The Case of the Scorpion's Tail (1971)
"La coda dello scorpione" (original title)

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail begins with the mysterious death of a millionaire and spirals into the murder of his suddenly rich wife, which draws the attention of a dogged investigator, who follows a trail of blood to the bitter end.

Director:

Sergio Martino

Writers:

Ernesto Gastaldi (screenplay), Eduardo Manzanos Brochero (screenplay),

Stars:

George Hilton, Anita Strindberg, Alberto de Mendoza

Cast

Complete credited cast:
George Hilton	...	Peter Lynch
Anita Strindberg	...	Cléo Dupont
Alberto de Mendoza	...	John Stanley
Ida Galli	...	Lisa Baumer (as Evelyn Stewart)
Janine Reynaud	...	Lara Florakis
Luigi Pistilli	...	Inspector Stavros
Tom Felleghy	...	Mr. Brenton
Luis Barboo	...	Sharif
Lisa Leonardi	...	Hostess (as Annalisa Nardi)
Tomás Picó	...	George Barnet

Storyline

A plane explodes; one passenger is a London businessman who's insured for $1 million. His unfaithful wife is the beneficiary. The insurance agency arranges to pay, but also assigns their top investigator, Peter Lynch, to sniff out irregularities. The widow goes to Greece for the payout; Peter follows her, introducing himself. He becomes her protector and her companion, but the relationship is short lived. She has decided to take the money in cash and plans an immediate trip to Tokyo. Is she guilty of her husband's murder, and if so, who's her accomplice? An Athenian police inspector, an Interpol agent, and a French photojournalist join Lynch in the investigation.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | cash | blood | unfaithful wife | accomplice | 

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

Italy Spain

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

16 August 1971 (Italy)

Also Known As:

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

Filming Locations:

Greece

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 19,571,993 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Copercines, Cooperativa Cinematográfica, Devon Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

70mm blow-up version released in Spain.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lisa Baumer: Hello, this is Lisa. Yes, it's alright. Yes, his plane will be leaving in a few minutes. You know I'm dying to see you. Soon, hurry darling, I'll be waiting. Bye.

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Connections

Referenced in Violent Cop (1989)

User Reviews

Sometimes jerky but enjoyable giallo.

Filmed mostly in Greece, this is a flawed but enjoyable giallo. The editing is incredibly jerky at times, the gore effects are unconvincing (the blood looks like red paint) and the solution, while fairly unexpected, is not the most original you're ever likely to come across. But the smooth George Hilton and the voluptuous Anita Strindberg (she could have easily been one of the best Bond girls) make an attractive couple, the story dares to break some conventions (the first slashing comes when you least expect it) and mystery fans should generally be pleased. (**)