The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1971)

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.

Director:

Sergio Martino

Writers:

Eduardo Manzanos (original story) (as Eduardo M. Brochero), Eduardo Manzanos (screenplay) (as Eduardo M. Brochero)

Stars:

George Hilton, Edwige Fenech, Conchita Airoldi

Cast

Complete credited cast:
George Hilton	...	George Corro
Edwige Fenech	...	Julie Wardh
Conchita Airoldi	...	Carol Brandt (as Cristina Airoldi)
Manuel Gil	...	Dr. Arbe (as Manuel Gill)
Carlo Alighiero	...	Commissioner
Ivan Rassimov	...	Jean
Alberto de Mendoza	...	Neil Wardh
Bruno Corazzari	...	Killer
Marella Corbi	...	Victim who escapes from the killer
Miguel del Castillo	...	Spanish Doctor
Luis de Tejada	...	The inspector
Brizio Montinaro	...	Ospite Al party
Pouchi	...	Victim in the shower (as Pouchie)
Mira Vidotto	...	Cameriera Della Wardh

Storyline

Mrs. Julie Wardh returns to Vienna with her husband Neil Wardh, who is an investor in Wall Street. Julie and Neil have been married for one year but they do not love each other. Julie has a trauma from her former boyfriend Jean, who was a sadistic man. While Neil has meetings in Austria, Julie spends the vacation with her friend Carol Brandt. They go to a party where Carol introduces her handsome cousin George Corro, who has just inherited a fortune with her. When Julie sees Jean in the party, she decides to leave the place. Soon Julie, who is neglected by Neil, has a love affair with George. Meanwhile a serial-killer that kills women with a razor blade is terrifying Vienna and the inspector has no lead to follow. When Julie is blackmailed because of her love affair with George, she suspects Jean might be the blackmailer. Carol decides to go to the meeting with the blackmailer and is killed. Julie believes that Jean might be the wanted killer and decides to leave Vienna and Neil to go...

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Plot Keywords:

giallo | two on a motorcycle | black gloves | female friendship | black gloved killer | 

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Taglines:

Always unseen... unheard... until he reached out to touch and caress!

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Genres:

Crime | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

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

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Goofs

When Julie hears the bellboy knock at the apartment door, she puts on a blue bathrobe without a belt. When she looks through the peephole to see who it is, she is wearing the same bathrobe, but as soon as she opens the door the robe has suddenly acquired a belt.

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Quotes

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

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Crazy Credits

"The very fact that the commandment says "do not kill" makes us aware and convinced that we are descended from an unbroken chain of generations of assassins, for whom the love of murder was in their blood, as it is perhaps in ours." - Sigmund Freud

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Alternate Versions

This was released at least twice on VHS in the United States. The version called Next Victim (box claims it runs 87 minutes) is quite different than the version released as Blade of The Ripper (box claims it runs 83 minutes). The film was shot in widescreen 2:35 and neither is letterboxed. The version released as Next Victim has had all of the nudity edited out of it. Blade of the Ripper has had the opening titles and several other sequences removed entirely, which accounts for the short running time.

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Connections

Featured in Trailer Trauma Part 4: Television Trauma (2017)

User Reviews

Suspenseful and Erotic Giallo

Mrs. Julie Wardh (Edwige Fenech) returns to Vienna with her husband Neil Wardh (Alberto de Mendoza), who is an investor in Wall Street. Julie and Neil have been married for one year but they do not love each other. Julie has a trauma from her former boyfriend Jean (Ivan Rassimov), who was a sadistic man. While Neil has meetings in Austria, Julie spends he vacation with her friend Carol Brandt (Cristina Airoldi). They go to a party where Carol introduces her handsome cousin George Corro (George Hilton), who has just inherited a fortune with her. When Julie sees Jean in the party, she decides to leave the place. Soon Julie, who is neglected by Neil, has a love affair with George. Meanwhile a serial-killer that kills women with a razor blade is terrifying Vienna and the inspector (Carlo Alighiero) has no lead to follow. When Julie is blackmailed because of her love affair with George, she suspects Jean might be the blackmailer. Carol decides to go to the meeting with the blackmailer and is killed. Julie believes that Jean might be the wanted killer and decides to leave Vienna and Neil to go to Spain. Will she be safe and loved?

"Lo strano vizio della Signora Wardh" is a suspenseful erotic giallo directed by Sergio Martino in the beginning of his career. The plot is tense and there are many suspects that might be the serial-killer. The conclusion surprises the viewers that will never guess who might be the killer. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Estranho Vício da Senhora Ward" ("The Strange Vice of Mrs. Ward")

Details

Country:

Italy Spain Austria

Language:

Italian Spanish

Release Date:

13 August 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Next Victim

Filming Locations:

Semmering, Lower Austria, Austria

Company Credits

Production Co:

Devon Film, Copercines, Cooperativa Cinematográfica

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1