When a film communicates two emotions happening across a character’s face, all in the one shot, the magic trick of that. In the Mario Bava directed film, The Whip and The Body (1963), there’s a tremendous close-up of the character of Nevenka (Dahlia Lavi), walking down a darkened castle hallway, approaching a door where she hears the sound of a whip, the sound of which announces that her ex-lover Kurt (Christopher Lee) might be there, or rather his ghost. Nevenka’s face hovers between fear and ecstasy, quivering with anticipation. The emotions are unbridled, and the filmmaking matches its melodramatic power.
Set in 16th century Europe, Kurt, the dastardly son of a noble family returns, his horse charging across the beach next to their castle home. Kurt’s younger brother Christian is getting married to Nevenka, to the approval of the family patriarch Count Menlifee. Kurt has been shunned for his part in the suicide of their housemaid’s daughter. His return, though, is predicated on the secret past relationship he had with Nevenka, one that was expressed through sadomasochistic fetishes. Namely, whipping Nevenka’s bare back until she writhes in pleasure.
The whip as a literal and symbolic object of lust and violence is a striking strand to the film’s narrative. At the time of its release, the film was censored and edited down. Even though it’s before any nudity or sex on screen, there’s still something shocking about it all. And it is subsumed into the wider aesthetic command that Bavo, who also was a cinematographer on the film alongside Ubaldo Terzao, employing a gorgeous Technicolour palette. Blood red, green hues, faces emerging from pools of black shadow. A constant sound of buffeting winds by the seaside castle, competing with the pounding and romantic piano score by Carlo Rustichelli. An enthralling gothic horror romance mood.
Lee obviously has a commanding presence, and here it’s employed in such a dark and sensual manner, and Lavi’s heightened performance, going from a restrained picture of elegance to frazzled psychological delirium is excellent. I was sleepy while watching the second half, but it all washed over me like light from a flickering candle, a crashing wave, or a cracking whip.
Streamed it on Tubi (US). Recommended.
VHS Tracking 