The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

Last updated
The Case of the Scorpion's Tail
The Case of the Scorpion's Tail poster.jpg
Italian theatrical release poster
Directed by Sergio Martino
Screenplay by Ernesto Gastaldi
Eduardo Manzanos Brochero
Sauro Scavolini
Story byEduardo Manzanos Brochero
Produced byLuciano Martino
Starring George Hilton
Anita Strindberg
Alberto de Mendoza,
Ida Galli
CinematographyEmilio Foriscot
Edited by Eugenio Alabiso
Music by Bruno Nicolai
Production
companies
Copercines, Cooperativa Cinematográfica
Devon Film
Release date
16 August 1971
Running time
93 minutes [1]
Countries Italy
Spain
LanguageItalian
Box office 19,571,993 (Spain)

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail (Italian: La coda dello scorpione / Tail of the Scorpion) [2] is a 1971 Italian giallo film directed by Sergio Martino, produced by Luciano Martino and co-written by Ernesto Gastaldi and Eduardo Maria Brochero. It starred George Hilton, Anita Strindberg, Ida Galli and Janine Reynaud, and the music soundtrack was by Bruno Nicolai. [3]

Contents

Plot

After her husband dies in a plane accident, Lisa Baumer receives one million dollars, which she is to collect in Athens, Greece. Lisa's ex, Philippe, stalks her and demands a payoff. When they meet to meet, she finds Philippe dead and flees to catch her flight to Greece.

George Hilton and Anita Strindberg in a scene from the film George Hilton & Anita Strindberg - (1971).jpg
George Hilton and Anita Strindberg in a scene from the film

Insurance investigator Peter Lynch is hired to tail Lisa to affirm the legitimacy of the payout. He meets Lisa when his cover is blown at the hotel. Also following Lisa is Kurt's mistress, Lara Florakis, along with her muscle, Abad Sharif. Cornering her at an abandoned theater, they try to get the money, but Lisa runs away. They try to capture her, but Lynch helps Lisa escape. Once Lisa gets the money, she arranges to meet her lover in Tokyo. However, a masked killer breaks into Lisa's hotel room and slashes her to death, before stealing all the money.

The police of Athens are on the case, led by Inspector Stavros. Also investigating is Interpol agent John Stanley, who had been following Lisa since the airplane explosion, which his agency believed was a bombing. Lynch and Florakis are questioned. Soon after, a journalist, Cléo Dupont, meets Lynch. They soon start a relationship and agree to investigate together.

Lynch himself goes to question Florakis, where Stanley also arrives. Sharif narrowly kills Lynch with a hatchet. Florakis plays dumb when Stanley also questions her, but Lynch accuses her and Sharif of being the killers. That night, the killer murders her. Sharif, arriving from her distress call, chases the killer to the rooftop, where he falls to his death.

The lover, George Barnet, reconvenes in a hotel with a stewardess, his girlfriend. Barnet also has a uniform in his possession. One night, when Lynch joins Cléo at her studio apartment, the killer attacks her. Lynch arrives and saves her. At the scene is a cuff link, in the shape of a scorpion. An image of Kurt shows him with the same cuff links, and Lynch surmises Kurt is alive and in turn the killer. Meanwhile, Barnet is attacked and killed in London.

Lynch and Cléo arrange a trip on Lynch's yacht as part of a getaway. In the meantime, the police meet the stewardess, noticing her lapel pin is the same design as the cuff link. While on the yacht, Cléo sees Lynch dive into an underwater cave. When Cléo reaches air, she finds in the rocks of the cave floor a plastic bag with the insurance money. Lynch catches her and forces her back to the boat, admitting he really was the killer all along. Lisa's lover was his accomplice, and the bomber of the plane, and the whole plot was arranged to lure Lisa where she was to be killed, all to take the money. Lynch escalated to killing all liabilities, including Barnet, who was arranged to attack Cléo to divert suspicion from Lynch. When Lynch offers to escape with Cléo, she rushes to the radio and tries to call for help. Lynch subsequently chases after her. Cléo stabs Lynch's shoulder with a harpoon, dives into the sea, and flees to a nearby island, Lynch in tow not far behind. When he catches up to her, Lynch is shot by the police.

Cast

Critical reception

AllMovie called it a "devilishly entertaining giallo thriller". [4]

Adrian Luther Smith wrote "....one of the best of Sergio Martino's impressive batch of thrillers. It has considerable energy, some pleasing exotic locations and is crammed with a great cast of shady characters.....The resulting gory carnage is graphically presented." [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Giallo</i> Literature and film genre

In Italian cinema, giallo is a genre of murder mystery fiction that often contains slasher, thriller, psychological horror, sexploitation, and, less frequently, supernatural horror elements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anita Strindberg</span> Swedish actress

Anita Strindberg is a Swedish former actress who appeared in numerous Italian giallo films in the 1970s.

<i>A Blade in the Dark</i> 1983 Italian giallo slasher film directed by Lamberto Bava

A Blade in the Dark is a 1983 Italian giallo film directed by Lamberto Bava. Originally planned for television, the film was made as a nearly two hour piece split into four parts each of which would end with a murder scene. After the film was found to be too gruesome for Italian television censors, it was re-edited into a feature film.

<i>The Embalmer</i> (1965 film) 1965 film

The Embalmer is a 1965 Italian giallo film directed by Dino Tavella, and starring Gino Marturano, Alcide Gazzotto, and Alba Brotto. Dino Tavella had a very short career in the Italian film industry, writing and directing only two films, The Embalmer and Una Sporca Guerra.

