Assassination in Rome

An American woman visiting Rome becomes entangled in a mystery when her husband vanishes without a trace. As the police and a determined reporter dig deeper, they uncover a tangled web of adultery, blackmail, and murder. Glamorous settings and shadowy secrets lead to a deadly climax in this stylish Euro-thriller.

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  Assassination in Rome is by no means one of the worst gialli ever made—far worse would emerge in the years to come—but it is nevertheless a slow, rather tedious picture with little in the way of suspense. The final reveal is predictable and the slack direction only serves to highlight the script’s many contrivances. Even so, it is interesting to see how Bava’s influence was starting to be felt, even in a country where his films were so regularly unpopular with critics and audiences alike.