The Evil Eye
1h 32m
Directed by Mario Bava • 1963 • Italy
Starring John Saxon, Letícia Román, Valentina Cortese
Often cited as the first giallo film, Mario Bava’s twisty thriller (also known as THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH) takes what could have been a mere Hitchcock homage and turns it into a virtuoso exercise in pure style, distinguished by striking, shadow-laced black-and-white cinematography. While traveling through Rome, American tourist Nora Davis (Letícia Román) witnesses a murder that she comes to believe is linked to a string of serial killings being committed in alphabetical order of the victims’ last names. Surprise, surprise—the police don’t believe her. A, B, C . . . D for Death? Could Nora be next? As the danger mounts, she’ll have to turn amateur sleuth in order to save her own life.