Le foto proibite di una signora per bene

Plot synopsis:
Minou is a wealthy housewife, who yearns for the attention of her husband Peter. However, Peter is frequently busy at work and is rarely at home. Minou is out one night when she is attacked by a strange man, who cuts open her clothes and warns her that her husband is a killer.
Minou ignores what she has been told until she finds that a man indebted to Peter has been found dead. She receives a telephone call from her attacker, who plays a tape recording of Peter discussing the murders. The attacker tells Minou that he will go public with this evidence if she does not come to his house; when she is there he further blackmails her into sleeping with him. However, he has used a hidden camera to photograph the tryst, and continues to use this new leverage to continue blackmailing her.
Dominique, a friend of Minou, initially seems to be trustworthy, but Minou finds pornographic photographs of her blackmailer in Dominique's possession. When Minou leads the police to her blackmailer's home, it has been emptied of all belongings; while Dominique refuses to corroborate that the man even existed. Doubt begins to amass as to Minou's sanity, leading to her suffering a nervous breakdown and taking an overdose of tranquilizers.

Tags: cult, horror, murder, suspenseful

Review:
A society woman (played by Dagmar Lassender) is nearly raped on the beach by a sinister man who tells her that her industrialist husband has murdered one of his colleagues.
The husband meanwhile is himself involved with her sexually voracious best friend (played by Nieves Navarro aka Susan Scott), and the whole thing might be some kind of plot to drive her mad.This movie works mainly because of the acting.
Even better is Nieves Navarro as her sex-hungry best friend who has pornographic pictures taken of herself and says at one point, after Lassender's character confides about her near rape, that she would have "adored being violated" (there's a kind of refreshingly politically incorrectness to the ridiculous dubbed dialogue of these movies).
She is such a dubious and ambiguous character that even at the end it is not clear whether she is a loyal friend to the protagonist or an unexposed villain.The director, Luciano Ercoli, is the Italian husband of former Spanish model Navarro.
Ever after giallo writer Ernesto Gastaldi teams up with producer-director Luciano Ercoli for this Forbidden Photos...
Sultry Dagmar Lassander is at her best and Susan Scott is also fab as the devious friend.The plot is totally implausible but the suspense works til the end...It's always surprising to see in these 70's gialli how the women look incredibly sexy and how the men are all ugly...projections of the writers/directors fantasies, maybe?
The Forbidden Photos of a Lady above Suspicion is a Giallo that is different to what most fans will be used to, as the graphic, over the top murder scenes have been scrapped in favour of a sexually charged plot line.
I was worried that this might not work out, as murders are a key element of this sort of film for me - but to my surprise, Luciano Ercoli has turned out another first rate Giallo that makes up for it's lack of blood with a constant stream of intrigue.
The atmosphere is charged with desire and frustration, and the central plot; which features blackmail, sex and mystery makes best use of its array of amoral and perverse characters.
The story picks up when Minou is attacked by a stranger on a beach who informs her that her husband has committed murder and blackmails her into sleeping with him.
The plot then takes another turn when the assailant furthers the blackmail with pictures of their rendezvous...Luciano Ercoli is never going to get huge respect from Giallo fans simply for the fact that he hasn't made a great deal of films; but it seems that the ones he has made get rated down too often, and just like Death Walks at Midnight - Forbidden Photos is an underrated Giallo.
The director does an excellent job of ensuring that Forbidden Photos fits the plot in terms of look and style.
She is joined by Pier Paolo Capponi who takes the sinister role of her husband, while the cast is rounded off by the talented Susan Scott, whose husband and director Luciano Ercoli allows her to steal every scene she's in.
The plot is significantly less convoluted than most Giallo's, but if you ask me; this is a good thing as it allows the director to put all the implications of the story across without being bogged down by plot details.
In all his three Gialli, FORBIDDEN PHOTOS, DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS and DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT, Ercoli presents his story from a female perspective, but they are presented as utterly helpless when dealing with the various male perpetrators and chauvinist male detectives surrounding them.
Nudity level and body count are low, but as a mystery it's actually much more effective than most Gialli, stylishly filmed, well acted and permeated with intrigue, blackmail and fetishistic violence, supported by a groovy Ennio Morricone score.
