The Italian Giallo had lost a lot of its power and appeal in the 1980s. There were less titles, and almost none of them became an actual classic, like several of their counterparts back in the 1970s. And yet, if you're a true fan of the sub-genre - like I am - and take the effort to deep-dive into the obscure catalogue, you'll find there are multiple worthwhile 80s Gialli. "Tenebrae", "A Blade in the Dark", "Stagefright", "The Killer is Still Among Us", "Nothing Underneath", "Midnight Ripper", "Off Balance", "Too Beautiful to Die", "Opera", "Delirium", "The Monster of Florence", ... These are all examples of fine 80s Gialli, and today I would like to add "Sweets from a Strangers" to the list.
This (unjustly) forgotten thriller from writer/director Franco Ferrini (acolyte and frequent collaborator of none other than Dario Argento) has a simple yet very clever and effective plot. There's a serial killer active on the streets of a non-specifically mentioned city, and he/she is exclusively targeting prostitutes. Since the police is not exactly motivated to search for the killer intensely, the wisest and most senior prostitutes call together a "council" and agree to look after each other, defend themselves, and subtly hunt for the killer. This, of course, leads to paranoia and innocent victims, while the real culprit carelessly continues to spread terror.
The idea sounds so obvious, and yet it's quite a breakthrough and turnaround for Giallo-cinema! Prostitutes very frequently appear in these films, but they only serve as defenseless victims that provide the Giallo with nudity and sleaze before they get barbarically slaughtered. Here, they're also still victims, but the protagonists are prostitutes as well; - and even eloquent, intelligent, and forceful ones. The opposite goes for the police. The big hero of the story is often a rough and robust cop, whereas in "Sweets from a Stranger" the only noteworthy police officer only appears halfway into the story, and he's a bozo only interested in dating the elite escort girl.
Of course, what you fear the most in a plot like this is also true. "Sweets from a Stranger" rapidly turns into a melodrama and a social satire, with heart-breaking background stories of women who never received any fair chances or got pushed into prostitution, the daily struggles of elderly & faded street flowers, drugs or alcohol addictions, lack of empathy from the neighborhood, etc. Ferrini luckily also remembers that his effort is primarily a Giallo and ensures that all the trademarks are there. The killer wears black gloves and uses a razor, the actual murders are messy but violent, and the soundtrack is very good. But, most importantly, the finale (the revelation of the killer's identity and motives) is sublime! Honestly, for me, the end-twist is so great that I'm awarding "Sweets from a Stranger" with a 7/10 instead of the 6/10 that I had in mind until a couple of minutes before the ending.
