Lo strano vizio della Signora Wardh (1971)

Director:

Sergio Martino

Writers:

Vittorio Caronia (screenplay)
Ernesto Gastaldi (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 January 1971 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

An ambassador's wife discovers that one of the men in her life - either her husband, an ex-lover or her current lover - may be a vicious serial killer.

Plot Keywords:

Lover | Serial Killer | Friend | Killer | Razor

Cast

George Hilton	...	George Corro
Edwige Fenech	...	Julie Wardh
Conchita Airoldi	...	Carol Brandt (as Cristina Airoldi)
Manuel Gil	...	Dr. Harbe
Carlo Alighiero	...	Commissioner
Ivan Rassimov	...	Jean
Alberto de Mendoza	...	Neil Wardh
Bruno Corazzari	...	Killer
Marella Corbi
Miguel Del Castillo	...	Medico Spagnolo
Luis de Tejada
Brizio Montinaro	...	Ospite Al party
Pouchi
Mira Vidotto	...	Cameriera Della Wardh

Also Known As:

Blade of the Ripper (USA)
La perversa señora Ward (Spain)
Next! (UK)
The Next Victim! (USA)
The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (USA) (DVD title)

Runtime:

Italy:98 min | Spain:92 min | USA:81 min

Country:

Italy | Spain

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:16 (re-rating) (2005) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Company:

Copercines, Cooperativa Cinematográfica

Trivia:

Italian censorship visa # 57415 delivered on 23-12-1970.

Quotes:

George Corro: My specialty is courting ladies in the presence of their husbands.

Movie Connections:

References Psycho (1960)

Excellent thriller

Sergio Martino; a master Giallo filmmaker? Not quite as interesting as Argento but very good all the same. The Strange Vice or Mrs. Wardh is mostly considered to be his best effort and I agree, having recently seen all his giallo's except Your Vice is a Locked Door and Only I have the Key (what a title).

The plot here is complex and very well played out and best not to go into details. The lovely Edwige Fenech plays Mrs. Wardh, a woman who believes herself to be in danger, with people around her turning up dead and also struggling with a difficult past.

Martino delivers quite a few excellent setpieces with style and gusto. He keeps the film moving at a rapid pace and manages to get good performances from both Fenech (who's also stunning to look at) and suave Hilton. Ernesto Gastaldi penned the interesting story, with many twists and turns and keeps the viewer guessing until the very end. As with so many giallo's the music is wonderful, Bruno Nicolai providing the haunting and memorable score (also responsible for the terrific music used in The Case of the Bloody Iris).

If you like Giallo's you'll love this one. Highly recommended.