Don't Torture a Duckling

In a small village in southern Italy, boys are being killed, and the frightened, superstitious residents turn on the outsiders and eccentrics among them. A local woman accused of witchcraft confesses to the murders, though she is not responsible, and suspicion falls in turn on other misfits. A journalist from elsewhere, more perceptive than the police, keeps digging into the case as the killings continue.

Lucio Fulci directed and co-wrote the film with Gianfranco Clerici and Roberto Gianviti. It was his sixth feature as director, following A Lizard in a Woman's Skin in 1971 and preceding White Fang in 1973. The cast includes Florinda Bolkan, Barbara Bouchet, Tomas Milian, Irene Papas, Marc Porel and Georges Wilson. The story unfolds in the Lucania region, and its mix of provincial suspicion and violence became characteristic of the director's later work.

Released in Italy in September 1972 and running 105 minutes, the film drew modest audiences at the time but has since found a wider viewership. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7 out of 10 from around 13,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7.3 out of 10 from roughly 428 votes. A critics' score of 7.3 out of 10 from eight reviews places it close to the audience ratings, suggesting a broadly consistent response across both groups.