Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 24, 2021

In her typically appealing commentary included on this disc as a supplement, Kat Ellinger makes a cogent case that Sergio Martino has probably never been given his due as a giallo creator of considerable merit on his own terms, and not only as a kinda sorta Dario Argento wannabe. Those wanting evidence in support of that thesis may well want to begin with either a prior release from Severin Films of a Martino giallo, All the Colors of the Dark, or with The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, Martino’s first foray into a genre he would continue to exploit into the 1990s, as Ellinger also discusses. The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh might have slightly changed its title to make the perceived peccadillo plural, since Julie Wardh (Edwige Fenech) might actually be prone to more than just a single “sin”. The film begins with a more or less traditional giallo trope, as a black gloved assassin slices and dices his way through a “working girl” he’s picked up. Kind of interestingly, while the attacker is supposedly typically hidden in the time honored giallo way, eagle eyed viewers will make out a face in the sequence, though interestingly (and minor spoiler alert) it really doesn’t make any difference since the whole “razor killer” plot element turns out to be a rather startling red herring.

Julie is married, albeit not all that happily, to diplomat Neil (Alberto de Mendoza), but as she returns to Vienna to reunite with him, the first of several disjunctive flashbacks intrude to document Julie's prior relationship with a physically abusive man named Jean (Ivan Rassimov). Now, Jean is an unabashedly violent man, on any number of levels, but the "first" strange vice of Julie's that this trip down memory lane documents is that she's not exactly immune to the "seductive" side of being manhandled. When Julie arrives home, she notices a sports car that looks suspiciously like Jean's, and she's obviously worried. Later, at a party hosted by her friend Carol (Cristina Airoldi), she's introduced to Carol's cousin George Corro (George Hilton), but is shocked to see Jean arrive. When she attempts to leave, Jean more or less assaults her again, until Neil kind of turns up out of nowhere to offer a halting rescue.

George and Julie soon begin seeing each other, and almost immediately Julie is beset with a blackmail problem, which she assumes is the work of Jean. Carol offers to help, but becomes the next victim of the "razor killer", which of course only increases Julie's angst and assumption that Jean is out to do more than merely traumatize. The police are no help, and Julie herself soon finds herself in peril at the hands of the killer, though (of course) she manages to escape. When George offers to help her get the hell out of Dodge (and/or Vienna), she gladly accepts, though she is obviously deeply emotionally roiled and unstable. Some putative good news arrives regarding the razor killer, which would seem to eliminate the immediate threat, and yet Julie is still obviously in the sights of someone wanting to do her harm.

It's at this point that The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh arguably goes into "full gonzo" mode, with Jean reentering the fray and with another previously undisclosed interrelationship casting things in a new light. Even Julie's survival is temporarily in question, though those used to the "twists" that gialli often offer will probably not be overly concerned in that regard. The film has at least one outright allusion to Hitchcock (involving a shower, in case anyone needs a definite referent), and there is definitely a creepy undertow to the proceedings where a frightened woman doesn't know whom (if anyone) to trust. Without posting any out and out spoiler material (but, again, with warnings for anyone concerned), what's kind of ultimately fascinating about the plotting is its connection to a Hitchcock outing without much in the way of on screen mayhem and with a kinda sorta tether in terms of the title, Strangers on a Train.

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. The back cover of this release states this was "newly scanned in 4K from the internegative", which frankly may raise expectations to unsustainable heights. There are quite a few issues here, some I'm assuming which were inherent to the element and others which seem to be due to a somewhat wobbly encode. There's quite noticeable fading or blanching on the right side of the frame in particular at various moments, something that's especially noticeable in the many dark scenes where blacks look gray and there's an almost milky haze flickering on that section of the image. There are a number of pretty rough looking patches where grain is almost pixellated and purplish, some of which at least might have arguably been ameliorated with more secure compression. There is occasional damage to be seen, including some white flecks and other blemishes. Some minor but noticeable macroblocking and banding also show up. All of this said, the transfer offers generally good densities and the palette pops rather well, especially with regard to primaries. Close-ups deliver good to very good fine detail, but a lot of this presentation is fairly soft looking.

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh features DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono tracks in either Italian or English, with both obviously having been post looped, as was the custom for Italian films for so long. Both tracks feature problem free fidelity, but the Italian track struck me as being a little hotter, something that may help establish the strengths of Nora Orlandi's score in particular. Optional English subtitles are available for both languages.

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Of Vice and Virtue (1080p; 43:21) is an interview with director Sergio Martino, who offers some interesting comments, including about Dario Argento. In Italian with English subtitles.


• Cold As Ice (1080p; 22:00) is an interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi, who discusses kind of being lured into writing gialli against his better impulses. In Italian with English subtitles.


• Vienna Vice (1080p; 19:01) is an interview with actor George Hilton and Italian genre historian Antonia Bruschini, which once again gets into Dario Argento. In Italian with English subtitles.


• Archive Interview with Actress Edwige Fenech (480i; 23:43) is actually titled No Shame Files, and features Fenech's memories of the production. In Italian with English subtitles.


• Introduction by Actor George Hilton (1080p; 00:24) is in Italian with English subtitles.


• Audio Commentary by Kat Ellinger, author of All the Colors of Sergio Martino


• Trailer (1080p; 3:01)


• Soundtrack CD of Nora Orlandi's score is also included. The score is often quite effective but which on the CD presentation can occasionally come of as a bit self indulgent (especially in terms of some long and fairly aimless guitar solos). The main theme is really interesting, with a half step rising melody that almost starts to hint at Cole Porter's standard from Kiss Me Kate, "So in Love" (which in the context of this film could pertain to any number of couples), but which Orlandi reworks in several different styles, including some appealing bossa novas. I would have loved to have seen a supplemental featurette about Orlandi on this disc, since she was so groundbreaking as a female film composer. Some Quentin Tarantino fans may recognize Orlandi's piece from this score called "Dies Irae" (not based on the traditional melody) which was used in Kill Bill: Volume 2.

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh is maybe a bit on the smarmy side, and its hints of sadomasochism may be "triggering" for some viewers, but the film is kind of slyly subversive on any number of levels, not the least of which how it deals with some "staples" of gialli. Video has some issues, but audio is fine, and the supplementary package very worthwhile, for those who are considering a purchase.