Loveday
Giuseppe Addobbati	...	Brent (as John Douglas)
Félix Dafauce	...	Royal Insurance Official #1
Jesús Puente	...	Sergeant Rodriguez
George Rigaud	...	Arthur Mitchell
Jean Sobieski	...	Larry
Faith Domergue	...	Martha
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Geoffrey Copleston	...	District Attorney (uncredited)
Lucio Fulci	...	Graphologist (uncredited)
Malisa Longo	...	Elizabeth O'Neill (uncredited)
Raffaele Mottola	...	Governor (uncredited)
Bobby Rhodes	...	Prison Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
Lucio Fulci

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lucio Fulci		screenplay
Lucio Fulci		story
Roberto Gianviti		screenplay
Roberto Gianviti		story
José Luis Martínez Mollá		writer

Produced by
Edmondo Amati	....	producer
Maurizio Amati	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Riz Ortolani

Cinematography by
Alejandro Ulloa

Film Editing by
Ornella Micheli

Production Design by
Nedo Azzini

Set Decoration by
Pier Luigi Basile

Costume Design by
Lucia Mirisola

Makeup Department
Giuseppe Banchelli	....	makeup artist
Iole Cecchini	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Gray Frederickson	....	unit manager: New York
Renato Jaboni	....	general manager
Massimo Manasse	....	production supervisor
Luis Méndez	....	production manager
Francisco J. Tudela	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Massimo Castellani	....	assistant director
Albino Cocco	....	assistant director

Art Department
Román Calatayud	....	set designer
Alessandro De Santis	....	assistant production designer
Lucia Mirisola	....	assistant production designer

Sound Department
Mario Ligobbi	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Antonio Benetti	....	still photographer (as Tonino Benetti)
Giovanni Bergamini	....	camera operator
Giovanni Bonivento	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Conchita Pacini	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Riz Ortolani	....	conductor

Other crew
Paolo Vandini	....	production secretary
Vittoria Vigorelli	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Empire Films
• Les Productions Jacques Roitfeld (co-production)
• Trébol Films C.C. (co-production)

Distributors

• Alpha France (1970) (France) (theatrical)
• Atlántida Films (1969) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Border Film Productions (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinerama Filmgesellschaft MBH (1971) (Germany) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Fida Cinematografica (1969) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Filmways Australasian Distributors (1972) (Australia) (theatrical)
• G.G.P. Releasing Company (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Cinefear (????) (USA) (VHS)
• G.V.C. Super-Video (????) (Switzerland) (VHS)
• Gadabout Gaddis Productions (1973) (USA) (dubbed)
• Ilios TV (Greece) (VHS)
• Inter Ocean Video (1981) (UK) (VHS)
• Mitel Video (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• Olympic Video (Greece) (VHS)
• Proserpine (????) (France) (VHS)
• Severin Films (2007) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (video) (VOD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Una sull'altra" - Italy (original title)
"Perversion Story" - France, USA (DVD title)

Runtime:

97 min | 107 min (uncut version)

Country:

Italy | France | Spain

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Italy:VM18 | Norway:16 | Spain:18 | USA:R | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Australia:M (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Empire Films

Goofs:

Errors in geography: San Luis Obispo is due south of San Francisco, but to get there from San Francisco George is seen driving over and past landmarks taking him east of his destination such as the San Mateo Bridge or north of his starting point such as the Golden Gate Bridge.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fulci Talks: The Movies (2007)

Fulci's best-ever 'pensioners in titty bar' movie

Pretty decent stab at an erotic thriller from the Goremeister General. It's all the things you would want: stylish, sexy, and gripping. It's also crisply shot and has an excellent Riz Ortolani score. Again, the dubbing is pretty ropey but if, by this point, you're seeking out some of Fulci's lesser-known works then it's safe to assume you've made your peace with this constant problem.

Marissa Mell is great as the femme fatale and Elsa Martinelli is cool and chic as the devoted mistress who, despite herself, can't stop believing in her man. In fact, the female performances are much stronger than the men, probably because Jean Sorel doesn't have much to do except wander around with his shirt off, looking bewildered.

Great photography of San Francisco, looking as good - if not better - than in BULLITT. There's also a fine cameo from Jean Sobieski, for connoisseurs of louche photographers in movies.

The only real problem is that the film isn't quite gripping enough. The premise is set up well in the first half hour or so, and the suspense and mystery sustained during the kinky interludes in the middle, but all is revealed through a clumsy expository scene with about 20 minutes remaining and after that it runs out of steam.

Well worth a look though.

6/10