Skip to main content
Crime Cult Classic

Seduction, suspicion, and deadly games unravel in a sunlit Italian villa.

SMILE BEFORE DEATH

1972 · 1h 25m · NR · Crime / Drama / Horror / Mystery / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

After her mother committed suicide under mysterious circumstances, a seemingly naive 16 year old girl named Lucia Della Robbins arrives at her Italian villa, where she begins to suspect that her new and recently widowed stepfather and her mother’s friend may be involved in the apparent suicide. But nothing is as it seems.

 

5,471 FilmsIn The Vault
Vault UpdatedDaily
Curated ByHumans
No AlgorithmBullsh*t
Vault Note

Proof that in Italian thrillers, family reunions are rarely wholesome.

Programmer's Pick

Sultry giallo intrigue meets family dysfunction as Jenny Tamburi's ingenue gets far too close for comfort with both her stepfather and a predatory photographer. Between topless photo shoots, surprise twists, and a tangle of alibis, this is Italian sleaze with a sharply barbed edge.

— SassyFlix Programmer
Quick Answer
What is Smile Before Death about?

Smile Before Death is a 1972 Italian crime, drama, horror, mystery, and thriller film directed by Silvio Amadio about a teenage girl who, after her mother's suspicious suicide, becomes entangled in a web of deceit and seduction involving her stepfather and her mother's friend.

Synopsis

After a her mother’s suspicious suicide, a pretty teenage girl shows up at her Italian villa where she quickly discovers that her new and recently widowed stepfather is having an affair with her mother’s sexy photographer friend. The villainous pair plot to do in the precocious youngster, but it turns out she has her own sinister agenda as she has sexually insinuates herself between the two of them (bedding the stepfather and doing nude photo sessions with Neri). The ending is genuinely a surprise.
Details & Specs
Director
Silvio Amadio
Writers
Franz, Francesco Di Dio, Francesco Merli
Release
1972
Runtime
1h 25m
Country
Italy
Language
Italian
Also Known As
Smile Before Death, La Sonrisa de la Hiena, Sorria Antes de Morrer, Le Sourire de la hyène, Original title: Il sorriso della iena

Why Cult

Giallo & Erotic Thriller

A heady collision of Italian giallo sleaze and psychological thriller, with murder, betrayal, and sexual manipulation at every turn.

Sinister Love Triangle

A tangled web of stepdaughter, stepfather, and seductive photographer, where everyone has something to hide—and much to lose.

Nudity & Blackmail

Expect nude photo sessions, lesbian undertones, and blackmail as key plot devices, all wrapped in an unapologetically sleazy package.

Surprise Ending

The film culminates with a genuinely unexpected twist, keeping even genre veterans guessing until the final frame.

Themes & Keywords

Female Nudity Female Rear Nudity Female Topless Nudity Nudity Female Full Frontal Nudity Death Female Pubic Hair Lesbian Cigarette Smoking Flashback Husband Wife Relationship Telephone Call Surprise Ending Gun Female Protagonist Investigation

Questions from the Vault

What is Smile Before Death about? +

Smile Before Death follows a teenage girl who, after her mother’s mysterious suicide, becomes embroiled in a dangerous game of seduction and suspicion involving her stepfather and her mother’s photographer friend.

When was Smile Before Death released? +

Smile Before Death was released in 1972.

Who directed Smile Before Death? +

Smile Before Death was directed by Silvio Amadio.

How long is Smile Before Death? +

Smile Before Death has a runtime of 85 minutes.

What genre is Smile Before Death? +

Smile Before Death is a crime, drama, horror, mystery, and thriller film.

Where can I watch Smile Before Death? +

Smile Before Death is available to stream on SassyFlix.