Bluebeard (1972)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Directors:

Edward Dmytryk
Luciano Sacripanti

Writers:

Ennio De Concini (writer)
Edward Dmytryk (writer)

Release Date:

1 September 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He had a WAY with the world's most beautiful, most seductive, most glamorous women ...he did AWAY with them.

Plot:

A World War I pilot whom everbody envies as a "ladykiller" actually is - after he beds the women he's after, he murders them.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Beauty | Castle | Masochism | Impalement

Cast

Richard Burton	...	Baron von Sepper
Raquel Welch	...	Magdalena
Virna Lisi	...	Elga
Nathalie Delon	...	Erika
Marilù Tolo	...	Brigitte
Karin Schubert	...	Greta
Agostina Belli	...	Caroline
Sybil Danning	...	A Prostitute
Joey Heatherton	...	Anne
Edward Meeks	...	Sergio
Jean Lefebvre	...	Greta's Father
Erica Schramm	...	Greta's Mother
Doka Bukova	...	Rosa
Mathieu Carrière	...	The Violinist
Karl-Otto Alberty	...	Friend of von Sepper

Also Known As:

Barbablù (Italy)
Barbe-bleue (France)
Blaubart (West Germany)

Runtime:

USA:125 min

Country:

France | Italy | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | UK:X | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Gloria Film

Trivia:

The various Nazi uniforms in this picture are inaccurate--the colors are wrong and even the swastika has turned into a strangely shaped cross. This may have been for legal reasons, because in Germany the use of Nazi emblems is strictly regulated.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Guiron (#4.12)" (1991)

Exceeded my expectations

Forgive the 10 minutes or so of Richard Burton's (thankfully) sporadic organ playing. Instead, appreciate the plot (yes, this movie actually has one), dialog (especially the fast flying quips between the LUSCIOUS Joey Heatherton and Burton), acting (rather subdued for an Italian production), and production values of this rather well made film. There is no embarrassing zooming in and out with the camera, no corny sudden bursts of melodramatic music and barely any footage thst should have wound up on the cutting room floor. The women are portrayed across a broad spectrum: Strong willed, weak willed, not so bright and intelligent. Heatherton's attempt at analyzing Burton in order to stay alive is clever and well played out and the film has the usual ironic Italian ending.