Homicide parfait au terme de la loi

Not that great but not that bad either. The plot is somehow both extremely simple and confusing at the same time, and it is halfway incoherent- something which is said about giallo as a whole, but unfortunately it's missing that trait which redeems other works with that same quality: beautiful visuals. Many (not all) gialli are style-over-substance; that is to say that the plot takes a backseat to the visuals and the atmosphere that bestows. They focus on gorgeous, luscious sets, artistic camerawork, and beautiful locations. Other gialli are tight thrillers, plot focused and over the top works that take hitchock and amplify his tendencies to the 10th degree, creating a campy but coherent 70s erotic murder mystery. This is unfortunately neither. It means to be plot focused, but doesn't do enough. The story is both simple and convoluted, there are things which aren't explained, and it's a slow burner without the atmosphere or visuals to justify that pacing. If you're looking for a giallo to watch you can do a whole lot better than this.

On the flipside, if, like me, you are a giallo fanatic and have eaten up all of the main dishes, this one isn't one you must avoid entirely. It still has enough there to scratch the itch, it isn't completely useless. It's enjoyable as a piece of camp with that giallo feel and the storyline isn't fully worthless, you'll still be interested to know what's happening.

Good giallo in the old psychological way, set in the motorboat race circle. Marco (Philippe Leroy, Senza via d'uscita) is an offshore champion trained by Vincenzo Balestrieri (himself). During a race, his boat has a tough accident and he is hospitalized in the clinic of professor Mauri (Franco Fantasia, Sette Orchidee macchiate di rosso). He recovers but his memory remains weakened. He is welcomed home in his Roman villa by his wife Monica (Elga Endersen, Piu tardi Claire), his lawyer Burt (Ivan Rassimov, Lo Strano Vizio della signora Wardh), and his friend Tommy (Franco Ressel, Un Posto ideale per uccidere) with his girlfriend Terry (Rossana Yanni, The Eye of the Hurricane), who all want to help him to retake a normal life.

But unfortunately corpses start to pile up around Marco, starting with the murder of his former gardener Sante (Franco Balducci, Una Lucertola con la pelle di donna), for the desperation of the police inspector Baldini (Julio Peña, Tre Notti violente). All the characters seem to hide their game and to follow a personal plot around Marco and his valuable family plant. Who would be the more clever of all to build the "perfect homicide within the law limits", helped by the providential crosscurrent flowing near on the sea coast, useful to get rid of inconvenient bodies? The spectator shall get through a little bit too slow rhythm, with the quite overwhelming soundtrack of the English version (fortunately fair in the Spanish one), to, after the regular sequences with cemetery, nightclub, car pursuit, bathroom and spiral staircase, enjoy a very beautiful final full of twists. (Viewed in English 1h28 version.)

Ivan Rassimov has been in some of the best giallos ever made. And after watching this disappointing giallo, I can say that he has also appeared in some of the worst giallos ever made. What a career! But seriously, he also appeared in The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh which was released the same year as this film. Talk about ups and downs!

The actors are not to blame here. I recognized many of the actors here from other films, and they can all act (with the exception of the doctor who was utterly unconvincing). This film is primarily so bad because of the director - Tonino Ricci. Many shots feel like this is a made for TV movie or a soap opera. The overuse of zooming almost had me unintentionally laughing. I think in another director's hands this could have been a middle of the road giallo. But as is, it's a pretty bad one.

A speed-boat racer suffers amnesia after an (apparent) boating accident and goes to his isolated villa to recuperate. His relationship with his wife (Elga Andersen) is troubled, so he starts an affair (sort of) with the another woman (Roseanne Yanni), which results in one of the three of them being shot (in a catfight gone horribly wrong). But there are several more twists--and more murders--to come.

The Italian giallo is generally believed to have originated entirely with the work of Mario Bava and Dario Argento. But there was another parallel strain of the genre, which was a little more subtle and mannered (especially compared to the often bloody, over-the-top Argento films), that was clearly inspired by the seminal French thriller "Diabolique". These gialli, which include pre-Argento films like "Death Laid an Egg" and "The Sweet Body of Deborah" and director Umberto Lenzi's influential trilogy ("Orgasmo", "So Sweet, So Perverse", and "A Quiet Place to Kill"), all involve decadent members of the European "la dolce vita" jet-set crossing and double-crossing each other in ridiculously complicated sex and murder plots. This film is in that vein (even having a "Diabolique"-type twist where a character previously thought to be dead comes back to life).

The giallo genre of that time was blessed with many talented directors, including most notably Bava, Argento, Lenzi, Lucio Fulci, Sergio Martino, and Massimo Dallamano. The director of this is clearly not in that exalted company, but his work is certainly adequate. The ambiance of the isolated villa with one eerie, gnarled tree that seems to provoke hallucinations in the mind of the protagonist is very effective. And a scene at a modern disco where Rosanne Yanni shimmies to groovy music in a ridiculously short mini-skirt ensemble is definitely memorable. Some of your more horny and/or bloodthirsty giallo fans may be a little disappointed. The murders are not particularly effective and are hard to make out (at least in the dark, muddy print I saw). Andersen (or her body double) has nude scenes, but Yanni, while she nevers wears a lot of clothes, never takes them off either. Still, the plot is pretty entertaining, and the great Ivan Rassimov appears in an important supporting role. Not one of the best gialli, but still recommended.

Cross Current features all the things that usually make Giallo's successful, but somehow it just doesn't gel together well and in spite of the gory murders and twisted plot, the film always feels like it isn't really going anywhere and that unfortunately harms it. Tonino Ricci directs with flair and style and this is a definite asset to the film. Cross Current has a lovely foreboding atmosphere and the way that the director keeps the focus on the lead characters helps to build claustrophobia and this helps to make sure that the film always remains interesting. The plot focuses on Marco, a boat racer who has an accident. He wakes up in hospital and finds out that he has to have brain surgery. After the operation, he begins recovering at home and is cared for by his wife Monica, his friend Tommy and a woman named Terry. Shortly into his recovery, people around his home start to get murdered; beginning with the gardener who had previously requested a private meeting with Marco. More murders follow and the police get involved...

It's a shame that this film wasn't better as some of the murders rival the best of the genre. The intestine spilling scene is excellent, while a slow motion sequence in which a woman is shot oozes coolness. But unfortunately it just doesn't gel together well and feels obvious that the director was trying to make a film that emulates the successful Giallo's of the time. The acting isn't bad, with experienced Italian film actor Philippe Leroy taking the lead role and doing well with it. Rosanna Yanni and Elga Andersen look nice as the female leads, while the always excellent Ivan Rassimov rounds off the central cast. The house in which most of the film is set dominates the atmosphere of the film and proves a good location for a film like this to be set in. It all builds down to a nice twisted ending which just about makes the rest of the film worthwhile. The final ten minutes are really well put together, and this may have been a classic if the rest of the film were as good. Overall, I can't really say that this is essential but, if you can find it, it's just about worth seeing.