Summaries

Synopsis

THE WITCH aka THE WITCH IN LOVE-synopsis

Sergio Logan (Richard Johnson) opens the drapes and glass doors and looks down upon the busy highway below. His girlfriend Marta (actress not identified) urges him to hurry and take her to the office. He remarks that the strange old lady is seen watching him again.

As they get into the car, the old lady is no longer seated in the park. He notices her walking away and points this out to Marta, who suggests he just ask the woman what she wants. He drives to and lets her off at her office. She suggests that they get married one day. He replies that he will think about it and leaves.

He is seen putting suitcases in the car and driving off. Talking to Lorna (Margherita Guzzinati) who is sketching on a sketch pad, he tells her that his girlfriend has kicked him out and is looking for a place to stay for a couple of weeks. He notices the drawing, which is of a little boy standing by an old woman. When he looks up, he sees the old woman who was talking to a young boy. He approaches the boy as the woman crosses the street to buy a paper. The boy tells him he doesnt know the woman. She gets into a taxi and drives away. The newsstand vendor tells him the woman was looking to see if an ad was in the paper, on the back page. Sergio gets a paper and begins looking. Having found the ad, he tears off the page and disposes of the rest of the paper. He tells Lorna he will be back in an hour.

Having arrived at the address in the ad, he buzzes the door at an old castle. The door opens and he enters. Inside, he sees what a lavish old house was once. He goes upstairs and calls out. A womans voice tells him to continue one more flight and then to the left.

Seeing her at the top of the stairs, he remarks that she looks familiar. She asks if he is disappointed and invites him up, calling him by name. She introduces herself as Consuelo Lorente (Sarah Ferrati), a widow. He asks why she has been following him and points out the ad, which describes him. She asks if it is not a coincidence and that he is the only one who qualifies to work on her late husbands journals. He insinuates that there are no journals and she is making it up. She tells him to follow her to the library. She will prove that she is no liar.

They go down a passageway and take a small elevator to the library, which is old and disorganized. She shows him her husbands writings, reading a page from a book named Spain 1924. He is mildly interested in erotic writing but still says he is not the one to do the job. She tells him there is another man there, but that she is unable to dismiss him for mysterious reasons. As he questions her further, she goes and takes a drink from a teacup. He notices through the bookshelves that she becomes unstable. He rushes to seat her in a nearby chair. Dialing the phone, he calls a friend to come, saying she may have poisoned herself. She tells him she is all right and not to tell anyone. A series of shadows cross the face of Consuelo.

He looks around the library, hearing a guitar being played. A woman, (Rosanna Schiaffino), appears holding a guitar. She introduces herself as Aura, daughter of Consuelo. He explains that her mother has fainted and seems to have taken a drink of potion from a cup which he hands her. She replies that it must be difficult for her mother who was formerly a beauty queen. She asks him to help get her to bed. He tells her that he has phoned his friend who is a doctor and will be here soon. As he turns to go help, she drops the cup, breaking it. He notices. She leaves the room.

He carries Consuelo and puts her on the bed. Aura attends to her and removes her jewelry. Consuelo stirs slightly. Aura tells him she will recover soon.

She shows him the chapel, telling him that her father was the Mexican Ambassador to Rome for many years. When he remarks of the similarities between her and her mother, she tells him that they are nothing alike. She asks what else he would like to see, to which he replies her room. She says maybe later.

They gaze through an iron grating at Consuelo and Aura asks if he really thought she meant to seduce him. He is surprised and asks how she knew that. She doesn't answer. He asks if she is amused by that to which she replies yes. She shows him to the garden.

She answers that she knows he was summoned by the ad. He asks what reasons she knows why he should take the job. Good food and peace and tranquility, she says. She tells him that her door is never locked and he tells her that the most important thing is for her to be like her mother was when she was young. They go into the greenhouse, where she tells him her mother grows a plant she brought with her from Mexico in a tea which she drinks. He kisses her and asks if she likes it. She agrees.

There is a catfight and she asks him to chase them away. He picks up some clods and throws them at the cats. At least one cat is seen exiting the window. She tells him she cooks with herbs that she grows in the greenhouse. She asks him to fetch her some aloe vera which is good for healing. He goes to find it and when he looks back, she is gone. He goes to leave and notices a dead cat which has been strangled with a string around its neck. He goes calling for Aura.

