The Evil Eye (1963) is an early giallo from director Mario Bava that, while hardly astounding, scratches a certain campy itch. Tonally landing somewhere between Hitchcock and The Twilight Zone, the film follows Nora Drowson (Letícia Román), an American tourist visiting Rome. A series of unfortunate events — the untimely death of her aunt, a pair of bonks on the head, a predilection for murder mysteries — undermines her credibility when she witnesses a murder. In the aftermath of this trauma, she is taken in by the kindly Laura (Valentina Cortese), and, while being wooed by her aunt’s attending physician Dr. Bassi (John Saxon), and attempts to resume her vacation. But she can’t unsee the death, so investigates, starting to believe it may tie in with a decade-old series of murders…for which she might just be the next victim.
Also known as The Girl Who Knew Too Much, The Evil Eye prioritizes vibes over coherence, situating poor Nora in a muzzy reality that has her questioning her sanity. As such, the plot feels a little slapdash and not entirely satisfying, but the film makes up for that with gorgeous location work and a memorable, classy look to its black-and-white cinematography. Hardly a must-see, but an enjoyable throwback distraction.