'Forbidden Photos Of A Lady Of A Lady Above Suspicion' is an above average giallo that fans of the genre should seek out.
The beautiful Dagmar Lassander (Fulci's so-so 'House By The Cemetary') plays a woman who is attacked by a stranger who almost rapes her then retreats telling her that her husband is a cheat and a murderer.
This unusual giallo starring Dagmar Lassander (Hatchet for the Honeymoon- The House by the Cemetery) and Susan Scott (Death Walks at Midnight- Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals) is one of the best of the genre!
The movie follows a middle age married woman (Minou) who is almost raped by a psycho inform her that her husband is a murderer.
Instead, director Luciano Ercoli (Death Walks on High Heels- Death Walks at Midnight) give us an interesting story, a lot of style, wonderful Ennio Morricone score, and great acting by the four leads in a film that will keep you interested till the end .Very recommended if you are into the wonderful world of giallo.
The gialloesque elements come in the form of an eye-catching title, stylish camera-work, great interior decor, a Morricone score, a convoluted mystery, sleazy undertones and the usual quota of beautiful looking women and hideous looking men.
I would recommend this film for giallo completists and lovers of obscure Italian movies.
My old buddy Rob, who knows more about psychotronic movies than anybody I know, was the one who turned me on to one of my favorite film experiences of 2006, "The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh" (1970), so when he recently raved about another giallo thriller from 1970 that he'd just seen, "The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion," I made a mental note to check it out as quickly as possible.
In "Forbidden Photos," Dagmar Lassander plays the part of Minou, a woman who is being sexually blackmailed by a man who has incriminating evidence of a murder her hunky businessman husband supposedly committed.
Luciano Ercoli's direction is impeccable; the script by Ernesto Gastaldi (who seems to have written every other giallo that I see!) is one made to keep you guessing (although, plotwise, the film is much more straightforward than many other gialli); and Susan Scott, playing Minou's best friend, is remarkably sexy.
Marvellous giallo and if it doesn't have lots of murders it does have Dagmar Lassander and Susan Scott (Nieves Navarro) both vying for our attention.
If you like Giallo films because they are all blood, nudity, style and senselessness this one will probably disappoint you.
"The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion" has undoubtedly its assets: the remarkable camera work by cinematographer Alejandro Ulloa, quite meticulously chosen, très chic décors, exquisite sixties fashion, an expertly done soundtrack by Ennio M., and above all the ravishing beauty of Andalusian actress Nieves Navarro who would later marry director Luciano Ercoli.
"The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion" (1970) is the first of three Gialli by Luciano Ercoli, the others being the fantastic "La Morte Cammina Con I Tacchi Alti" ("Death Walks With High Heels", 1971) and the decent "La Morte Accarezza a Mezzanotte" ("Death Walks At Midnight", 1972).
This is actually a highly unusual Giallo as it lacks the usual violent and stylish murders almost entirely; however, it makes up for the lack of bloodshed with a hugely compelling plot that will tantalize the viewer from start to finish.When walking alone at night Minou (Dagmar Lassander) is attacked by an assailant (Simón Andreu).
He does not rape her, but blackmails her with supposed proof of her husband Peter's (Pier Paolo Capponi) role in a murder.
Scripted by the great Ernesto Gastaldi, whose impressive filmography as a screenwriter includes Ercoli's other two Gialli and numerous others as well as several of the works of master directors like Mario Bava, Antonio Margheriti and Sergio Martino, "Forbidden Photos..." has a fascinating and constantly tense plot full of intrigue, red herrings and sexual perversions.
The film is often referred to as a very 'sexy' Giallo; while the film has a plot filled with sex, it isn't explicit though, and actually quite tame for Giallo standards (there is no explicit filmed nudity, just some nude photos of sexy Nieves Navarro are shown).
Andreu is great in the role of the sex-crazed blackmailer and the ravishing Miss Navarro is once again fantastic in her role of Minou's nymphomaniac friend.
In spite of a very low violence-level, "Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion" manages to be an incredibly suspenseful Giallo-experience from start to finish.
My personal favorite film by Ercoli is still "Death Walks with High Heels", but this one comes very close and is an undeniable must-see for any Giallo fan.
