Mill of the Stone Women (1960)

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Posted By: brian@brianschell.com February 28, 2022

Spoiler-Free Judgment Zone

It’s a really slow burn that looks really good. The sets, scenery, and costumes are very impressive. The acting is decent. It’s slow enough to border on boring for the first half, but it gets there eventually and picks up to a pretty strong finish.

Synopsis

Hans von Arnim gets off the boat and asks where Professor Wahl lives. He lives in a windmill nicknamed, “The Mill of the Stone Women.” A sad-looking woman watches him from behind a curtain. Professor Wahl is a sculptor, and we see lots of creepy-looking sculptures in his studio. Arnim gets to see an automated show with statues. 

Arnim is here to write a paper for the centenary celebration. It’s been a hundred years since Wahl’s family opened the place. Wahl shows him documents about the building and history of the windmill. He only has a  few days, and the last boat back leaves at seven. 

Lottie, one of Wahl’s students, knows von Arnim. Meanwhile, Arnim gets a look at a girl that he doesn’t get a chance to talk to because he’s interrupted by Dr. Bohlen interrupts him. At the pub, Annelore sings a song, and Raab is her number one fan. Arnim and Lottie come in and talk to Raab. Raab explains that the strange girl is Elfie. 

The next morning, Elfie introduces herself to Arnim at the mill. She says there’s always someone watching her. She can’t talk now, but she gives him a key to get in later. Dr. Bohlen says he’s the only one Effie can love. 

When Arnim arrives later that evening, she’s in bed, sleeping. She was having an erotic dream about him, and she wants it to continue now that she’s awake. They kiss and turn out the lights. 

Later, Arnim tells Lottie that he loves her, and Elfie watches; her jealousy growing. Lottie watches Wahl’s show and screams in terror at the moving statues. 

Professor Wahl later explains about his family to Arnim. Elfie is very ill with the same illness that killed her mother. That’s why Dr. Bolem is here. She doesn’t realize how serious her illness is, but it’s important that she doesn’t feel stress or strong emotion. Armin agrees to stay away from her. 

Arnim tells Elfie later that he can’t see her any more. She doesn’t take it well and has an attack. As he carries her back to her room, he notices that she’s dead. When he goes back the next morning, she’s gone. Dr. Bolehm gives him a tranquilizer to calm down. 

Wahl accuses Arnim of killing his daughter. Elfie has already been buried in the family tomb. Wait– was that real or a hallucination? He sees a vision of himself carrying Elfie’s body to bed. Arnim goes to the crypt and opens it; yeah, she’s in there. He wanders around a bit and finds Annelore tied to a chair. When he looks again, she’s gone. 

He catches up with Wahl, who says he doesn’t remember any of this. Armin swears it’s not his fault, but Wahl says his daughter is alive and fine. Then she walks down the stairs and asks what’s going on. Wahl says Arnim needs to leave right away, as his mental state is disrupting the household. 

Elfie hates Dr. Bolem, but he says she is bound to him. What would Armin say if he knew what she really was? Wahl tells Armin not to tell anyone anything, or they’ll think he’s crazy. 

Wahl and Bolehm talk about how their plan to make Arnim think he’s insane worked. A lot of it was the drugs. Wahl says Armin will never come back, but Bolehm doesn’t think it’s going to end that easily. Bolehm mentions that Elfie has been dying and coming back to life for three years. Armin could find out how they keep bringing her back to life. 

Suddenly, Elfie has another attack and dies again. They wheel in Annelore, strapped to a cart, and hook her up to a transfusion machine. They give Elfie all of Annelore’s blood. Elfie wakes up, and Annelore dies. Even the sores on Elfie’s face fade. Bolehm refuses to help dispose of the body, saying he doesn’t want to help make any more “stone women.” Wahl poses Annelore’s stiffening body like a statue and covers her face with a rubber mask. Bolehm says he’s found the ultimate blood match for Elfie; Lottie. Lottie’s blood will cure Elfie forever. 

Raab and Lottie take care of Arnim. He proposes to Lottie. The next day. Lottie has gone missing. Armin spots a photo of Annelore in Lottie’s apartment, and he remembers seeing her at the stone mill. He once again believes what he saw was real. 

Bolehm and Wahl get things ready for Elfie’s final operation tonight. They carry out the new “Statue” into the museum. 

As they look for proof, Armin and Raab go back to the crypt. Elfie’s crypt is empty. They do find a discarded wax statue that looks like Elfie. They head back to the museum and find Annelore’s statue and realize what it is. 

Wahl and Bolehm argue about Elfie marrying Bolehm after the operation. Wahl stabs Bolehm. Wahl knows how the machines work, and he starts the blood transfer process. Unfortunately, Bolehm had the special serum in his pocket, and it broke when Wahl stabbed him. Wahl sets the lab on fire and carries Elfie out. Arnim and Raab break in and release Lottie as the fire spreads. 

Wahl carries Elfie up into the tower and the building burns up around them. We watch the “skin” burn off the statues, revealing skulls beneath. 

Commentary


It’s like the Italian version of “House of Wax” only with a little mad science thrown in.  

It’s got some seriously nice looking sets. The visuals have a sort of “Hammer Horror” vibe to them, but this was entirely made in Italy. It’s very slow paced, edging into boring territory. It’s not clear until about halfway through what’s really going on, but it gets there eventually. 

I have seen this mentioned in more than one list of top horror films of all time. It’s fine, but there’s really nothing that impressive about it.