A BLACK VEIL FOR LISA
Italy, 1969, 87 minutes, Colour.
John Mills, Luciana Paluzzi.
Directed by Massimo Dallamano.
A Black Veil for Lisa is a German-Italian? co-production with an English star. It is a routine thriller with a Hamburg setting. However, it is interesting because of John Mills' presence.
The film has the background of the Hamburg police, narcotics investigations, money power in the city, drug dealings, murders? The focus is on Luciana Paluzzi's Lisa, John Mills' wife, of whom he is insanely jealous. Robert Hoffmann is the handsome hit-man. While the plot is routine, it is passable entertainment.
1. An enjoyable gangster thriller? The background of police work -and investigation? Assassinations? Double crosses? The obsession of the righteous policeman, his jealousy of his wife, his being driven by his obsession to murder?
2. The German locations, the atmosphere of Hamburg, the police division, homes, the world of drug criminals, the world of the hitmen? The style of flashy film-making of the '60s?
Musical score?
3. The irony of the title, the focus on the funeral - and its reprise at the end? Audience focus on Lisa? Her being an enigmatic character? The men's reactions to her?
4. John Mills' portrait of Inspector Bulov? His importance as head of the Hamburg police Narcotics Division? Responsibility to superiors, their pressure for him to succeed in his investigations? The drug rings of the city? The irony that all his moves seemed to be foreknown? Informants and their being murdered? The background of his marriage to Lisa, her being connected with the drug rings, his growing jealousy? The breakthrough in the case, the discovery of Max? His not arresting Max, his proposing that he murder Lisa? His obsessive accusations about Lisa's infidelity, her response to him? The irony of his discovery that Lisa is not unfaithful? His trying to stop Max murdering her? His discovery of the relationship between Max and Lisa? The confrontation with Max, his death? The irony of Lisa's connections? The portrait of a policeman?
5. Lisa - glamorous wife, under suspicion, her reaction towards her husband's jealousy and the accountability of her time, etc.? The encounter with Max, the possibility of Max's killing her, the liaison instead? The irony of her being in league with the drug boss? His knowing of her affair with Max? A black veil for Lisa?
6. Max as the hit-man, his skill in his work, cruelty, neat undetected work, his special sign? Seeing him at work? Bulov's discovery of his identity? The strange approach and the bargain for assassinating Lisa? His liaison with Lisa? The gangster boss knowing of the liaison?
7. The detail, for a melodrama, of Hamburg, its night life, criminal circles, the police? A convincing picture? Themes for popular gangster films?
