Balsorano Castle has been the location of many of my favorite movies: Lady Frankenstein, Bloody Pit of Horror, The Lickerish Quartet, The Blade Master, Black Magic Rites, The Devil’s Wedding Night, Crypt of the Vampire, The Bloodsucker Leads the Dance, Sister Emanuelle and more.

In this early giallo, it’s the home of British millionaire John Prescott, who dies at the beginning and brings together his seven potential heirs, all of whom could have killed him. They are Martha (Giovanna Galletti, the Baroness from Kill, Baby, Kill), his secretary Giacomo (Sergio Ciani, who was also Alan Steel; he started as Steve Reeves’ body double and appeared in Hercules Against the Moon Men and Samson and the Slave Queen), his mentally handicapped son Julien (Charlie Karum), nephew George (Ivano Staccioli, also known as John Heston; he’s in 3 colpi di Winchester per Ringo) and his wife Adriana (Aichè Nanà, whose dancing during a November 1958 private party at the Rugantino restaurant and nightclub on the Viale di Trastevere in Rome led to a national scandal and inspired a scene in La dolce vita), and niece Angela (Mary Arden, who not only was in Blood and Black Lace but also wrote the American dialogue) and her boyfriend Armand (Ivano Davoli).

Prescott leaves behind a recorded will in which he tells each of the gathered guests just how much he hates them. In order to get his money, they have to live together for a month. Then, only three of them can claim it, so that means that at least four people need to be killed for his plan to work.

There’s a dagger with an A in the handle that figures into many of the murders — as the U.S. title was M… for Murderer, the site Euro Fever believes that the scenes with the knife were shot twice and there was an M on the murder weapon — and despite being produced by Walter Brandi (The Vampire and the Ballerina, The Playgirls and the Vampire) and having white nightgowns and candleabras, this leans more giallo than gothic, even if it all takes place in a castle. Italian gothiciallo?

Based on an Ernesto Gastaldi play, this is a movie that even has a flashback halfway through it to show you everything you’ve already seen. Despite that, I have to admit to loving this. It was directed by Angelo Dorigo and written by Sergio Bazzini and Roberto Natale.

You can watch this on YouTube.