One on Top of the Other

One on Top of the Other, aka The Perversion Story (1969), is Lucio Fulci’s first foray into giallo. It has been described as “a well made thriller with some great twists, a strong plot and some fine performances”.

Jean Sorel looks incredibly more like Robert Wagner in this film than Wagner himself. Sorel is an ambitious doctor who is framed for the murder of his wife for the insurance money, to pay off the debts accrued by his clinic. Duplicitous characters, nudity and some crazy wigs are thrown into the pot with gusto. A decent result from Fulci, who had not yet gone on to become the maestro of gore at this point.

The jazziest of jazz scores by Riz Ortolani throws out some big sounds, lounge vibes and a solo cornet that hits just the right note throughout. Definitely worth checking out for a stand-out performance by Marisa Mell as Susan/Monica.