American tycoon BURT SUMMERFIELD, his wife, PENELOPE, and wheelchair-bound mother, ESTELLE cruise from New York for a six-month vacation at their Lakefront mansion on Lake Como in 1927.
While onboard, Burt strikes up a romance with a wealthy aristocratic woman, AMOREENA di MORETTI. Penelope and Estelle notice the affair as does a male friend of Amoreena, LUCIANO.
After arrival at Lake Como, Burt and Penelope’s son, ROBERT comes home. He hates his father for sending him to Boarding School where he was bullied and made to perform sex acts on the Headmaster.
With Burt’s Napoleon Complex, he antagonizes everyone and especially belittles his wife. Robert also hates the way Burt treats his mother.
Penelope finds out that Burt changed his will and named his dog as beneficiary. She persuades the attorney, SPENCER to change it.
Burt then rapes the Maid, much to the dismay of the Butler who loves her.
Burt also forces the Gardener to perform sex acts on him.
While horseback riding, someone shoots Burt, but misses. Burt finds a gun missing from his collection and immediately suspects the Groundskeeper ARMANDO because he is the only one with a spare key to the gun cabinet.
Burt likes to gamble and chalks up a hefty debt. He is threatened to pay his debt.
During a party thrown in Robert’s honor, a shot is heard. Burt is murdered.
INSPECTOR RAIMONDO LIONETTI and his inexperienced younger assistant, UMBERTO investigate. Several clues besides a gunshot have the Inspector baffled.
Upon questioning everyone, Inspector Lionetti finds each person hated Burt and had a motive to kill him. Every time he questions a suspect, another suspect is implicated.
So, who killed Burt? Is it the jealous Wife, the angry Son, the Grandmother, the Gardener, the Groundskeeper, the Maid, the Butler, the Mistress, Luciano, the Lawyer, or the Gambler?
Comments
The set-up is well-organised…
The set-up is well-organised and the premise very clear from the outset. The opening scene ends far too quickly and lacks any kind of build-up or rising tension but the dialogue does a good job of hooking us into the characters.
Reply to Stewart.
In reply to The set-up is well-organised… by Stewart Carry
Your advice was spot on, Stewart. I totally agree that the beginning needs a build-up and added a scene the day before the eventful tragedy. Now the potential victim argues and belittles several characters and even makes the audience hate him. This gives the viewer an understanding of why someone would kill him, and starts the audience thinking, but which one? Thanks, Stewart..