Rent The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion (1970)

Unspectacular but enjoyable - mild spoilers follow. - The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion review by NP

Beautiful flame-haired Dagmar Lassander plays Minou, a loyal and trusting soul, who is married to less scrupulous Peter (Pier Paolo Capponi ), a man of indeterminate hairline, who from the offset is clearly a bad ‘un, it seems to me. Enter the mighty Nieves Navarro (billed as Susan Scott), playing flirtatious Dominique who flashes a smile full of teeth at every man who passes her by – but saves herself for duplicitous Peter. Then there is The Blackmailer (prolific giallo villain Simón Andreu), who attacks and blackmails poor Minou over her husband’s alleged villainy.

There’s not a huge amount of sex or gore in this, unlike many efforts in this genre, although Director Luciano Ercoli clearly loves the female form, and there’s a definite frisson in intimate scenes featuring Navarro (not to cloud his professionalism of course, but he was Navarro’s husband).

Lassander is very good in a role that could have been irritating if in the hands of a lesser actress. Like that other giallo queen Edwige Fenech, her sense of screen presence and appeal stop her character from becoming the needy scream-queen she could have been. The contrast between her softness and Dominique’s brashness is well conveyed.

The story, whilst not spectacular, has its moments and is definitely heightened by the characters. The finale is typical gialli – the exposed villain gloatingly tells the victim his entire plan before either (a) getting away with it, or (b) not getting away with it. Either way, it is an enjoyable dénouement, and is enjoyable, scenic entertainment overall.

Interesting - The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion review by sb

FILM & REVIEW Aka Forbidden Photo’s of a Lady Above Suspicion- another snappily titled Italian Giallo. Laasander plays Mimou the wife of businessman Peter (Capponi)- one night she is attacked and fears the worst but he just wants to tell her that her husband is a murderer. His company is in trouble and when his chief creditor is found dead in mysterious cicumstances she suspects him. The stalker (a very menacing Andreu) plays her a tape of her husband planning the death and demands money. She arrives at his place but he blackmails her into a sadistic masochistic relationship which she is equally appalled and aroused by it. Her best friend (Scott)seems to encourage her but things soon spiral out of hand - she tells her husband who believes her but all the evidence seems to vanish and she begins to doubt her sanity. You can see where all this going but some slights of hand and red herrings keep it going…..it’s a minor entry into the genre but worth a look - 3/5