The Sunday Woman (1975) Plot Summary Explained

The stone phallus was the murder weapon because Ines Tabusso used a similar stone object from her property. The weapon's macabre nature was meant to suggest a crime of passion, but it actually pointed to Ines, who had access to such stones on her villa grounds where ancient artistic stones were used as laundry equipment.

Foreshadowing: The unusual weapon foreshadows the later revelation that the murder originated from property disputes on Turin's Hill.

• stone phallus
• murder weapon
• Garrone death
• Turin

In a discarded draft letter to her friend Massimo Campi, Anna Carla wrote that they must 'rid' Garrone. This draft was discovered by her servants and brought to the police, making her an immediate suspect despite her claims she never sent it.

Foreshadowing: The letter establishes Anna Carla's potential motive and hints at the tangled relationships among Turin's elite.

• letter
• Massimo Campi
• Anna Carla
• Garrone
• draft

Ines killed Garrone after he discovered that her property contained an ancient artistic stone used for laundry, which was protected by Art Superintendence regulations. This meant the land could not be sold for development. Garrone had deceived her, suggesting that bribing officials could remove the interdiction, when in fact it was impossible to bypass.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establishing Garrone's work for Ines and the property's potential value hint at this financial motive.

• Ines Tabusso
• Garrone
• property
• Art Superintendence
• murder motive

Ines Tabusso also killed Lello Riviera at the Balon flea market using a stone pestle. Riviera had gone to meet what he believed was the murderer, but Ines was there and killed him to prevent him from revealing her as the killer of Garrone.

Foreshadowing: The second murder mirrors the first, using another stone object from Ines's property.

• Lello Riviera
• Balon
• flea market
• second murder
• Ines Tabusso

Santamaria staged a night raid to clear Ines Tabusso's property of prostitutes in hopes of winning her cooperation with the investigation. By doing her a favor and disrupting the illicit activity on her grounds, he intended to establish a rapport that would make her more willing to share information about Garrone.

Foreshadowing: The raid demonstrates Santamaria's investigative methods and foreshadows his growing involvement with the property's secrets.

• Santamaria
• night raid
• Ines Tabusso
• prostitutes
• investigation

Garrone discovered that on Ines Tabusso's property there was an ancient artistic stone used as laundry equipment, which was protected under Art Superintendence provisions. This discovery meant the grounds were forbidden to sell for development, destroying the financial opportunity that had motivated Ines to hire him.

Foreshadowing: This discovery directly triggered Ines's decision to kill Garrone to keep him from revealing the bad news.

• ancient stone
• Art Superintendence
• property
• building permit
• Garrone

Massimo Campi withheld cooperation to protect his homosexuality, which was socially scandalous at the time. Since his secret lover Lello Riviera was being followed by police as part of the investigation, Campi feared that disclosing their relationship would expose his sexual orientation and ruin his social position.

Foreshadowing: This secrecy creates tension throughout the film and explains why Campi becomes an unreliable witness.

• Massimo Campi
• homosexuality
• police
• cooperation
• Lello Riviera

Both Garrone and Lello Riviera were killed by Ines Tabusso using stone objects from her property, the same type of ancient artistic stones protected by Art Superintendence that had motivated the first murder. Riviera was killed at the Balon market because he was getting close to discovering Ines as the culprit.

Foreshadowing: The similar murder weapons link both crimes to the same location and same perpetrator.

• two murders
• stone objects
• Ines Tabusso
• connection
• Balon

Anna Carla assists Santamaria partly to clear her name from suspicion due to the incriminating letter, but also because she is bored with her marriage and attracted to the inspector. She promises him a secret rendezvous beginning with lunch, trading information for personal connection.

Foreshadowing: Their collaboration evolves from suspect and investigator to romantic partners.

• Anna Carla
• Santamaria
• investigation
• help
• romance

After the case is solved, Santamaria and Anna Carla finally enjoy the private lunch they promised each other. However, their romantic encounter is brief and transient, Anna Carla must get out of bed to start packing for family holidays, returning to her ordinary life and leaving Santamaria alone.

Foreshadowing: The ending reflects the film's cynical view of relationships among Turin's elite, where brief affairs contrast with lasting obligations.

• ending
• Santamaria
• Anna Carla
• holidays
• resolution