Who Saw Her Die? (1972)

- Chi l'ha vista morire?
Very effective Giallo, 5 March 2005

When a young girl is murdered, her father, Franco Serpieri (George Lazenby), soon grows weary of the ineffective police and decides to start his own investigation. He discovers that his daughters death may be related to other murders of little girls with red hair. He also discovers that some of the people with whom he associates may have something to hide. What he doesn't realize, however, is that the killer will do anything to keep those with knowledge quiet and stop the investigation.

Who Saw Her Die? is easily one of the better gialli that I've seen. While much of it is textbook giallo (a black-gloved killer, ineffectual police, investigation by a private citizen, red herrings everywhere, etc.), it is all handled in a very effective manner. Aldo Lado builds a nice level of atmosphere and tension throughout the movie. He is aided by having one of the best scores Ennio Morricone ever did. While it may be somewhat repetitive, the main theme is certainly chilling. The setting is absolutely superb. The streets (or should that be waterways) of Venice provide a great backdrop for a murder mystery.

I've read numerous complaints about Lazenby in the lead role. I just don't get it. Could it be a little backlash against Lazenby and his unfairly criticized turn at playing James Bond? My only complaint with Lazenby actually has very little to do with him. I don't know why it was decided to use someone else to dub his voice, but it was a bad decision. Other than that, Lazenby is fine in role.

9/10