<i>Delirium</i> (1987 film) 1987 film

Delirium is a 1987 Italian giallo film directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Serena Grandi, David Brandon, George Eastman and Daria Nicolodi. The film is about Gioia, a centerfold model for the adult Pussycat magazine. She is harassed by a killer who sends her photos of her co-workers with her own erotic photography in the background.

<i>The Bloodsucker Leads the Dance</i> 1975 film

The Bloodsucker Leads the Dance is a 1975 Italian film directed by Alfredo Rizzo.

<i>The Bloodstained Butterfly</i> 1971 Italian film

The Bloodstained Butterfly is a 1971 giallo film directed by Duccio Tessari. It starred Helmut Berger and Ida Galli.

<i>La morte accarezza a mezzanotte</i> 1972 film

La morte accarezza a mezzanotte is a 1972 giallo film directed by Luciano Ercoli. The film was written by Ernesto Gastaldi, Guido Leoni, Mahnahén Velasco and Mannuel Velasco. It starred Susan Scott, Simón Andreu, Peter Martell, Claudie Lange and Carlo Gentili.

<i>Death Carries a Cane</i> 1973 Italian film

Death Carries a Cane, is a 1973 Italian giallo film directed by Maurizio Pradeaux. It starred Robert Hoffmann, Nieves Navarro and Luciano Rossi. The film was later released on video as The Tormentor, Maniac at Large, The Night of the Rolling Heads and Devil Blade.

<i>The Killer Must Kill Again</i> 1975 Italian film

The Killer Must Kill Again is a 1975 Italian giallo film directed by Luigi Cozzi. Cozzi originally wanted to call the film Il Ragno but it was changed to The Killer Must Kill Again by the producers. It is based on the novel Al mare con la ragazza by Giorgio Scerbanenco. The film was also released as The Dark Is Death's Friend. Michel Antoine later played the tortured painter in Lucio Fulci's The Beyond.

<i>Death Laid an Egg</i> 1968 film by Giulio Questi

Death Laid an Egg is a 1968 giallo film directed by Giulio Questi. Written by Questi and Franco Arcalli, the film stars Ewa Aulin, Gina Lollobrigida and Jean-Louis Trintignant.

<i>Omicidio per appuntamento</i> 1966 Italian film

Omicidio per appuntamento is a 1966 giallo film directed by Mino Guerrini. The film stars George Ardisson, Günther Stoll and Ella Karin. Adapted from a novel by Franco Enna, the film has been described as "stylish" and "flamboyant", and has been seen as inspired by the work of Mario Bava.

<i>The Killer Is on the Phone</i> 1972 film

The Killer Is on the Phone is a 1972 giallo film directed by Alberto De Martino. It was released in the U.S. in July, 1975. The film is set in Bruges, Belgium, and stars Telly Savalas and Anne Heywood. The story follows an attractive actress who suffers from amnesia and paranoia triggered by a chance encounter with a professional assassin, who in turn begins to follow her with his knife.

<i>The Double</i> (1971 film) 1971 Italian film

The Double also known as Love Inferno, is a 1971 Italian giallo film directed by Romolo Guerrieri. It stars Ewa Aulin. The story was based on a novel called La controfigura by Libero Bigiaretti.

<i>Death Steps in the Dark</i> 1977 Italian film

Death Steps in the Dark is a 1977 Italian-Greek giallo film directed by Maurizio Pradeaux. Pradeaux directed only one other giallo, the 1973 Death Carries a Cane.

<i>So Sweet... So Perverse</i> 1969 film

So Sweet... So Perverse is a 1969 giallo film directed by Umberto Lenzi and written by Ernesto Gastaldi, starring Carroll Baker and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Set in Paris, it tells the story of a wife who plots to get rid of a rich and errant husband but is herself the victim of her accomplices.

<i>A Quiet Place to Kill</i> 1970 film by Umberto Lenzi

A Quiet Place to Kill is a 1970 giallo film directed by Umberto Lenzi.

<i>Deadly Inheritance</i> 1969 Italian film

Deadly Inheritance, is a 1969 Italian giallo film directed by Vittorio Sindoni.

<i>Formula for a Murder</i> 1985 film

Formula for a Murder is a 1985 Italian giallo film co-written and directed by Alberto De Martino.

In the Folds of the Flesh is a 1970 Italian / Spanish giallo film produced and directed by Sergio Bergonzelli. The screenplay was co-written by Fabio De Agostini and Bergonzelli, from a story outline by Mario Caiano. Ferdinando Merighi and Juan Vilches were the assistant directors.

References

  1. Luther-Smith,Adrian (1999). Blood and Black Lace: The Definitive Guide to Italian Sex and Horror Movies. Stray Cat Publishing Ltd. p. 20
  2. Luther-Smith,Adrian (1999). Blood and Black Lace: The Definitive Guide to Italian Sex and Horror Movies. Stray Cat Publishing Ltd. p. 20
  3. Robert Firsching (2015). "The Case of the Scorpion's Tail". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17.
  4. Firsching, Robert. "The Case of the Scorpion's Tail - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie". AllMovie . Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  5. Luther-Smith,Adrian (1999). Blood and Black Lace: The Definitive Guide to Italian Sex and Horror Movies. Stray Cat Publishing Ltd. p. 20