Nine Guests for a Crime 1977

Charlie is murdered on the seashore

Four men shoot Charlie on the beach and bury him alive in the sand. The brutal act marks the island's dark origin and the couple's tragedy lingers over the years. This event sets the stage for decades of fear on the island.

Twenty years later: Ubaldo organizes a villa excursion

Twenty years after the murder, Ubaldo, the villa's wealthy owner, arranges a tour of the island for his family and spouses. Lorenzo, Michele, Patrizia and Greta, Carla, and Walter join, along with Elisabetta, Ubaldo's sister and former lover of Charlie, plus Giulia, Ubaldo's new wife. The group travels to the villa, unaware of the danger that still lingers on the island.

Assassin kills the sailors after landing

After the group reaches the island, a mysterious assassin kills the sailors who had transported the nine to the island. The attack strands the group on the island and cuts off their means of retreat. The danger outside the villa begins to close in on them.

The killer begins murdering guests one by one

The killer strikes again, systematically taking the lives of the villa guests. Each new murder heightens the sense of paranoia as the survivors realize the killer is among them. The villa becomes a prison with death closing in from all directions.

Only Elisabetta and Lorenzo survive; the murderer remains hidden

By dawn, Elisabetta and Lorenzo are the only remaining survivors. Neither of them is the killer, and the mystery about who is responsible remains unresolved. The island's dark secret continues to haunt them as they search for answers.

Revelation: Carla is Charlie's daughter

It is revealed that the killer staged her death on arrival and is Charlie's daughter seeking revenge for her father's murder years earlier. Carla is identified as Charlie's daughter and Michele's wife, explaining her intimate ties to the victims. Elisabetta's presence is tied to a hidden alliance in the plan.

Elisabetta's complicity exposed

The assassin's plan depended on Elisabetta, Ubaldo's sister and former lover of Charlie, who helped fake Charlie's death and keep Carla's revenge scheme hidden. Her role reveals a family betrayal that stretches across decades. The truth reshapes the survivors' understanding of loyalty and vengeance.

Lorenzo admits he knew Carla's body wasn't recovered

Lorenzo admits he had known Carla's body was not recovered after the murder, a crucial clue that allowed Carla to fake her own death. This knowledge underscores his complicity or at least his ambivalent stance toward the family. The admission deepens the sense that the family has long been compromised.

Dawn confrontation begins: leading the women to the motorboat

At sunrise, Lorenzo leads the women toward the motorboat at gunpoint. The standoff becomes the final act of the killer's plan as two generations of secrets collide. The movement toward escape signals the last attempt to end the deadly fall of the family.

Carla retrieves the spark plugs and tries to flee

Carla retrieves the spark plugs from their hiding place and attempts to escape, breaking away from Lorenzo's grasp. Her move shifts the balance of power and signals the collapse of the plan. The spark plugs become a symbol of the failed escape route.

Elisabetta confronts Lorenzo; he shoots her

Elisabetta confronts Lorenzo about the pursuit and his motives, but Lorenzo shoots Elisabetta, ending her resistance. The family’s conspiracy passes from one generation to another and loses its last barrier. The escape drama continues with grim resolve on the air.

Lorenzo closes in on Carla and shoots her

Lorenzo catches Carla and shoots her, reclaiming the spark plugs she had taken. The killer's plan collapses as Carla falls. The moment marks the culmination of the family vendetta and the dismantling of their fragile alliance.

Elisabetta pours gasoline into the boat and dies

Before dying, Elisabetta dumps gasoline into the boat, turning the escape vehicle into a trap for those left on the shore. The act foreshadows a fiery close to the island's nightmare. Her sacrifice intensifies the doomed escape.

The boat catches fire; Lorenzo is immolated

When Lorenzo tries to start the propeller, the boat bursts into flames and he is immolated. The burning vessel becomes the stage for the final consequences of the vendetta. The island's nightmare ends with Lorenzo's death at sea.