Don't Torture a Duckling is a 1972 Italian giallo film directed by Lucio Fulci and written by Fulci and Gianfranco Clerici. The film is set in a small, conservative village in Southern Italy, where a series of brutal murders of young boys occur, and the villagers are quick to blame the local "witch" Maciara for the crimes.
City journalist Andrea and spoiled rich girl Patrizia are both visiting the village for different reasons, and they team up to investigate the murders. As they delve deeper into the case, they discover dark secrets and hidden desires in the village, including a pedophilic priest and a mentally ill young man who may have witnessed one of the killings.
Meanwhile, the locals become more and more panicked, with rumors spreading that the murders may be the work of a vengeful ghost. The police are unable to solve the case, and the community begins to take matters into their own hands, resulting in more violence and tragedy.
Don't Torture a Duckling is known for its graphic violence and controversial subject matter, including themes of pedophilia and anti-Catholicism. Despite its controversial content, the film has been praised for its strong performances and atmospheric direction, and is considered a cult classic of the giallo genre.