La Frusta E Il Corpo (aka The Whip And The Body) (1963)

The sadistic son (Christopher Lee) of a wealthy Count (Gustavo De Nardo) returns to the family castle much to the dismay of his family, the servants and the beautiful woman (Daliah Lavi), now married to his brother (Tony Kendall). Directed by Mario Bava (LISA AND THE DEVIL). Quite controversial when first released because of its sadomasochistic elements (Lavi's character gets her kicks being beaten with a whip), the film was cut by ten minutes. The transfer I saw had the ten minutes restored. The gothic tale has the feel of those Roger Corman AIP Poe adaptations but none of the artistry. While I didn't dislike it, the movie just had a deja vu quality to it and without its kinky S&M element, it would be pretty routine. Its initial reviews weren't especially good but in the ensuing years, the film has grown into a cult film with its share of admirers. With Ida Galli and Harriet Medin.