The Long Hair of Death (1964) (I lunghi capelli della morte)

Adele Karnstein, the hour's arrived. Be strong and have faith.

God will save you if you're innocent.

There she is, the witch!

God, protect us from her evil!

Where are her daughters?

Witches' daughters are devil's daughters.

The young one lives in the castle

but no one has ever seen the eldest.

Kurt, did you give the order to have

the eldest daughter of the witch brought here?

Yes, sir. But she can't be found.

The search has been impeded because no one knows her at the castle.

She has to be tried by divine justice.

Like her mother, she's also suspected of being a witch.

Grumalda, bring the youngest.

Kurt, intensify the search.

I want that girl here at the castle today.

Who are you and what do you want?

- I have to speak with count Humboldt. - Out!

No, please. It's a matter of life and death!

What's going on?

Come here, girl!

I'm Helen Rochefort, Adele Karnstein's eldest daughter.

Calm yourself. I have little time but I will listen to you. Come.

Advise my son and Von Klage: they must wait for me for the trial.

What you have told me, it's very disturbing.

If Von Klage knew that you were here, he would put you on trial.

The woman for whom you're begging mercy is a witch

and she killed my brother Franz.

No, it's not true. I think I can prove she's innocent.

I can tell who killed your brother.

It's someone living under your own roof and that you are now protecting.

First of all, you accuse one of my household of murder,

then me of protecting him.

Why won't you reveal the name of the real culprit?

If you want me to suspend the trial, you must tell me who it is.

- If not, God will judge her. - She's innocent, I swear.

Just help me save her.

Please, delay the trial for a few days

and I'll do anything you ask.

What can a man ask of a beautiful woman like you?

You heard it yourself: they will wait for me for the trial.

I'll order to suspend it.

Please, just give me a kiss... a kiss.

I'm afraid, give that order.

Don't be afraid. Without me they can't proceed.

They will wait for me.

I'd like you too to...

Adele Karnstein, in the name of count Humboldt and of his son Kurt,

we accuse you of having brought about, by your evil power and Satan's help,

the death of count Franz, their kinsman and lord of this domain.

No, it wasn't me!

We aren't here to judge you but to rely on a supreme justice.

- No, I'm innocent! - Enough!

If you are really innocent,

God will protect you from fire and restore you to us untouched.

But if you're guilty, you'll burn to death.

Human judgment is fallible

but God's judgment never is.

Elisabeth Karnstein, if your mother is saved,

innocence shall prevail.

If she's guilty,

the weight of her sins will never reflect upon you.

Adele, if you're guilty, look for the last time upon your daughter.

- Mother! - Lisabeth...

Take her away from here!

Start the ritual!

Let the judgment of God begin

for the greater glory of God.

She has climbed onto the stake by herself.

That proves she's guilty.

I'm innocent.

Oh Lord, you know I'm not guilty of this crime.

Forgive all my sins.

Humboldt!

You will pay for this with your life!

Let me go!

I curse you and your descendants!

Your bodies will be tortured like mine has been tortured today.

I will haunt you to your grave! My curse shall be upon you!

You murderer! I'll accuse you of adultery and send you to death!

A pestilence shall befall you.

Mothers shall see their children die,

and husbands their wives.

Humboldt! I will haunt you wherever you are, you cursed!

You will not escape my vengeance!

My curse will be on you and your son!

And you, Kurt! You will suffer this death of mine

on the last day of this century!

Helen, remember that your mother died innocent.

You must avenge me

because they destroyed my body and soul.

My soul will never rest

until Humboldt and Kurt have paid with their lives.

Remember... at the end of this century...

No! You murderer!

Now our secret is safe.

Lisabeth.

Come with me.

Listen, Lisabeth...

This is very important.

I know that you should think about just playing at your age

but you have seen your mother burned to death.

And your eyes are still filled with horror.

Lisabeth...

I think that...

if you one day...

Lisabeth...

I secretly collected your mother's ashes.

Now she rests in peace over there

along with the body of a woman found drowned under the waterfall.

This is our secret, you are not to tell it to anyone else.

So now you know where you can pray for your mother

in your moments of greatest despair.

Lisabeth... are you listening to me?

Do you understand?

Leave me alone!

Don't touch me!

Have you noticed her face?

As each day passes, she grows more and more like that witch.

What's odd about that? She's her daughter.

Just as she predicted, pestilence is spreading in our domain

by the end of this century.

- And she will come to take me away. - What are you so afraid of...

if your soul is cleared from sin?

Your mind is tormented, Humboldt.

Yes, yes...

It's just that her face constantly reminds me of that witch...

What matters isn't the resemblance of the face but that of the spirit.

Up till now Lisabeth has not forgone her obligations to you.

This is what is destroying you, Humboldt.

Why do you keep hanging around Lisabeth?

I commanded you're never to speak with her.

Stop, please. I'm not a baby now.

And I'm very tired of... being 'forbidden'.

While I'm alive, you will do as you're told

because it's me who give orders here!

Only the fact that you're my father

prevents my helping you join your brother.

You are like him, you'd even be able to disinherit me.

Just the same as he did.

- How did you learn of that? - I heard everything!

You begged of him that his will was in my favour but he refused.

Then he was accused by you of being Adele's lover.

My poor Franz...

I'm sure I could have convinced him eventually

had he not died at the hands of that witch.

You've been blind to everything.

I killed him. I poisoned him that very night.

It's me you should thank for everything you have

and that one day will be mine.

I thought you knew it

and accused Adele to divert suspicion from me.

You killed Franz... Go away!

Get out of here, you murderer!

Have pity on me... Forgive me...

I'm responsible for your death, Franz, and that of Adele Karnstein.

I sent her to the stake with the accusation of killing you.

I beg you, I can never hope for her pardon,

so I'm asking you for yours.

No... no!

No...

You'll be mine

whether you like it or not.

Leave me alone! You're drunk.

Don't you ever do a thing like that to me again.

Leave me alone or I'll call for help.

You know well that Von Klage is very severe.

He's the one who rules here, not you and your father.

Lisabeth, I swear by the devil that I will have you

whatever it costs.

I intend to marry Lisabeth.

You're mad, mad!

How can you ask such a thing?

Are you really in love with the girl?

I'm going to marry her.

Why do you oppose it?

For this could well be appeasing to her mother's spirit.

Yes, you're right... It might be the answer.

In the name of God...

I unite you with the sacred chains of matrimony

till death do you part.

There are many people dying like flies in the streets,

shouldn't you recite an exorcism?

May you be spared from the scourge of plague!

Both from the one that disfigures the body

and from the one that ravages the souls.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

You're my wife, Lisabeth.

You haven't possessed me yet. What if I should refuse?

You can't refuse, I'm your master.

I hate you.

I always get what I want.

Now you're mine.

You're repulsive.

I felt your body trembling,

you had a thrill of pleasure.

I managed to make you mine.