Mario bava directs this italian gothic horror from the 1960s christopher lee plays the sadistic kurt menliff who returns to his familys castle where many of its occupants blame him for the suicide of his former lover a servant girl kurt soon begins a violent love affair with his brothers new bride nevenka daliah lavi but before long he is stabbed to death while the family deliberate who is responsible he appears as a ghost and haunts the object of his desire