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Action Cult Classic

Teenage secrets, a motorcycle-riding butcher, and a grim hunt through the heart of Italian exploitation.

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOUR DAUGHTERS?

Just another suicide until the police discovered... A bloody bathroom. A maniac with a cleaver. A schoolgirl sex ring.

1974 · 1h 36m · NR · Action / Crime / Horror / Mystery / Thriller · IMDB TMDB
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Quick Answer
What is What Have They Done to Your Daughters? about?

What Have They Done to Your Daughters? is a 1974 Italian action, crime, horror, mystery, and thriller film directed by Massimo Dallamano about a police investigation that links a schoolgirl's supposed suicide to a dangerous teenage prostitution ring.

Details & Specs
Director
Massimo Dallamano
Writers
Massimo Dallamano, Ettore Sanzò
Release
1974
Runtime
1h 36m
Country
Italy
Language
Italian
Also Known As
O Que Eles Fizeram a Suas Filhas?, Полицията търси помощ, La lame infernale, I amesos drasis se synagermo, O dolofonos me to balda, Diestramenos ektelestis, Полиция просит помощи, Corrupción de menores, SOS special force, The Coed Murders, Der Tod trägt schwarzes Leder

Overview

After authorities receive an anonymous tip-off, the apparent suicide of 15-year-old Silvia Polvesi draws Assistant Public Prosecutor Vittoria Stori and Inspector Valentini into a dark investigation. The autopsy reveals Silvia was pregnant, casting doubt on the suicide verdict. As they examine evidence, including surveillance footage placing Silvia at a different location, suspicion grows that the girl was murdered and her body deliberately relocated. Homicide Inspector Silvestri takes over, uncovering connections between the girl’s death and a wider ring of exploitation involving teenage girls. This Italian giallo blends procedural police work with elements of horror and exploitation cinema, immersing viewers in a gritty, atmospheric ride through the shadows of 1970s Brescia.
Ending Explained Spoilers — click to reveal

The police expose the prostitution ring behind the teenage girl's death, but the motorcycle-riding killer remains at large as the authorities close in on the ringleaders.

The film ends with justice partly served: the network exploiting underage girls is uncovered, but full closure is denied as the masked assassin evades capture. This open-ended conclusion underscores the bleak reality of institutional limitations and the lingering threat of those operating above and beyond the law. It exemplifies the Italian giallo tradition’s preference for ambiguity and unresolved menace, fittingly leaving the audience with lingering unease.

Why Cult

Giallo-Poliziottesco Fusion

Blends sleazy giallo intrigue with hardnosed Italian crime procedural for a distinctively gritty experience.

Motorcycle-Helmeted Killer

A masked, leather-clad murderer prowls the city on two wheels, bringing sleek menace to every chase scene.

Teenage Exploitation Ring

Delve into the chilling investigation of a prostitution ring preying on schoolgirls, pushing the boundaries of the genre.

Female Investigator Lead

Assistant DA Vittoria Stori's determination drives the investigation, a rarity in 1970s exploitation cinema.

Threat File

Trigger

Schoolgirl’s death investigated

Threat

Motorcycle-riding, cleaver-wielding killer

Effect

Murders witnesses linked to a prostitution ring

Countermeasure

Police investigation led by Assistant DA and Inspectors

Setting

Brescia, Italy

Questions from the Vault

Who directed What Have They Done to Your Daughters?? +

What Have They Done to Your Daughters? was directed by Massimo Dallamano.

How long is What Have They Done to Your Daughters?? +

The film runs for 96 minutes.

What genre is What Have They Done to Your Daughters?? +

It is an action, crime, horror, mystery, and thriller film.

When was What Have They Done to Your Daughters? released? +

What Have They Done to Your Daughters? was released in 1974.

What is What Have They Done to Your Daughters? about? +

What Have They Done to Your Daughters? is a 1974 Italian action, crime, horror, mystery, and thriller film directed by Massimo Dallamano about a police investigation that links a schoolgirl's supposed suicide to a dangerous teenage prostitution ring.

How does the killer operate in What Have They Done to Your Daughters? +

The killer is a cleaver-wielding psychopath who hides behind a motorcycle helmet and leather outfit, dispatched by a prostitution ring to eliminate anyone who might expose them.

Explore

Exploitation Giallo Psychological Thriller Female Nudity Female Topless Nudity Violence Sex Scene Blood Rape Grindhouse Film Police Male Rear Nudity Prostitute Slasher Sadism Torture 1970s Psychopath Corpse