Whilst waiting for her husband to come home from another business trip, lovely Minou (Dagmar Lassander) has a frightening encounter with an assaulter on the beach.
Minou begins to notice Peter's increasingly suspicious business methods but does everything she can to avoid that the mysterious blackmailer tells his story to the police...and that includes sleeping with him.
Good luck guessing for the answers to all these questions and more, as the mystery in "Forbidden Photos of a Lady above Suspicion" is subtly and elegantly built up, leading to a tense finale that actually makes sense for a change.
Without ever resorting to graphic violence or pure sleaze, director Luciano Ercoli tells a story that is full of perversion, blackmail and sexual decadence.
"Forbidden Photos..." uses great dialogues, atmospheric music and adequate acting performances instead.
In one evening, a beautiful married woman, Minou, is attacked by a strange man who informs her husband, Peter, is a murderer.
Although Minou can't and doesn't want to believe the apparently crazy story, her best friend, Dominique, meaningfully suggests that a man named Jean Dubois, who was found to be drowned, might be somehow murdered.
In this sense, though Dagmar Lassander adequately plays Minou whose actions and reactions, spoken and unspoken utterances, tones of voice, facial expressions and gestures are Freudian and/or psychoanalytically explainable, this film per se isn't and can't be the one in which Lassander is at her best because her character lives in and only in the strangely self-limited world.
"The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion" is a good entry into the Giallo genre, with a plot (concocted by Ernesto Gastaldi and Mahnahen Velasco) that's actually pretty easy to follow.
Mostly, Ercoli uses the film as a means of showcasing the charms of his dynamic and luscious actresses, Dagmar Lassander and Nieves Navarro (Ms. Navarro would become Ms. Ercoli two years later).Lassander plays Minou, the bored wife of businessman Peter (Pier Paolo Capponi), who is accosted by a stranger (Simon Andreu) on a beach one night.
Minou ends up caught in his blackmailing scheme, and when she tries later to convince people of what has been happening to her, there's no evidence to back up her claims.Lassander is a pleasure to look at, and delivers a sympathetic performance as well; Navarro is a saucy delight as her friend Dominique.
Capponi is engaging as Peter, and Andreu does look like he is having a good time playing the creepy blackmailer.
These performers and filmmakers do a creditable job of holding your attention and interested in how things will develop, although some viewers might predict where it's going on prior to its resolution.With outfits and music that strongly evoke this era (Ennio Morricone composes a nicely mellow score), this is worthy of viewing for lovers of the more exploitative side of Italian cinema.Seven out of 10..
The Forbidden Photos Of A Lady Above Suspicion (Luciano Ercoli, 1970) ***.
Ercoli's first film turns out to be a relatively restrained giallo, but one that's better than its more typical follow-ups - DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS (1971) and DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT (1972); in these, Susan Scott (here supporting lovely Dagmar Lassander) was promoted to the lead role - having, by this time, become romantically involved with the director!
While the film may disappoint some fans by its low quotient in the sex-and-violence stakes, these elements are still implicit in the narrative - particularly in the relationship between young society wife Lassander and slick blackmailer Simon Andreu, which may very well have been modeled on the even more ambiguous one shared by Catherine Deneuve and Pierre Clementi in Luis Bunuel's BELLE DE JOUR (1967)!
Lassander's pill-popping heroine (sign of the times!) is surely one of the most put-upon in the genre - in this, too, it differs from the norm given that, usually, there are several victims involved - and the occasional flashes to her degrading experience with Andreu are nicely handled, playing up to Ercoli's skills as an editor.There's yet another delightful and infectious score by Ennio Morricone, and the film's color scheme makes it one of the more elegant examples of the genre; lighting and props are equally well utilized (especially in Lassander and Andreu's scenes together).
Forbidden Photos would easily be among the best Gialli I've seen if it weren't for the lack of actual murders and other on-screen mayhem.
She never looked better or was she more mysterious than in Forbidden Photos.
Finally, Forbidden Photos features an interesting score from Ennio Morricone.
You just don't expect something so obscure (I don't believe that Forbidden Photos was ever released in the U.S. in any form until now) to look this good.
Minou (Dagmar Lassander, The House by the Cemetery) loves her husband, Peter.