Going back upstairs in the house, he finds Consuelo and asks about her. She claims she was going to connect the electricity so that she would hear the bell when the doctor arrived. He tells her about the dead cat that was tortured before it died. She makes a reference to some hoodlums who come over the wall to torment the cats. She asks for his arm to help her to her room.

Consuelo asks Sergio how he likes her daughter. He says he likes her but that she is different from most girls. She confesses that she is jealous of Aura and is afraid some common man will take her away from her. He helps her lie on a couch and places a pillow behind her. She says she will wait for the doctor. She believes her daughter imagines that she lives in a drug-induced fantasy world. She tells him that there are no secrets between her and her daughter and that Aura is waiting for him in the library.

When he is unable to find Aura in the library, he calls Marta on the phone, telling her he will be home soon. As he does this, he notices a mummified body in a glass coffin. Stunned, he hangs up and goes to look. Aura speaks from a nearby rocking chair, telling him it is her father who is embalmed here and that he is the author of the journals in the library. He asks and is told that Consuelo comes and stares at the body for hours.

She retrieves a book and begins talking about the author who took a lover of age 13. He begins to caress her about the shoulders. She asks why he is attempting to undress her and he mentions making love. She asks if he would like music and puts on a record. She tells him to follow all her instructions. As the tropical jazz music plays, she removes his coat with her mouth. He goes to unzip her dress and she tells him to do it with his mouth. He removes her dress by mouth and gazes upon her beauty. She approaches him as the music tempo gets faster. They kiss and she tells him that they can stop playing now. They begin embracing until a noise is heard in the room.

They look up and see Fabrizio (Gian Maria Volonté) placing some books on a shelf, having just awakened. Surprised to see her, Fabrizio approaches and welcomes her back. She suggests that Sergio has tried to attack her and that she resisted. Fabrizio turns to question Sergio, who denies an attack. Fabrizio looks him over for signs of resistance but finds none. Asking why he is there, Fabrizio hears that Sergio has answered an ad for a librarian. Sergio tells Fabrizio that he is still the incumbent librarian and that no one has fired him. He questions Aura as to why he is there. She claims that he has been rejected by her and her mother although initially was accepted. She tells Sergio to go, reassuring Fabrizio that he will remain. Sergio asks what the ending to the comedy is. He receives a slap on the face from Aura. Good ending. he says.

Fabrizio questions Sergio about whether Consuelo rejected him or he chose not to take the job. Sergio tells him Consuelo changed her mind. When Fabrizio asks what if anything the old woman said about him, Sergio replies nothing good. Sergio turns to leave.

Hearing a strange noise, Sergio finds Consuelo conducting a ritual with a crucifix. She stops when she sees him, telling him that the doctor friend just left. She convinced the doctor that there was a misunderstanding.

Sergio calls out the window to his friend Marco (Vittorio Venturoli) who is leaving. As he tells the old woman he is leaving, she insists he say goodbye to Aura. He approaches Aura in the next room and sits by her. Consuelo tells him that they had hoped he would prove to be a good friend and that she lied to him earlier about the dead cat. It is Fabrizio who tortured the cat, she claims. She wants Sergio to do Auras eyebrows. He is handed the pencil and begins tracing her eyebrows. She tells him to go.

Outside, Sergio is told by his friend that the old lady said he had left. He asks if the doctor thinks she is crazy and is told that most likely she takes drugs. Offering to take Sergio to lunch, the doctor drives off after being told that Sergio will remain.

Sergio questions the owner of a nearby antique shop about the purchases bought from the old lady. She claims the money is in the millions and that Consuelo is at least twenty years older than she. Sergio disbelieves that, pointing out that she has a young daughter. He is told Consuelo has no daughter and that most of the money went towards facial reconstruction. Sergio returns to the house.

He sees Fabrizio praying for strength in the chapel. Sitting down, he offers an amen to the prayer. Fabrizio questions why he has returned, then urges Sergio to serve as a confessor in the chapels confessional. Fabrizio confesses to living in hell and loving it. He tells of a false body near him each night to which he is addicted and wants absolution. When Sergio tells him he cannot absolve him, Fabrizio is upset and tells Sergio he should leave. Sergio also recommends that Fabrizio leave, which he says he cannot do. He asks that they make a pact that if he can convince Aura that Sergio will leave.

Aura comes in and tells Fabrizio it is time for the bath. He points out that Sergio has come back and tells her to welcome him with a kiss. She approaches Sergio as if to kiss him but whispers thank you.

