So Sweet, So Dead (1972)

So Sweet, So Dead is a sleek little giallo that turns jealousy into a kind of poison gas, filling every scene with suspicion, erotic dread, and the sickening click of a camera shutter. Roberto Bianchi Montero keeps the pace sharp and the atmosphere feverish, staging murders and investigations with the lurid elegance only early-’70s Italian thrillers can pull off, while the “compromising photos” hook gives the mystery a nasty, unforgettable signature. Farley Granger anchors the film with weary, human gravity as Inspector Capuana, and Sylva Koscina brings a charged, tragic glamour that makes the domestic tension feel as dangerous as the killer. It’s not for viewers who want restraint or comfort—this is pulpy, morally thorny, and sometimes cruel—but if you like your crime stories drenched in style, menace, and taboo, it’s an addictively watchable ride.

So Sweet, So Dead wants to be a sleazy, stylish early-’70s giallo: scandalous affairs, a photo-leaving killer, and a weary inspector trying to keep order while the city turns on the police. The problem is the execution can feel more grimy than gripping, with a mean-spirited streak toward its victims and a reliance on exploitation-style shock over genuinely clever mystery plotting. If you’re hoping for tight pacing, nuanced character work, or a whodunit that plays fair and satisfies on logic rather than vibe, this may test your patience. That said, genre die-hards might still enjoy the pulpy atmosphere, the procedural touches, and the sheer audacity of how far it leans into jealousy-and-vice melodrama.