Intriguingly playing like two separate movies, Massimo Pupillo’s Lady Morgan’s Vengeance (1965), opens like a melodramatic romance with a psychologically tinged mystery before its second half genre switch into a much more gothic horror tale.
An Italian production, though funnily enough set in Scotland (though that is definitely not English they are speaking), the attractive Lady Susan Morgan (Barbara Nelli), niece of the wealthy aged Sir Neville Blackhouse (Carlo Kechler), finds herself betrothed to Sir Harold Morgan (Paul Muller) when she truly loves the French man who has been hired to restore portions of the massive manor home, Pierre Brissac (Michel Forain).
With the worker needing to return to France for some business, Susan promptly breaks it off with Neville, only for Pierre to mysteriously disappear upon his return home by ship. After months with no contact, Susan decides to marry her previous suitor, very much to her chagrin.
Departing with her uncle for some needed time away before finally returning to the castle-like estate (the uncle deciding to reside elsewhere so that they can truly be newlyweds), she is utterly aghast to learn that all of her loyal servants are no longer there. . . replaced with the likes of the morose Roger (Gordon Mitchell), attractive governess Lillian (Erika Blanc – So Sweet… So Perverse), and quietly obedient maid Terry (Edith MacGoven).
Initially shrugging it off, many bizarre things start to happen. From hearing strange voices and having snakes randomly appear in her room, to no one believing the odd visions she keeps seeing, Susan starts to feel like she is going mad within the place. Though her uncle is summoned, he never shows up – uh oh. Might Susan actually be going mad? Could Harold and the new help all be in on making her go suicidally crazy? Is it perhaps a combination of both factors with a hint of the supernatural? And what actually happened to the loveable but long unheard from Pierre?
Though not all of the twists are completely effective in this narrative, this fast paced adventure still packs quite a few entertaining turns. Shot in piercing black and white, the dauntingly large abode’s seemingly romantic setting in some ways feels more like a gothic haunted house – with its alarming screams, creepy whispers, disappearing crawlies, water turning into blood, and vanishing cups of wine not really setting the mood. It doesn’t hurt that for a lengthy period, the audience isn’t quite sure what is real and what is in Susan’s own mind. . . but one thing is for certain, all is not right in the mysterious manor.
Perhaps it’s the juxtaposition of Lilian’s cold as ice demeanor mixed with her subtly smoldering seductiveness, or the way the newly married Sir Harold is way too patient in his desires, one certainly has to wonder if the poor Lady will ever see her trusted uncle or true love once again (other than in supposed visions or dreams).
Living and dying within its midway genre change-up , Lady Morgan’s Vengeance is a peculiar, last gasp for the more traditional gothic tales of yesteryear as the more violent and edgy gialli were starting on their way in Italy. . . in fact, though most likely unrelated, this movie does share some similarities with two better Hammer features, Paranoiac (1963) and Nightmare (1964) – both released not long before this one. With it featuring unnerving and untrustworthy characters, an eerily classic setting, as well as plenty of creative plot devices (and one heck of a staircase scene), it cannot be said that this is a very pleasant heartwarming story, but its dark journey and edgy ending are actually quite memorable. So, find some vengeance by discovering this obscure Italian revenge film, it’s worth listening to its whispers.
This film is in Italian with English subtitles