MovieChat Forums > Et mourir de plaisir (1960) Discussion > Was Carmilla in love with Georgia?

Was Carmilla in love with Georgia?

posted 14 years ago by matheusmarchetti
1 reply | jump to latest

Upon my first viewing, it seemed that Carmilla was only seducing Georgia in order to kill her and have Leopoldo for herself. However, it seems as if Carmilla is torn between the two as the film progresses, and this becomes even more evident in the extended French cut than the American one (In the French cut, for instance, it is unclear wheter Georgia became possessed by Millarca, or if she simply became a vampire because Carmilla bit her). So, what are you guys opinion the matter?

The theater is like a faithful wife. The film is the great adventure, the costly, exacting mistress

[–] bstephens21 11 years ago

I agree. Part of me feels the whole the film uses the misdirection of Carmilla loving Leopoldo to hide the fact that she really lusts after Georgia.

This comes to a head during the film's final ambiguity between whether it was all a psychotic episode or true vampirism. The Doctor's scientific explanation hinges as much on Carmilla being in love with Leopoldo as it does on vampirism being nothing more than superstition. The latter is called into question by the final shot of Georgia holding the wilting flower. But, as Guiseppe mentions earlier: a victim comes back as a vampire only if the vampire loves them. So you're left with two options:

1) Georgia is possessed by Millarca, which is to say, Carmilla consummates her desire for Leopoldo by taking his beloved's place.

OR

2) Carmilla instead desired Georgia the whole time, with everyone around her misinterpreting her moodiness, hence why Georgia survives as a vampire and not Lisa.