Massimo Dellamano, best known for his classic Giallo, What Have You Done to Solange? proffers his first attempt at the format with this crime-thriller mystery. The first half of the film is well-paced, introducing the viewer to a slew of shifty characters, the beautiful and defiant Lisa, and a central mystery accentuated by a black-gloved killer with a gleaming switchblade.

Unfortunately, the film loses steam after a couple of bodies drop and the killer is identified. The plot shifts its focus to the mystery of Lisa's clandestine meetings and her possible connection to the drug ring that her husband Franz, who is also the head narcotics inspector, is trying to take down. John Mills is convincing as the paranoid lover who may or may not be overreacting to his wife's behavior, but the love affair between Lisa and Max that blossoms after Max decides NOT to kill Lisa is difficult to believe and even harder to watch.

The loose ends of the mystery are tied up well enough. Lisa is working for Schoeurmann (or sleeping with him... or both!) and the tulip vendor is the location where they communicate via payphone. What is unclear, however, is Lisa's true feelings for Franz who is eventually revealed to her as the man who hired Max to kill her. The final scene, which bookends nicely with the opening scene, shows the yellow tulips laid on what we now know is Franz's coffin, and a tearful Lisa behind a black veil. But who are these tears for?

To effectively score this film, I had to get creative with some of the criteria. There are no points given for Hidden Identity because Max is revealed to be the killer halfway through the film, however, he does get points for his motive and his ultimate demise. I granted points for Nude Scene and Bathtub Murder even though both of those scenes were fantasies in Franz's mind. Points for Flashback Revelation were left off because, frankly, the entire film is a flashback. 

I'm recommending this film For Completists Only. Solange is Dallamano's crowning achievement and a must-see for any Giallo enthusiast. Black Veil, on the other hand, shows the director experimenting with some of the early tropes of the genre with varying degrees of success. There are a few memorable moments, and the complexity of the Franz character is fun to dissect, but ultimately I won't be seeking out repeat viewings of this film.