Fatal Lady: An Opera Singer with a Body Count

Should you watch this?

If you like your mysteries served with a side of over-the-top opera drama and mid-century confusion, then sure. It's not a masterpiece, but it has a certain frantic energy. If you need tight, logical plotting or modern pacing, stay far away. This one will just annoy you.

There is something inherently funny about an opera singer whose career is constantly derailed by murder. Mary Stuart (played by Mary Ellis) tries so hard to hit those high notes, but she keeps getting interrupted by the police. It’s almost like the movie is punishing her for being talented. Talk about a tough break.

The transition from her debut to the South American opera scene feels like someone cut out half the script with a pair of kitchen scissors. One minute she’s crying on stage, the next she’s halfway across the world under a fake name. The logic here is pretty thin, but honestly? I didn't mind the jump. It keeps things moving, even if the wheels are rattling off the cart.

Odd bits and pieces

• The nightclub sequence where she sings as "Malevo" is a bizarre shift in tone. It feels like we accidentally wandered into a different, darker movie for ten minutes.
• The brother, David, spends the entire film looking like he’s smelling something sour. It’s a very committed look of distrust.
• The stage catwalk death? A classic. It’s so theatrical it’s almost campy.

The whole "Feodor Glinka" mentor character is a strange one. He wants her to ignore men and focus on the art, which is basically the standard trope for "jealous mentor who is definitely the bad guy." The reveal at the end wasn't exactly shocking, but the way he confesses before checking out is just peak melodrama.

I couldn't help but think about how some older films like The Bells or even the moodier parts of Laughter in Hell have more consistent tension. Fatal Lady is a bit of a mess, but it’s a charming one. It feels like a fever dream you’d have after eating too much cheese before bed.

Is it a great film? No. Does it feel like real people were trying to make a movie and occasionally forgetting how to connect the dots? Absolutely. And that’s why I liked it. It feels lived-in, even if it’s lived-in by ghosts and opera singers with really bad luck.

Don't look too closely at the plot holes. They are everywhere. Just enjoy the ride and the weirdly specific focus on who is dying next. 🎭