Orgasmo (1969)

Country of Origin: Italy / France
Year of Production: 1969
Running Times: 77m (USA)/88m (Italy)
Length:
Format:
Colour Format: Eastmancolor
Ratio:
Sound:

DIRECTION

Directed by: Umberto Lenzi

PRODUCTION
Produced by: Tritone Filmundustria - Roma/Société Nouvelle de Cinematographie-Paris
Copyright: © MCMLXIX
Released by: Commonwealth United Entertainment, Inc. (on US prints only)
Producer: Salvatore Alabiso (uncredited)
Production Manager: Adriano Merkel
Unit Production Manager: Averoe Stefani

SCRIPT
Screenplay by: Umberto Lenzi
Adaptation by: Ugo Moretti, Umberto Lenzi, Marie Claire Colleville

DIRECTION
Assistant Director: Marcello Pandolfi
Script Supervisor: Ilde Muscio
Dialogue Director: Gwenda Pandolfi
Dialogue Consultant: Malvin Wald

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Guglielmo Mancori

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editorial Supervision: Harry Eisen
Film Editors: Stan Frazen, Enzo Alabiso, John Shoushe
Post Production Supervisor: Robert S. Eisen

MUSIC
Music by: Piero Umiliani

SONGS AND ADDITIONAL MUSIC
"Fate Had Planned It So"
by MacDonald-Umiliani
sung by Lidia MacDonald

"Just Tell Me"
by M. Zalla-Johnson
played by Weiss and the Airdales

SOUND
Sound Editors: Del Harris, Jim Bullock, Norman Suffern

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Wardrove: Gianni Pancani

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Giorgio Bertolini

CAST

Carroll Baker (Kathryn West)
Lou Castel (Peter Donovan)

with
Colette Descombes (Eva)
Tino Carraro (Brion Sanders)
Lilla Brignone (Teresa)

with
Franco Pesce (Martino)
Tina Lattanzi (Kathryn's aunt)
Jacques Stany (police inspector)

UNCREDITED CAST

Gaetano Imbró
Sara Simoni
Calisto Calisti
Alberto Cocchi
Maria Rosiello
Joseph Guilty (Arnold Cleever)

PLOT SUMMARY

American Kathryn West arrives in Italy after the death of her wealthy husband and moves into villa. He lonely life is turned upside down by the arrival of the handsome Peter Donovan whose car has broken down nearby. They start on a wild affair which leads to Peter bringing his sister Eva into the house – and Kathryn starts to suspect that the couple may not be quite what they seem.

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Commonwealth United Entertainment

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Norway
Rating: 18

Sweden
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: X

1969
February
7: Italy – theatrical release

1970
March
2: Denmark – theatrical release

April
16: Sweden – theatrical release

1972
March
2: Norway – theatrical release

Love is the tool that strips a jet-set widow bare of her morals and her millions!

PARANOIA sucks you into a whirlpool of erotic love!

Folle envie d'aimer, Une - French title
Orgasm - English language title
Paranoia – US title

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Super 8-1/2 (1993)

SEE ALSO
Les diaboliques (1955)

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

Cinema d'Oggi 17 February 1969 p.10 (Italy)
note

Cinema d'Oggi 20 April 1970 p.10 (Italy)
review

Films and Filming vol.16 no.6 (March 1970) p.44 (UK)
review

Guia de Filmes no.29 (September / October 1970) p.200 (Portugal)
credits, synopsis, review

Hollywood Reporter vol.204 no.2 (20 December 1968) p.14 (USA)
note

Hollywood Reporter vol.208 no.7 (10 October 1969) p.3 (USA)
credits, review

Intermezzo vol.24 no.5-6 (31 March 1969) p.6 (Italy)
review

Kine Weekly no.3242 (29 November 1969) p.19 (UK)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.37 no.432 (January 1970) p.15 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Today's Cinema no.9758 (5 December 1969) p.8 (UK)
review

Variety 6 November 1968 p.22 (USA)
note

Variety 27 August 1969 p.18 (USA)
credits, review

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

KEYWORDS

giallo, suicide

Last Updated: 2 June, 2009