Unethical psychiatrist Dr. Peter Milne (superbly played to sleazy perfection by the great Franco Nero) gets romantically involved with neurotic and unstable patient Sara Kendal (a strong and sympathetic performance by Renee Soutendijk). Peter's manipulation of Sara's mind and emotions causes her psychosis to worsen to the point where she can't distinguish dreams from reality and Peter eventually becomes the target of Sara's murderous feelings. Director Mai Zetterling, working from a compelling script by Charles E. Israel, does an ace job of creating and sustaining an engrossingly eerie and ambiguous atmosphere and provides several effectively stylish and surreal visuals (Sara's recurring nightmares about being stalked by a mysterious gloved and masked stranger are genuinely spooky and unnerving). Moreover, the whole story culminates with a gripping and suspenseful climax with Peter receiving his just brutal comeuppance for his callous and unscrupulous mistreatment of Sara and gross abuse of his responsibilities as a shrink. Nero and Soutendijk do sterling work in the lead roles. Sonja Smits acquits herself well in a sizable supporting part as snoopy journalist Susan Carter. As a sweet extra bonus, the lovely Renee bares her cute little breasts in a steamy love scene with Nero. Both Thomas Burstyn's slick'n'shadowy cinematography and Michel Rubini's shivery score further enhance the overall sound quality of this solid episode.
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