The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974)

by Mark Murton

Original Title: Il profumo della signora in nero

Directed by: Francesco Barilli

This review contains an Implied Kitty Carnage Warning!

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: After a night out with friends where the conversation turns to witchcraft, curses and human sacrifice (one incident even involving cats’ whiskers!), Sylvia (Mimsy Farmer) becomes increasingly withdrawn as she wrestles with unresolved traumas from her childhood. She starts to suffer disturbing visions involving her mother and her younger self that blur fantasy and reality, memory and imagination. Further unhinged by the death of her neighbour and friend Francesca, she no longer knows who to trust, fearing those purporting to be trying to help her may be part of a strange cult manipulating her for their own nefarious purposes, all leading to a shocking denouement.

Kitty Cameos: Two of the tropes of a good Giallo are a largely impenetrable / nonsensical plot and at least one cat, and this one ticks both boxes. The first cat is seen when Silvia is reading an old school book where she wrote a letter to her absent sailor father mentioning they had just received a black cat from the man at the “animal shop” who is also seeing her mother. As Silvia cuts photos of this man from old family photos, a snarling spring-loaded black cat suddenly appears on the table in front of her.

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - black cat extreme close up

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - black cat mouth snarling extreme close up

The cat scrambles from the table and leads her to an adjacent room where she encounters one of her childhood traumas.

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - Sylvia Mimsy Farmer reacting to black cat on table

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - Sylvia Mimsy Farmer reacting to black spring loaded cat snarling and running off table animated gif

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - black cat exiting room

Soon after, Silvia encounters her neighbour, Signorina Cardini (Aleka Paiza), in the lobby carrying a black cat with a red bow around its neck whom she calls “Chopin.”

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - Signorina Cardini Aleka Paiza holding black cat Chopin with Sylvia Mimsy Farmer

Some time later, another neighbour, Signor Rossetti (Mario Scaccia), is in his apartment holding a plate of raw meat as he calls to his cats. He places it on the floor and soon two fluffy dilute calico kitties appear and tuck in.

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - two longhair diluted gray calico cats eating meat from dish on floor

As they feed, one of them obligingly changes position to reveal a human finger among the flesh.

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - two longhair diluted gray calico cats eating meat with female finger from dish on floor

At the same time, Silvia returns to the apartment building and hears Signorina Cardini, with Chopin in her arms, and the porter Luigi (Ugo Carboni) discussing the death of her neighbour Francesca.

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - Signorina Cardini Aleka Paiza holding black cat Chopin with Luigi Ugo Carboni and Sylvia Mimsy Farmer

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - Signorina Cardini Aleka Paiza holding black cat Chopin with Luigi Ugo Carboni

Implied Kitty Carnage Warning and Faux Cat! Towards the end of the film, as Silvia descends into madness, Signorina Cardini comes knocking at her door asking if she’s seen Chopin, who has gone missing. While interacting with her younger self (Lara Wendel), whom she now believes has moved into her apartment with her, young Silvia presents her with a gift; Chopin’s dead body (a freakishly fake model, thank goodness!)

Perfume of the Lady in Black - Il profumo della signora in nero - Sylvia Mimsy Farmer cradling dead fake body of black cat Chopin

Chopin’s body is seen again in a basket as young Siliva encourages her older self to have it stuffed, explaining, “That way, he’ll look like he’s alive.” Silvia actually takes Chopin to the taxidermist to get this done, but this leads to a direct confrontation with her past.