Así de dulce, así de maravillosa

SO SWEET...SO PERVERSE (1969, original title Cosi dolce...cosi perversa) is another of the many gialli that American actress Carroll Baker shot with Umberto Lenzi in the late 1960s and early '70s. In this one she shares top billing with Jean-Louis Trintignant and Erika Blanc. The story tells of an unhappily married man who begins an affair with the woman who lives in the apartment above after he discovers that she's being mistreated by her brutish boyfriend. But there's more to their relationship than meets the eye...

The first half of this production is pretty slow. Trintignant's character is quite unlikeable, there's no suspense, and it's more of a relationship drama with very mild mystery. The second half starts introducing twist upon twist and it gets much more fun, and owes more than a nod to LES DIABOLIQUES. Blanc is particularly effective as the scorned wife driven to desperation, Horst Frank is always good value, and Baker enjoys the chance to play more than just a woman in peril. It's not a totally satisfying giallo, but it is one that keeps you guessing, and genre aficionados will enjoy it.