Love Me Strangely (French: Un beau monstre, Italian: Il bel mostro, also known as A Strange Love Affair, Two Girls in My Bed and A Handsome Monster) is a 1971 psychological thriller film co-written and directed by Sergio Gobbi, based on the 1968 novel Un beau monstre by Dominique Fabre. It stars Virna Lisi, Helmut Berger, Charles Aznavour, Alain Noury, Marc Cassot and Françoise Brion.
Plot
In Paris, Alain Revent is a wealthy, refined and sadistic man who takes pleasure in abusing women after luring them into a relationship. One day, his distressed first wife, Sylvie, desperately searches for a bottle of medicine that Alain himself has made her addicted to, but is unable to find it. Shortly after he leaves the apartment for a moment, Sylvie commits suicide by throwing herself from the balcony. The suicide is witnessed by the beautiful Nathalie, who lives in the building across the street. As Alain rushes back to the apartment, he and Nathalie stare at each other in shock.
Alain and Nathalie cross paths again at the police station, where she accidentally leaves her scarf behind. That night, Alain calls Nathalie and arranges to meet her the next day in order to return her scarf. At a bar, Alain and Nathalie quickly develop a mutual attraction and continue to see each other over the next few days. Nathalie eventually marries Alain, unaware that it was he who drove Sylvie to suicide. Soon, Alain alternates between flattering and tormenting Nathalie. During their honeymoon in Venice, Alain secretly solicits a prostitute.
Back in Paris, Alain has an affair with Nathalie's best friend Jacqueline. Later that night, Nathalie tries to leave Alain, but the apartment door is locked, and he taunts her by refusing to give her the keys. Nathalie has a nervous breakdown and throws herself against the bathroom mirror, slitting her wrists. Alain begins drugging Nathalie, whose mental state gradually deteriorates. Suspicious of Alain, Inspector Leroy has a chemist examine a blood sample from Nathalie, and traces of a psychoactive drug are found in her blood. A toxicologist explains to Leroy that the sudden withdrawal of such drugs could lead to suicide.
Determined to save Nathalie from Alain's clutches, Leroy visits her while Alain is out and offers his help, but she assures Leroy that she and Alain are happy together. One night, Alain throws an extravagant birthday party for his equally perverse friend Dino at the apartment. To Alain's surprise, Nathalie emerges from her room in a glamorous dress and, to make her husband jealous, invites Dino to dance with her. Afterwards, Dino privately suggests to Nathalie that they have sex, claiming it would make Alain happy as he enjoys suffering too. Disgusted, Nathalie orders Dino to leave.
Nathalie files for divorce on the grounds of an unconsummated marriage, but Alain proves the marriage was consummated by revealing that Nathalie is pregnant, which comes as a shock to her. Nathalie runs away from Alain, and after a doctor confirms that she is eight weeks pregnant, she recalls the moment Alain raped her after drugging her. At the police station, Leroy warns Nathalie that Alain is dangerous and urges her to seek police protection, but she responds that Alain needs her.
That night, Nathalie tearfully calls Alain from a hotel; he apologizes for hurting her and tells her that he is coming to pick her up. After reuniting at Alain's apartment, the two embrace and kiss passionately. Shortly afterwards, Leroy is summoned to Alain's building, which is surrounded by police, and finds the dead bodies of Nathalie and Alain next to each other on the ground, having seemingly committed suicide together.