''Dagger Eyes'' ( it, Mystère) is a 1983 Italian

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...

directed by

Carlo Vanzina Carlo Vanzina (13 March 1951 – 8 July 2018) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. Vanzina was born in Rome, the son of Maria Teresa Nati and film director Stefano Vanzina and brother of Enrico Vanzina. In English-speakin ...

, starring Carole Bouquet as Mystère.

Plot

Mystère is a high-class French prostitute who works in Rome. Her friend and colleague Pamela steals a gold lighter from a German customer and hides it in her purse. The German and Pamela are mysteriously killed in rapid succession and Mystère is saved from an aggression only by the prompt intervention of Inspector Colt. Mystère and Colt come to a subtle understanding that will allow the pair to come to the fore of the international intrigue in which they find themselves involved. The German was in fact a photographer who had taken very compromising shots of an attack by the Soviet secret services on an American office in

Piazza di Spagna Piazza di Spagna ("Spanish Square"), at the bottom of the Spanish Steps, is one of the most famous squares in Rome, Italy. It owes its name to the Palazzo di Spagna, the seat of the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See. There is also the famed Colum ...

where a politician was assassinated. The microfilm from the camera was hidden in the lighter that ended up in Mystère's possession. Mystère discovers that her friend's killer, the photographer, is the head of Criminalpol, and manages to save Colt from them. Colt then kills his boss and decides to deal directly with the secret services to be able to obtain a large sum for the film and escape to make a new life with Mystère. An adventurous succession of events allows the inspector obtain a million dollars, but the initial plan changes and Mystère is left behind. Mystère finds Colt in his golden exile in Hong Kong and instead of taking revenge, the couple fall in love. Not even the return of a secret agent, after the money from the film, spoils the new life they have made.

Cast

Production

''Dagger Eyes'' was inspired by

Jean-Jacques Beineix Jean-Jacques Beineix (; 8 October 1946 – 13 January 2022) was a French film director best known for the films ''Diva'' and ''Betty Blue''. His work is regarded as a prime example of the ''cinéma du look'' film movement in France. Early life ...

's ''

Diva Diva (; ) is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. If referring to an actress, the meaning of ''diva'' is cl ...

'' (1981), with screenwriter

Enrico Vanzina Enrico is both an Italian masculine given name and a surname, Enrico means homeowner, or king, derived from ''Heinrich'' of Germanic origin. It is also a given name in Ladino. Equivalents in other languages are Henry (English), Henri ( French), ...

recalling that him and his brother

"gave priority to images" for the film. The ending of the film set in Hong Kong was forced on the Vanzina brothers by producer Goffredo Lombardo.

Release

''Dagger Eyes'' was released in 1983. It was distributed theatrically by

Titanus Titanus is an Italian film production company, founded in 1904 by Gustavo Lombardo (1885–1951). The company's headquarters are located at 28 Via Sommacampagna, Rome and its studios on the Via Tiburtina, 13 km from the centre of Rome. Lom ...

.It was released on home video in a dubbed format the United States as ''Dagger Eyes'' by Vista Home Video. Roberto Curti stated the film had "good commercial results" leading to the Vanzina brothers to develop '' Nothing Underneath''.

Reception

From retrospective reviews, in his book ''Italian Giallo in Film and Television'', film critic and historian Roberto Curti stated that the film was a "competent but hollow genre product" finding it was marred by a dull male lead and a bad ending.

References

Sources

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External links

* * {{Carlo Vanzina 1983 films 1983 thriller films Films about prostitution in Italy Films directed by Carlo Vanzina Films scored by Armando Trovajoli Films set in Hong Kong Films set in Rome Films shot in Rome Giallo films Italian thriller films 1980s Italian-language films 1980s Italian films