Ein schwarzer Tag für den Widder (1971)

An alcoholic journalist finds himself on the trail of a murderer after the police make him a suspect in their investigation.

Director:

Luigi Bazzoni

Writers:

David McDonald Devine (based on the novel by) (as D.M. Devine), Mario di Nardo (screenplay)

Stars:

Franco Nero, Silvia Monti, Wolfgang Preiss

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Franco Nero	...	Andrea Bild
Silvia Monti	...	Helene
Wolfgang Preiss	...	Police Inspector
Ira von Fürstenberg	...	Isabel Lancia
Edmund Purdom	...	Edouard Vermont
Rossella Falk	...	Sophia Bini
Renato Romano	...	Dr. Richard Bini
Guido Alberti	...	Traversi
Luciano Bartoli	...	Walter Auer (as Luciano Baroli)
Agostina Belli	...	Giulia
Maurizio Bonuglia	...	John Lubbock
Pamela Tiffin	...	Lu Auer
Corrado Gaipa	...	Editor
Andrea Scotti	...	Vogel
Luigi Antonio Guerra	...	(as L. Antonio Guerra)

Storyline

After a high-class party in Rome, there's an assault. The victim is injured but lives. Andrea, an investigative reporter who drinks too much, is assigned the story. Then, always on Tuesdays, there are a series of murders. At each crime scene, a glove is left with a finger cut off for each victim. After four murders, Andrea thinks he's making progress, but by this time he may himself be a suspect, and someone he loves is in danger.

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Plot Keywords:

giallo | victim | murder | party | reporter | 

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

January 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Evil Fingers

Company Credits

Production Co:

B.R.C. Produzione S.r.l., Dario

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Giornata nera (2006)

User Reviews

An example of why many Giallo films should be released on DVD

Any fan of 1970s Italian Giallo films has seen enough of them to know what to look for, but, of course, everyone sees something different in art. We all know about The Cat o Nine Tails (cool as hell) and Deep Red (bloody amazing), but some lesser-known Gialli have been available for re-discovery courtesy of Blue Underground and Shreikshow labels.

One of the better ones has to be The Fifth Cord starring Franco Nero. For me, the number one thing in these films is not plot points but ATMOSPHERE. This film not only has the great Franco Nero as its protagonist, but is brilliantly shot by Vittorio Storaro. Also, the director knows what to show most of the time, and when and how to show it. The finale is set in one of those funky 1960s European open concept homes with the stairwell to the second floor in the middle of the living room and a huge fireplace fit for Cortina! The kind of films we don't see any more, unfortunately. Without these DVD releases, we'd be stuck with a lot of modern would-be thrillers involving cell-phones and teeny-boppers.