Review: The Evil Eye

Leticia Roman arrives in Rome from the US and in addition to being mugged and her elderly Aunt passing away on Roman’s arrival, she also witnesses a brutal murder of a woman. However, when she tells a policeman, the body seems to have vanished and the police take her for a crazy person. She decides to investigate the matter herself, with nice guy doctor John Saxon the only person even willing to humour her suspicions. Valentina Cortese plays a friend of the dead Aunt who happens to live nearby the site of the murder.

 

Slow-moving, but solid Mario Bava (“Black Sunday”, “Black Sabbath”, “Kill, Baby…Kill”, “Hatchet for the Honeymoon”) film from 1963, that nonetheless could’ve been even better than it is. In addition to the slow pace (the first act should’ve been pared down a bit), the narration is completely unnecessary and unwanted. It also only turns up after 30 minutes randomly. Weird. Visually, though? This thing’s a masterpiece, stunningly shot in B&W by the director/cinematographer. The use of shadow here is extremely unsettling at times, ditto the use of sound. Lead actress Leticia Roman is genuinely good and her character immensely appealing, which for me is really important. American import John Saxon provides solid support, as well.

 

The central idea of the film is fascinating, and although I should’ve picked the culprit from a mile away, I didn’t. You might find an easier time of it, so I’m not sure I’d add that as a plus of the film so much as a lapse of concentration on my part. Nonetheless the story is engaging throughout, though that slow pace does hurt it. Genre-wise I think this is a mixture of giallo and a Hitchcockian murder-mystery. I have little doubt that Bava’s giallo descendant Dario Argento likes this film. The plotting is very Argento in particular.

 

There’s a lot to like here from Bava – cinematography, performances, central premise. However, a slow first half stops this mystery/horror from being more strongly recommended. Still worth a look, especially for Bava fans. The screenplay had six hands on it, including the director as well as Sergio Corbucci (“Django”), Ennio De Concini (“Salon Kitty”), Eliana De Sabata, Mino Guerrini (“Date for a Murder”), and Francesco Prosperi (writer-director of “Kill Me, My Love!” with Farley Granger).

 

Rating: B-

 

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