Surprisingly well written and well filmed, Scream of the Butterfly is a lusty, busty noir film full of surprises which ultimately delivers the goods....It wouldn't be surprising to discover that the leading lady was the original model for the classic and controversial Barbie doll, with her spun-gold beehive hairdo and over-developed bust and hips. Nearly all the performances are good, with the exception of the inept husband...surely someone who is supposedly wealthy could afford to get a better haircut than an out of date flat-top he might have sported as a teen, and could dress better than the Goodwill outfits he apparently favors. It's no wonder that Marla flips as soon as she sets eyes on the beautiful gigolo David, who's almost as much a stunner as that famous statue he's apparently named after (Nic Novarro does the role proud) The pace and turns of the story keep viewers interested and the plot has more than a few clever turns in it all the way up to the final minutes. The excellent music score is appropriate for crime and noir and it does justice to a well-executed script. This film was definitely a bit ahead of its time, correctly depicting the probability of David's conviction by a jury for murder unless temporary insanity was claimed. However, the only persons truly capable of deliberate homicide were Marla (who had already attempted to drown her husband) and the jealous lover who hated her. David's crime was unpremeditated and happened in the confusion of Marla's unnecessary and violent vituperative rage and could very well have been accidental.
With the few seconds of gratuitous t&a footage cut, this film would have gained wider mainstream distribution and the audience it deserves. Definitely worth your time if you enjoy a good noir murder and lust story.