Artist Roberto Merigi (Anthony Steffen) is hired by the Montebruno family to restore an old statue that has been pulled out of a lake. The local villagers believe the statue to be cursed, and it soon seems as though they might be right, Harriet Montebruno (Barbara Steele) behaving as though she is possessed, using her womanly ways to stir up trouble, driving men to madness, murder and suicide.
I've never understood why people think that Barbara Steele is attractive - I've always found her features too gaunt and unsettling for her to be considered beautiful (perfect for horror, but far from stunning). While I struggle with the idea that Steele is so gorgeous that she could drive men crazy from desire or lure them away from those they love, she is very good in this film, especially when playing possessed: watching her tempt the village idiot Vittorio (Aldo Berti), her pretty maid Rita (Ursula Davis), local teacher Dario (Vassili Karis), and strongman Carlo (Mario Brega) is a lot of fun, especially when her victims lose the plot (or the will to live).
The tragic history of the statue is told in flashback, setting up what appears to be a classic ghost story involving jealousy and hatred from beyond a watery grave, but the film eventually grounds itself in reality by revealing the seemingly supernatural occurrences to be the work of Harriet's greedy uncle (Claudio Gora) and his manipulative housekeeper Ilda (Marina Berti). This doesn't detract from the effectiveness of the film - it's still a super little chiller - plus we get a suitably poetic ending for Ilda when history repeats itself.
7.5/10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.
I've never understood why people think that Barbara Steele is attractive - I've always found her features too gaunt and unsettling for her to be considered beautiful (perfect for horror, but far from stunning). While I struggle with the idea that Steele is so gorgeous that she could drive men crazy from desire or lure them away from those they love, she is very good in this film, especially when playing possessed: watching her tempt the village idiot Vittorio (Aldo Berti), her pretty maid Rita (Ursula Davis), local teacher Dario (Vassili Karis), and strongman Carlo (Mario Brega) is a lot of fun, especially when her victims lose the plot (or the will to live).
The tragic history of the statue is told in flashback, setting up what appears to be a classic ghost story involving jealousy and hatred from beyond a watery grave, but the film eventually grounds itself in reality by revealing the seemingly supernatural occurrences to be the work of Harriet's greedy uncle (Claudio Gora) and his manipulative housekeeper Ilda (Marina Berti). This doesn't detract from the effectiveness of the film - it's still a super little chiller - plus we get a suitably poetic ending for Ilda when history repeats itself.
7.5/10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.