AnotherbrilliantgiallothrillerfromdirectorFrancescoBarilli,whoseTHEPERFUMEOFTHELADYINBLACKwasoneofthegenre’smosthauntingandoriginalfilms.ThisItalian-Spanishfollow-upisabitmuddled,butnolessengrossing.SetinafamilyhotelinNorthernItalyin1945,thefilmconcernsRosa(LeonoraFani),whohelpshermotherrunthehotelwhileawaitinghersoldierfather’sreturnfromthefront.InaBarillifilm,nothingisasitseems,andbeforelongMom(whoissleepingwithatraitorshe’shiddenintheattic)ismurdered.ThenpoorRosaisrapedbytwooftheguests,whoalsoaremurdered,andwhileshe’shidingthebodiessheisforcedintoanorgybyalloftheotherguests.Butbeforetheguestsgettofaramysteriousmanentersallshotstheguests.WhoisthismysteriousmanandwhatarehisintentionsforRosa?Likeallthebestgialli,PensionePauracompletelydispenseswithlogicearlyon,elevatingweirdnesstonearlyoperaticlevelswhileabsorbingtheviewerinathickandspellbindingatmosphereofmountingdread.FranciscoRabalco-starswithLucMerenda,LidiaBiondi,andJoseMariaPrada.
