You are here:

The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh

Name: The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh
Director: Sergio Martino
Released: 1971
Duration: 96 min

Representation Score

3.2/10

Limited

1971

Director

Sergio Martino

Runtime

96 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Sergio Martino's work emphasizes stylistic mastery and psychological suspense over social commentary. While the film centers on a female protagonist, it remains tied to the gendered and demographic norms of its time. The narrative disrupts traditional moral certainties through ambiguity and moral relativism. However, this complexity does not extend to social representation, as the film lacks racial, ethnic, or LGBTQ diversity. Ultimately, the film is a quintessential genre piece. It explores the fragility of the bourgeois psyche but offers minimal exploration of multi-layered issues or systemic critiques.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows the conventions of early 1970s Italian cinema, focusing on traditional romantic and sexual relationships between men and women.

How does The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh portray gender?

Fair

Julie Wardh's character provides a female-centric perspective, but she often finds herself in a 'damsel in distress' situation, where her ability to act is limited by male figures and a sense of victimhood.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh?

Minimal

The cast is uniform, reflecting the genre's emphasis on upper-middle-class European settings. The narrative stays within a narrow Eurocentric scope without exploring diverse backgrounds.

How does The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film blurs the lines between victim and transgressor, emphasizing individual psychological issues over traditional morality or systemic concerns.

Does The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh include disability representation?

Limited

Psychological trauma and mental instability are used primarily to create suspense, rather than offering nuanced depictions of neurodivergence.

Present on Screen

Features a central female-centric perspective through the protagonist, Julie Wardh.
Disrupts traditional moral certainties through ambiguity and moral relativism.
Examines the instability of traditional social structures and the bourgeois psyche.

Limited or Absent

Lacks racial and ethnic diversity, maintaining a narrow Eurocentric scope.
Relies on 'damsel in distress' clichés that limit women's ability to drive the story.
Uses mental instability as a suspense tool rather than a nuanced portrayal of disability.

Official Synopsis

When socialite and heiress Julie Wardh begins receiving blackmail letters attributed to a mysterious serial killer, she suspects her cruel and sadistic former lover Jean is behind them. With her husband Neil frequently out of town, she falls into the arms of her friend's cousin George, and as the unknown assassin begins to make his move, she fears that one of the three men in her life may be the killer.

How are these scores produced? →