Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

Year: 1972

Runtime: 97 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Sergio Martino

MysteryHorrorThrillerHorror

Oliviero, a disgraced, alcohol‑dependent writer, spends his days organizing decadent orgies in his sprawling country manor while cruelly belittling his wife Irina. When several women are found brutally murdered on the estate, suspicion falls squarely on Oliviero, positioning him as the chief suspect in the grisly crimes.

Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a remote countryside manor where faded aristocracy collides with the hedonistic beat of the late‑70s, a once‑celebrated writer now drifts through days clouded by cheap wine and nicotine. Oliviero Rouvigny, his reputation in tatters, spends his time arranging lavish, almost ritualistic parties for a circle of free‑spirited locals, turning the sprawling estate into a stage for excess. The rooms echo with decadent music, candlelight, and the faint rustle of silk—a world that feels both seductive and oppressive, hinting at secrets lurking behind its opulent façade.

At the heart of this uneasy splendor lies a fraught marriage. Irina, his wife, moves through the house like a nervous shadow, ever‑present yet constantly on edge, wary of her husband’s sharp tongue, volatile moods, and the peculiar devotion he shows to his late mother’s cat, Satan. The household is further haunted by relics of the past—a moth‑eaten gown once worn by Esther, the writer’s actress mother—adding an almost gothic texture to everyday life. Their dynamic crackles with tension, as Irina’s fear is mingled with a quiet resilience that hints at deeper currents beneath the surface.

When a string of unsettling disappearances casts a pall over the estate, the local authorities turn their gaze toward the manor’s most conspicuous resident. The suspicion that settles on Oliviero fuels an atmosphere of paranoia, turning every whispered conversation and lingering glance into a potential clue. The manor becomes a pressure cooker where desire, power, and dread intertwine, and each character’s hidden motives begin to pulse just out of reach.

The film unfolds as a moody, atmospheric thriller, blending erotic decadence with a slow‑burning psychological tension. Its palette of dimly lit corridors, rust‑colored walls, and the ever‑watchful eyes of Satan the cat create a sense of claustrophobic elegance. In this world, the line between victim and perpetrator blurs, inviting the audience to linger on the unsettling beauty of a place where every room could hold the next revelation.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 23:04

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Decadent manor murder mysteries like in Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

Erotic and cruel secrets unravel within the walls of a single, opulent estate.If you enjoyed the claustrophobic, erotic tension of Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key, explore more movies like it. This collection features similar gothic thrillers and horror films where a single, opulent estate becomes the stage for cruel secrets, psychological torment, and grisly murder investigations.

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Narrative Summary

Stories typically begin by establishing a toxic, often abusive dynamic within a wealthy, secluded household. An external event, like a murder, disrupts the fragile order, forcing hidden perversions and deceptions into the open. The investigation is often secondary to the psychological unraveling of the characters, culminating in a violent confrontation that leaves few, if any, unscathed.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared setting and the oppressive, decadent atmosphere it creates. They focus on the intersection of eroticism, cruelty, and mystery, using a confined location to amplify suspense and explore themes of psychological decay and revenge.

Movies with complex revenge plots like in Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

Stories where the victim meticulously orchestrates a cruel and complex retaliation.For viewers who appreciated the devious psychological revenge in Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key, this list features similar movies with intricate retaliation schemes. Discover more stories where abused or wronged characters mastermind complex, dark, and often bleakly satisfying plans against their tormentors.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a protagonist who has endured significant abuse or betrayal. Instead of a direct confrontation, they choose a path of calculated deception, often manipulating events and people to make their target complicit in their own downfall. The journey is morally complex, challenging the viewer's sympathies as the line between victim and villain blurs.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their focus on revenge as a complex, intellectual, and psychological process rather than simple violence. They share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and often feature bleak endings where the cost of vengeance is fully realized.

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