Aura prepares the bath and Fabrizio tells Sergio that he was destitute when he first came but that the old lady gave him everything he has now. He tells Aura to pour a drink for Sergio, which she does. She goes back into the bathroom and changes into a robe as Sergio watches through the door. He tells Fabrizio that it is time for him to leave them alone. Fabrizio says it is time for his bath and goes in. Sergio approaches Aura and they begin kissing on the bed. They talk about Fabrizio and she admits she is afraid of him. They begin more passionate kissing and Aura pushes him away, saying that Fabrizio is watching. He is shown looking through the glass at them. She says to Sergio that it is impossible tonight and goes into the bathroom. Sergio feels something under the pillow and finds a small gun. He examines it and places it back. Hearing them kissing, he opens the door and is told by Fabrizio that it is impossible tonight. Aura is seen sitting on the bed. Sergio leaves.

Fabrizio and Aura are seen fencing (they are wearing no masks). He gives her some instructions. They look over and see Sergio watching them. Fabrizio gives her an epée and they resume. He strikes her epée down and teases her with the tip of the blade. Sergio rushes over to her aid, but is rebuffed by Fabrizio, who tells him to stop being a hero. She excuses herself and leaves. Sergio tells Fabrizio that he is tormenting her and keeping her as a slave. Fabrizio answers that she likes him, which is disputed by Sergio. Telling Fabrizio that he will take the job, Sergio is told that the job belongs to Fabrizio. Sergio says he will ask Consuelo.

They enter Consuelos quarters and Fabrizio tells her that Aura is pleased with him. She asks Sergio what he wants and he begins to tell her that he wants the job, but is interrupted by Fabrizio, who insists that she tell Sergio he is not wanted or needed. She replies that the decision is hers to make. Asking if Sergio approves of the pay and agrees to live in the palace, she hires him and tells him to remove Fabrizio. He tells Fabrizio to pack his bags and leave. This infuriates Fabrizio, who turns to see Aura looking in. He goes after her. Consuelo tells Sergio to go after him.

Seeing the elevator going up, Sergio takes the stairs and ends up in the library, calling for Aura. The lights go out and he looks around, finding a sabré which has been stabbed into the mummified corpse. Muffled screams are heard. As Sergio runs through the darkened library, he sees Fabrizio grab Aura and run out of the room. He chases after them. Hearing them nearby, he pushes away books from a shelf and sees them embracing. Aura reaches out to Sergio, who fights with Fabrizio. In the struggle Fabrizio is killed. When Sergio informs the women he will have to report this accidental death to the police, Consuelo tells him no and to dispose of the body. He insists he will tell but is told that they will testify that he came in and violently attacked them. Sergio realizes they are working together and that he has been used to kill someone they no longer wanted around. Stunned, he offers disbelief. Both women insist that he must do as he is told.

Sergio is told to put the body in the trunk of Consuelos car because his is too small. Then he is given a roll of heavy tape and told to do as he was instructed so that the body will not be identifiable. Sergio takes the body to nearby railroad tracks and tapes the arms to the rails, positioning the head so the train will run over it. He hides in the bushes and checks his watch as he waits for the train. A man is seen crossing the tracks with a bicycle. The train roars through and Sergio returns to the palazzo.

He tells Aura that everything went as planned and that he is leaving. He will tell no one about this. She professes that she wants him. He tries to leave but is irresistibly drawn to her. Consuelo tells him that now that he has proven his worth, she is able to reveal that Aura is not her daughter.

The three are seen eating with Sergio watching. Aura and Consuelo have almost identical hand movements. They rise and look at Sergio. Consuelo says she is cold and for Aura to go and see if a window is open. As she leaves, strange music is heard. Consuelo comments on the music and Sergio calls for Aura. Consuelo pours another cup of the potion tea and drinks it as Sergio comes back into the room. He questions why she drinks it if it is harmful. She begins chanting, saying that it is life. She begins ritual dancing and speaking Italian. He asks where she has sent Aura. The dancing continues and Consuelo tells him to look in the dark. Aura is seen emerging from the shadows and begins a sensual dance. Both women are seen dancing as Sergio watches. Aura begins writhing on her knees until finally Sergio cries out for it to stop. The music stops but Consuelo is not seen. Aura approaches him and they go to Fabrizios bedroom.