Seeing as how he has recorded their tryst, he now has more material on her.Even her friend Dominique (Nieves Navarro, All the Colors of the Dark, who was married to the director, Luciano Ercoli) can't be trusted, as Minou finds photos of the blackmailer in provocative poses in her possession.
But come on - if you've watched any giallo, you knew that going in.Despite its lurid title, Forbidden Photos of a Woman Above Suspicion isn't filled with sex or even all that much violence.
Beautiful, but sexually repressed young housewife Minou (a marvelously luminous performance by luscious redhead stunner Dagmar Lassander) gets assaulted on the beach by a cunning blackmailer (a compelling portrayal by Simon Andreu) who tells Minou that her struggling businessman husband Peter (smoothly played by the handsome Pier Paolo Copponi) is a fraud and a killer.
I can't tell you how much I love Arrow Video when it comes to giallo films.
Arrow has given them new life and done so in a way that makes them exceptional.THE FORBIDDEN PHOTOS OF A LADY ABOVE SUSPICION is one such film, a giallo in the tradition of movies with a lengthy title that still offer the goods.
Here we start off with Minou (Dagmar Lassander), a married woman on holiday out of town waiting for her over worked husband Peter (Pier Paolo Capponi) to arrive soon to join her.
Now blackmailed with this new threat she turns to her trusted friend Dominique (Susan Scott), a woman who was once with Peter.The movie involves plenty of plot twists and suspicious characters that will keep you guessing just who is behind all of the events taking place.
It's not at all confusing but it keeps you guessing, trying to find the solution to the mystery before the film ends.Like most classic giallo films this one has a great story and mystery to be solved and it sets things in motion perfectly.
Those include a new commentary track by Kat Ellinger the editor in chief of Diabolique Magazine, "Private Pictures" a new documentary with archive interviews with actress Nieves Navarro (Susan Scott) and director Luciano Ercoli and new interview material with writer Ernesto Gastaldi, "The Forbidden Soundtrack of the Big Three" a documentary on the music of the film and 70s Italian cult cinema by musician and soundtrack collector Lovely Jon, "The Forbidden Lady" a Q&A with actress Lassander at the 2016 Festival of Fantastic Films, the original Italian and English theatrical trailers, an image gallery, a reversible sleeve with new artwork by Twins of Evil and for the first pressing only an illustrated collector's booklet with new writing on the film by author and critic Michael Mackenzie.If you enjoy giallo films or a great mystery then this is one I think you'll enjoy.
Pill-popping, alcoholic wife of a struggling businessman, Minou(the foxy bright red head Dagmar Lassander, often covered with heavy facial make-up)is being tormented by a sexual deviant/sadist(Simón Andreu)who has her listen to a cassette tape that might just possibly link her husband the killer of an investor who was recently found dead.
What Minou doesn't realize is that the blackmailing sicko photographed their sexual activity and now threatens to expose pictures to her husband if she doesn't allow herself to becoming his sex slave!
The blackmailer is quite elusive and any trace of his identity seems hard to come by..Minou's husband Peter(Pier Paolo Capponi)and Police Commissioner Frank(Osvaldo Genazzani)believe it's quite possible she's having a nervous breakdown or a collapse in sanity.
Only her nympomaniacal best friend Dominique(the VERY sexy Susan Scott who is wardrobed to show the goods and figure she's blessed with)seems to believe Minou's cries that there is a sadistic fiend threatening to kill her if she doesn't comply with his demands at sexual servitude.
The film's a practical run-way of Italian fashion dressing Lassander and Scott in various styles.
Instead this is a giallo that focuses around a mysterious blackmailer and has one of those "is she mad or isn't she?" plot evolutions in which the heroine is being secretly terrorised only to have nobody, including her husband, believing her.Much of the film centres on Dagmar Lassander's character, a wife forced into sex with a stranger who then realises that she's been tricked.
Swap these two around and the film would have been far better.Director Luciano Ercoli delivers the proceedings from a script by giallo veteran Ernesto Gastaldi; thankfully, the plotting is more convincing than most entries in the genre and the benefit of a decent English dub makes things easier to bear.
Ladling on the mystery and suspense throughout while also investing proceedings with a typically sexual flavour, Ercoli's first film as a director is a low budget success.