The 10th Victim (1965)

Introduction
"The 10th Victim" is an Italian-French sci-fi movie directed by Elio Petri with a screenplay by Tonino Guerra, Giorgio Salvoni and Ennio Flaiano, based on the 1953 short story "The Seventh Victim" by Robert Sheckley. Launched in 1965, the black comedy features popular stars Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress starring as the protagonist.

Plot
The plot takes place in a dystopian future where the strategy for eliminating war is the "Big Hunt", an international competition where players alternate between the functions of a Hunter and a Victim. When a gamer has eliminated 10 victims, they win a grand reward and get to retire from the video game. Caroline Meredith (played by Ursula Andress) has all of it set for her 10th kill. The victim, an Italian named Marcello Polletti (played by Marcello Mastroianni), is fooled into ending up being Caroline's prey.

The Hunter and the Victim
Caroline impersonates a journalist from America, preparing to kill Marcello at the Roman Amphitheatre for her sponsors, Ming Tea Company, to transmit it. Marcello, going with his charm and gentlemanly methods, leaves close killing attempts by Caroline. On another event, Marcello presents Caroline to his friends and mother, leaving her puzzled.

Escaping the Kill
Marcello determines Caroline's real objective when among his friends calls him, alerting him of the upcoming risk. In a thrilling turn of events, Marcello feigns his death in a staged hunt performed by Caroline. Caroline, believing she's been successful in eliminating Marcello, rejoices over her obvious victory.

The Unexpected Ending
Nevertheless, Marcello throws a surprise. After pretending to be the victim, Marcello reveals that he's still alive and turns the tables by shooting Caroline with the gimmicked weapon but it backfires. Caroline then discovers that Marcello has actually manipulated her plan; his friends have actually guaranteed that Caroline's gun breakdowns, triggering her to be merely numb for a while. The hunters and victims alike witness this turn of events and crown Marcello as the winner. However, in the last scene, Marcello reveals he 'd emptied his rifle, showing he wouldn't kill Caroline, after which they romantically welcome.

Styles and Reception
The movie provides a satirical take on the human fascination with violence, competition and commercial exploitation. A major style is the objectification of death as entertainment and the commodification of violence. "The 10th Victim" explores the principle of a society so numbed by day-to-day violence that it has been transformed into a type of leisure activity.

Upon release, the film garnered mixed evaluations. Regardless of its satire and social commentary, which lots of value, some critics found the motion picture too odd or tough to follow due to its surrealistic design and black funny approach. Nevertheless, the film has actually made a cult following since its release and continues to be reviewed and studied for its distinct take on death and violence.

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