Sergio tells her he would prefer to go to her bedroom, but she insists that this is her bedroom and that they will be together forever here. Sergio turns and sees Consuelo watching. He angrily tells her to get her ugly face away and stop watching. Aura, undressed and sitting in bed, turns out the light. He tries to turn it back on, but she insists she prefers the dark. She lies down and begins moaning, clutching the bed frame.

He wakes the next morning alone in bed. Consuelo tells him that Aura is not there, but that she told her last night how happy she was. She asks Sergio if he is happy and he agrees. She tells him that she is afraid that something will happen to interfere with that happiness. She brings his breakfast on a tray and clothes for him to wear. She tells him that the newspaper reports nothing bad. He is told to begin work in the library that day.

Sergio goes outside as the city bells are ringing. Glancing down, he sees Consuelo dragging a cat by a rope around its neck. He goes into the fencing room and finds Aura, kissing her and telling her he missed waking up with her. He says he wants to take her away and leave Consuelo behind. She insists that this is her home and that he will not be able to persuade her otherwise. Saying she misses Fabrizio and his fencing, she tries to get Sergio to fence with her. He refuses and takes away her foil. She draws two epées and gives one to him. He kicks it away and takes hers away from her. They argue over the mention of Fabrizios name, which he never wants to hear again. He slaps her a few times, asking to know the truth. She says she will go away, leaving him alone with Consuelo. He locks the door and demands to know who she really is. She asks for him to let her out. He throws away the key. She runs from door to door but they are all locked. Exhausted, she sinks to the floor and begins twitching. He asks what is wrong. She contorts on the bed and Sergio calls for Consuelo. She tells him to leave her alone and retreats into the closet behind clothes. He calls to her and pulls aside the clothes. Consuelo is revealed. She tells him that she transforms herself into Aura for his pleasure and to give her time.

Unbelieving, he runs around the house, calling for Aura. Unable to find her, he goes into the greenhouse and sits to wait. Outside a raging thunderstorm begins. He hears the womans voice calling him. He turns and sees Aura in the distance. She approaches him. Consuelo is also seen, warning him not to imprison Aura again. She must be free to come and go. She bids him come back to the house. Aura says he will be able to see and touch her because the witch wills it to be so.

Later he is seen watching a woman hanging clothes on a clothesline and singing. He goes to his desk in the library but pulls his knees up into the chair. Next he is seen praying for strength just as Fabrizio did. Consuelo hears him and tells him he is pathetic. She asks why he doesnt leave and get another job. He answers that he is happy here. He asks if she remembers the last lines her husband wrote. She tells him to return the book to the library. He quotes lines from the journal which tells of his wife having reincarnated someone. Rushing into her room, he tells her the last words of her husband were that he was afraid of her and wanted to know what she had become. What happened to him, Sergio asks her? She tells him that he committed suicide. She asks him to zip her dress and to take some things to the antique store to sell. He begs her to bring back Aura whom he has not seen for several months. He pours a cup of the tea and tries to force her to drink it. She reminds him that only she can bring Aura back and that he should not make her angry.

As he is carrying a statue to the antique dealer, Marta pulls up in a car and calls to him. Selling the statue, he is seen collecting the money and going back to the palazzo. Marta tries to question him, but he seems disinterested and wonders how she found him. She says she was just on her way to the antique dealer and saw him. He goes back into the house where Consuelo is leaving. Giving her the money, she remarks how his former friend seems to want him. She says she doesnt know when she will be back and leaves. Marta tries to prevent him from closing the door but is unable.

Sulking in the library, he hears Auras laughter and goes to investigate. She is seen lying on a couch. She gets up and tells him it is because of the new man. Sergio looks and sees a new young man (Ivan Rossamov) who has answered a newspaper ad. She tells him to tell the young man to leave, but he insists that it is he who will leave. She tries to persuade him to stay, claiming it is he that she wants. He says that is what he was told when he came there to work. She wants him to tell the new man to go and that he should not believe what Consuelo tells him. When she tells him that she loves him, he tells her to wait.

Tying up Consuelos hands, he drags her outside to the iron gate and binds her hands to it with wire. Meanwhile the new man calls for Aura, who disappears into the dark. Sergio brings small palettes and wooden cases to build a fire under the witch. He then pours wine over the wood and lights it. As the witch screams No! he sits a short distance away to watch. The young man, having come outside, sees this. In the flames, Consuelos face turns to Aura as Sergio watches her burn.