The Stendhal Syndrome
Year: 1996
Runtime: 119 mins
Language: Italian
Director: Dario Argento
Murder is treated as an art form, and she becomes its living canvas. A determined young policewoman pursues an elusive serial rapist‑killer across Italy, her obsession with the case slowly eroding her sanity. As the hunt intensifies, she becomes the predator’s next victim, trapped in his brutal fixation.
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The Stendhal Syndrome (1996) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained
Read the complete plot breakdown of The Stendhal Syndrome (1996), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
In Florence, Det. Anna Manni Asia Argento pursues Alfredo Grossi Thomas Kretschmann, a serial rapist and murderer who has left a trail of fear across the city. The investigation follows clues that lead through museums, galleries, and quiet streets, as Anna tries to stay one step ahead of the suspect who always seems to be one move ahead.
During a museum visit, Anna is overwhelmed by Stendhal syndrome, a condition that can flood the senses when confronted with art so powerful it can feel almost overwhelming. Alfredo, realizing Anna’s vulnerability, uses this moment to disable her and abduct her, subjecting her to a brutal and sadistic assault. Although she manages to escape, the trauma runs deep; Alfredo resumes his pursuit, eventually recapturing her. In a brutal confrontation, Anna turns the tables, breaks free, wounds him badly, and casts him into a river.
As the river is combed by police who believe Alfredo is dead, Anna meets Marie Julien Lambroschini, a young French art student, and the two soon fall in love. Anna begins sessions with Dr. Cavanna Paolo Bonacelli, a psychologist, in a bid to confront the deep-seated emotional wounds left by the ordeal. Yet the past returns in the form of threatening phone calls from the supposed-dead Alfredo, heightening Anna’s sense of danger and confusion. Then Marie is found murdered, a blow that rocks Anna to her core and triggers fresh turmoil in her struggle to distinguish memory from reality.
Concerned for Anna’s mental state, Dr. Cavanna visits her, and soon Marco Longhi Marco Leonardi calls to inform that Alfredo’s body has in fact been recovered. The psychologist confronts Anna with the shocking truth: that she may be Marie’s killer. In a tense moment at her apartment, Marco arrives to take possession of Anna’s gun, only to discover that she has killed the psychologist as well. Anna finally confesses that Alfredo is now inside her, ordering her to do terrible things, and she murders Marco. The police arrive, and Anna wanders the streets, ultimately being arrested.
Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:39
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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Stendhal Syndrome
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