A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin

The movie is set primarily in London, featuring luxurious high-society apartments and elite social gatherings. Key locations include Alexandra Palace and a country estate belonging to lawyer Edmund Brighton, creating contrast between flashy urban party scenes and the darker, hidden workings of wealthy families.

The film is set in the late 1960s to early 1970s, reflecting the era of its 1971 release. This is evident from the hippie culture, LSD use, and the social climate surrounding the characters, placing it firmly in the swinging London period.

The central theme explores how Carol's vivid, drug-filled nightmares blur with actual events, she dreams of murdering her neighbor and awakens to find the crime really happened. This forces the investigation to determine whether her dreams predicted the truth or simply constructed a convincing alibi, making guilt impossible to prove.

Carol's initial dreams foreshadow the actual murder, creating ambiguity about her mental state and potential culpability.

A web of lies surrounds the Hammond family and their circle, affairs, blackmail, and polished public facades conceal violent undercurrents. The murder exposes hidden passions and how far people will go to protect their reputations, with trust constantly undermined as new testimonies and motives emerge.

The narrative probes who truly bears responsibility for the violence, is it Carol whose dreams may have become reality, the blackmail-driven manipulations, or the chain of influence within the privileged household? Edmund's suicide complicates justice, tying personal guilt to public perception and legal judgment.

Carol Hammond is a wealthy socialite and daughter of a prominent politician, portrayed by Florinda Bolkan. She is tormented by disturbing dreams featuring murder and sex orgies. Her apparent instability becomes the centerpiece of the murder case, as the line between her dream-world and real actions drives both police suspicion and courtroom tension.

Edmund Brighton is a powerful lawyer and politician played by Leo Genn. His family hides dangerous secrets, and his worry over exposure leads to his suicide. He represents the corruptible nature of the elite, using his influence to control narratives until his own web of secrets collapses.

Dr. Kerr is Carol's psychoanalyst who listens to her dreams and attempts to interpret their meaning. He serves as a lens through which the tension between psyche and crime is explored, representing the psychological dimension of the mystery and the question of whether the unconscious can predict or cause real events.

Inspector Corvin is a Scotland Yard detective played by Stanley Baker who questions Carol and pursues the hippie couple linked to the case. His methodical, skeptical approach drives the investigation forward, pushing the mystery toward resolution while highlighting the conflict between rational police work and the ambiguous, drug-tinged testimony he encounters.

Julia Durer is the libertine neighbor played by Anita Strindberg whose nocturnal parties and lifestyle trigger the chain of events. Her murder initiates the investigation and exposes the leverage she held over others in London's elite social circle, making her death central to the unfolding mystery.

The movie depicts London's elite high-society milieu, a world of luxurious apartments, flashy parties, and powerful families hiding dark secrets. Interiors of mansions and hospital-like spaces underscore the constant tension between polished appearances and the crimes concealed beneath them.

This is a psychological thriller that blends horror and giallo elements, driven by psychological terror and the constant threat of exposure. The narrative maintains a dark, steadily complex tone, exploring unreliable memory, blurred dream-reality boundaries, and the grim consequences of ambition and desire within the privileged class.