Hosted by Realweegiemidget Reviews & Pale Writer
Along with UNIVERSAL SOLDIER released in 1971, this was Lazenby's first role after his one-and-done tenure in the Bond series and unlike the role in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER his character in WHO SAW HER DIE? could not be further from the world of 007. Directed by Aldo Lado (in his second directorial effort after the interesting SHORT NIGHT OF THE GLASS DOLLS) it's one of my favorite giallos and features a great performance by Lazenby as a haunted grief-filled father searching for his daughter's killer in an off-the-tourist-track (and seedy) looking Venice. Released at the very height of the genre's popularity it has tended to get lost in the myriad of titles from this period.
Lazenby plays Franco Serpieri a sculptor who resides in Venice and who is visited by his daughter Roberta (Nicoletta Elmi from DEEP RED & FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN and a bunch of other Italian genre films). Roberta resides with Franco's estranged wife Elizabeth (Anita Strindberg A LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN). It soon becomes apparent that Roberta is being stalked through the city by a mysterious female (maybe??) figure dressed in black with a black veil. In the film's prelude, we saw this same figure stalk and murder a young girl at a ski resort in France. Franco leaves Roberta to play with some other children while he goes off for a sexual tryst with his mistress Gabriella (Rosemarie Lindt EMANUELLE AND FRANCOISE) with the result of his daughter being abducted and later found dead floating in a canal.
Driven by a profound sense of guilt and much to the concern of his recently arrived wife Franco becomes obsessed with finding his daughter's killer which is driven even more by the fact that the police seem ineffectual and uninterested in discovering the killer's identity. He soon begins to uncover a veritable toxic stew of corruption, perverse sexual "clubs" and cover-ups many of which lead to his own circle of friends and the upper social classes of the city while finding connections to the previous murder in France.
Classic Giallos have many common tropes including a twisting plot, a mysterious killer in black, a protagonist who often must work on his own to solve the mystery, and a host of red herrings paraded with the viewer often choosing between following every twist and turn of the plot or just sitting back and letting the film flow over one's self. WHO SAW HER DIE? has all these but in addition, brings a very tragic story to its core and has interesting and well-scripted characters.
Both Lazenby and Strindberg are fantastic in their roles and bring a real sense of a desperate and grieving couple who although separated are still in love. It's a pity this film is never really brought up in the discussion of either actor's career as they seem like they have chemistry and not just two attractive actors have been thrown together in a film. Lazenby is wonderful here and his gaunt appearance (he lost approx. 35 lbs. before taking the role - and it's quite shocking the first time he strips down), along with a shaggy haircut and ill-kept mustache all are a long way from the suave James Bond. In addition, he seems to be dressed "down" as he spends the entire film in an ill-fitting turtleneck and a truly ugly oversized parka. It's to his credit that he obviously just did not look upon this role as a throwaway Italian quickie to make a quick paycheck. It's a shame they didn't let him do his own English dub, but that wasn't uncommon for Italian productions of the period.
Lado spends a nice amount of time showing Lazenby and Elmi's relationship as father and daughter often focusing on the child's point of view of the proceedings. As an example, when they visit a rich art dealer (played by the great Adolfo Cheli from THUNDERBALL) the camera focuses on the child as she studies the furnishings in the ornate apt. You get a real sense of closeness between them. With her red hair and piercing green eyes, child actor Nicoletta Elmi can be looked upon as a real veteran of Euro-horror/giallo as she appeared in Mario Bava's BAY OF BLOOD and BARON BLOOD, along with FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON, DEEP RED, FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN, THE NIGHT CHILD, and later in Lamberto Bava's DEMONS.
Because the film follows a murder conspiracy plot there is quite a bit of Lazenby walking about Venice talking to various people (and then they talk to someone else about Lazenby) all of whom are set up as red herrings and/or future murder victims (with his poking about causing other murders). One wonders with his constant probing and questioning the conspirators simply just don't kill him at some point.
Although Lazenby is cast as a seemingly well-known sculptor he is presented as a working-class type and in common, with other Giallos the film makes much of showing the decadent lifestyle of the upper class with which he must interact with. Literally, every character he comes across (even a priest) is presented as sleazy with leering expressions, questionable motives with most having a habit of indulging in kinky sex.
When outdoors Lado keeps the film centered in side streets and narrow passages with the cinematographer Damiano Damiani (best known as the director of the bonkers AMITYVILLE II: THE POSSESSION) capturing a creepy and mist-shrouded Venice (reminiscent of Luchino Visconti's DEATH IN VENICE from 1971) that looks far removed from the tourist postcard-friendly city we're used to seeing. This Venice atmosphere along with the plot of two grief-stricken parents dealing with the loss of a child look forward to next year's DON'T LOOK NOW directed by Nicholas Roeg.
The beautiful (and Giallo familiar face) Dominique Boschero (THE IGUANA WITH THE TONGUE OF FIRE and ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK) is wasted in a small role and Ennio Morricone contributes a superb and haunting score that features a female children's chorus.
