Customer Reviews

Vendetta for the Saint

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Vendetta for the Saint, published in 1963 was Leslie Charteris's last full length Saint novel. The story was featured as a two-part episode of "The Saint" TV program in 1969. Starring Roger Moore as Simon Templar, the programs were repackaged as a feature, with additional music and opening credits added. Edwin Astley's opening theme is one of his best musical creations for the Saint.

Euston, an Englishman on holiday in Naples, believes that a man in a restaurant is someone he worked with years before. The other man insists that he is mistaken, claiming that his name is "Al Destamio". After the encounter, Templar has a brief chat with Euston, and is extremely troubled the following day when the Englishman turns up dead from a knife wound in the back. Thus starts the '"vendetta", as The Saint is determined to discover why an innocent man died.

The leader of the Mafia is dying and will name a successor soon. Destamio (Ian Hendry) is one of the prime candidates, and can't afford to have Templar snooping around into his past, and orders his lieutenants to eliminate him. Simon continues probing into Destamio's roots, making contact with his non-Mafia family in Sicily, quickly becoming close to his lovely young niece Gina (Rosemary Dexter). A car bomb fails to send The Saint to heaven, but his halo is dented when he is captured while investigating the Destamio family crypt.

Templar's daring escape from the Mafia's mountain stronghold is probably one of the most exciting sequences in the entire series. Dropping down a mountainside, and into the verdant countryside, he is pursued by the full force of the Mafia. Time after time, Templar escapes detection and avoids capture until he reaches safely. Realizing he needs help to take on the Mafia, Simon enlists the aid of a military task force. They raid the stronghold, and capture a collection of the top Mafiosi, including Big Al himself.

The made for TV presentation is mostly faithful to Charteris's original story. Roger Moore is at his swashbuckling best, bringing both fire and humor to his performance. In books, The Saint was a much more ruthless character than on TV, but in this particular tale Roger Moore comes close to capturing that original spirit, playing Simon Templar with a hard edge, and wielding a shotgun at close range with deadly results. Ian Hendry may be a trifle miscast as Destamio, he growls and mumbles, but isn't truly menacing. Rosemary Dexter, is quite charming, and one of the most striking young actresses to appear in the series.

Previously available on VHS, this two part adventure is now included in The Saint Set 7, a two DVD collection. The complete catalog of color episodes of this classic 60's adventure is also available on DVD.

Here's a nod to the always elegant George Sanders, but Roger Moore has to be considered the definitive Simon Templar. Watching Moore breathe life into the "Robin Hood of modern crime," marveling at the wit and charm and unruffled sophistication of his character - and, of course, that ever present twinkle in his eye - well, one can see why he was tapped to succeed Sean Connery as 007.

VENDETTA FOR THE SAINT was first a 1964 novel by Leslie Charteris, although I heard that it was actually ghost written by noted sci-fi author Harry Harrison. This film adaptation was originally a two-part episode which aired in 1969 in THE SAINT's final season, but then re-edited and released theatrically in Europe. For those not yet in the loop, Simon Templar a.k.a. the Saint scours the globe in search of adventure, seeking to redress wrongs, foil villainy, and, yeah, hook up with gorgeous women.

VENDETTA FOR THE SAINT finds Simon embroiled in a case of mistaken identity and assumed identity, the Sicilian Mafia, and (these last two is a given) attempts on his life and run-ins with the local police. As in most of his adventures, it starts with the Saint poking his nose into other people's business. In a restaurant in Naples, Italy, a banker mistakes a man for a longtime friend and fellow co-worker. But the man coldly denies the acquaintanceship, and Simon Templar steps in just in time to save the banker a beating. The next morning Simon learns that the banker has been murdered and, predictably, he can't leave it alone. So there goes the Saint, curiously butting in again. When Simon later sasses a Mafia don, and a femme fatale wonders, "Dear man, have you any idea what you're taking on?" - well, I wanted to grouse at the screen, "Woman, do you not ever watch this show?"

What would a Saint story be without our impeccably tailored man of action cooly finessing his way around a bevy of beauties? Here, he runs into a kept blonde and a mafia don's innocent niece, both of whom Simon impresses with his repertoire of ladykiller smiles, nicely delivered quips and suave gallantry. Add to those talents a pair of huevos the size of cantaloupes, and you can see why the ladies love him, the criminal underworld fears him, and police all over the world tend to treat him with prickly suspicion. VENDETTA FOR THE SAINT features an edgier Simon Templar, more so in keeping with how he's written in the novels. There's a good stretch in the film devoted to Simon simply scrambling for his life, pursued throughout the Italian countryside by Mafia henchmen. As mentioned, this film is comprised of two episodes in the TV series, and yet it does seem to present a bigger scale and more meat puppets for the Saint to pummel thru. And when Simon latches on to a shotgun, I wasn't too surprised when he actually ends up blowing away several wise guys with it. A lesson in karmic turnaround: If you're a low life crook, never ever dismissively say "Adios, Santo" to someone who sports a halo! Even if you think you've just blown him up real good.

As ever, it's neat to have that pre-opening credits scene in which Simon would invariably mention his name and then gaze skyward expectantly at that halo just appearing over his head. Classic. And, for those interested in behind the scenes stuff, this DVD also comes with interesting audio commentary from Roger Moore and producers Johnny Goodman & Bob Baker. I don't quite know if this helps any, but the funniest fun fact I learned from the commentary is that the contract signed with the Saint's creator Leslie Charteris stipulated that the Saint should "not get married, get badly injured, or contract a venereal disease." Heh.

Great DVD, good sound. This is one of the best Saint movies I have
seen. Some real smart action by Roger Moore. You will love this
one.

Recently, we read Roger Moore's book "My Word is my Bond" and thanks to this excellent biography of all the work accomplished by Roger Moore, we became familiar with movies we had never seen by our favorite... Bond, James Bond. So, we are trying to see all his films.

In Vendetta for the Saint, Roger Moore stars with Ian Hendry, Rosemary Dexter, Aimi MacDonald and George Pastell as Simon Templar, the character he played for the TV series that aired from 1963 through 1967.

Vendetta for the Saint is supposed to be taking place in Italy, but after reading the segment where Roger Moore talks about the popularity of the Saint overseas and how they decided to take advantage by filming for the International market, we discover that the movie is filmed in Malta, a small and densely populated European microstate that comprises an archipelago of seven islands. Situated off the coast of Sicily, Malta is in the Mediterranean Sea, with the right climate to appear to be Italy's Palermo.

The movie starts with an elegant Mafia kingpin, recognized by a British banker who sits at the bar where Simon Templar is having a drink, and yet, the man negates to be such person. We soon realize that something is wrong because the banker who recognized the true identity of the mafia boss is killed to prevent him from revealing his name.

The plot centers on the man claiming to be Alessandro Destamio, played by Ian Hendry, who seemed to have been part of a bank robbery where he is supposedly killed and his face left unrecognizable.

Now, he is about to become the Mafia Don and he tries to eliminate those that may prevent him from achieving this status. Simon Templar is attacked several times, but he is able to survive all attempts on his life. In search for proof of the true identity of the mafia kingpin, Simon Templar visits the house where his family lives and dates the niece as he gets closer and closer to the truth.

Roger Moore's book, My Word is my bond opens the door to a world of film history and if you keep a list of the movies mentioned and try to see them through the eyes of the actor, sometimes director, you will find yourselves immersed in a world of fun travel opportunities. If you enjoy travel to Italy, this movie will refresh the language for you, while providing a view to some magnificent Malta views. Don't miss it!

Would of like to know if it was part of the Seasons of the Saint. It's been awhile since I got this DVD. love it, LOVE Roger Moore

If you have never watched one episode of "the Saint" series, here is an excellent opportunity to sample this wonderful 1960's British production. It starred Roger Moore as the title character, who was always helping people in need that were additionally difficult for the police to help. A vigilante therefore, and the police generally considered him at best a nuisance. Not as spectacular, understandably, as the his James Bond movies which followed; more down to earth and realistic, as a general rule. But it was always quite stylishly done; and one sees that here in "Vendetta for the Saint." I actually like him here, in this character, more so than as Bond; but I would credit the movies as being more exciting. [Actually, I am looking forward to a "Best of the Saint"; perhaps a 3 DVD collection (one episode per year, say).] In the mean time, why not give this movie length version a try - the Saint as his best! (The old VHS tapes, if you have dual capacity, are very fine, by the way.)

I ordered this TV-made film on DVD because I wanted to watch it again in one lump showing, not divided up into two parts. Unfortunately, it does not fill the bill as a feature-length production and still retains its limitations as part of a series made for the small screen. This includes lame process shots and gratuitous close-up shots of Roger Moore in his "I'm so gorgeous - don't all you men wish you were as handsome" poses and glamorous hair style.

Usually, Moore was not that bad as The Saint, despite his annoying habit of looking over his head near the beginning of each show at the superimposed halo as he or someone reveals his identity. At least he didn't do what he nearly did to the James Bond franchise -- ruin the films in which he appears with his locker-room humor and inane attempts to be clever. It is unfortunate that Timothy Dalton only plays James Bond in two of the films, but fortunate that Daniel Craig has returned the character to its more serious roots -- proving it could be successful without the clever gadgets and horrible puns. Whether or not Moore is convincing as Simon Templar depends on one's perspective, I suppose. I only saw Roger Moore being Roger Moore, the way John Wayne and Gary Cooper always played themselves on the big screen -- not bad company if one keeps one's brains in the hip pocket.

VENDETTA FOR THE SAINT does have its moments -- lush background scenery in Sicily, lusher women -- particularly the young cutie played by Rosemary Dexter with the character name of Gina (what else?), and a couple of convincing action moments. Other reviewers have remarked about the scenes when Templar mows down a couple of gangsters with a shotgun, scenes that I was glad to see restored to the DVD after the TV censors had removed them for televised viewings in the States. Equally worth mentioning is Brit actor Ian Hendry as a mobster sporting a Sicilian accent. Hendry is a skilled actor, particularly noteworthy as the hero (sort of) in THEATRE OF BLOOD which stars Vincent Price. Here he is Gina's supposed uncle who has been keeping the family well-heeled in return for keeping his secret that he ain't really who he is pretending to be. This pretense and an accidental attempt to unmask his identity is what gets the plot rolling and gives Templar his reason for his vendetta. Hendry may overdo it at times as a gangster, but he is enough of a villain that we want to see him put away (since the plot does not see fit to have him gunned down, which would have been my choice).

On hand also is George Pastell from THE STRANGLERS OF BOMBAY, THE MUMMY, CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB, and a few other Hammer horror classics. Here he is not a transplanted Egyptian in the service of Egyptian gods but something quite unusual -- an honest police inspector. He plays a similar role in the Hammer potboiler MANIAC, but here he is on the side of Templar in wanting to see the influence of the mobsters eliminated from the island. To this end, he aids the assistance of the military. If it were this simple, why did no one else think of this method to end mobster rule in these movies? One of the military officers, by the way, is played by an actor that I remember as one of the Book People from near the end of Truffaut's FAHRENHEIT 451. Anyone else recognize him?

The last shot of Roger Moore is unfortunate, giving the ending a TV-like conclusion. It might have been better to show Templar walking away with Gina. Instead, we end on a close shot of Templar as he makes a come-back quip to the Hendry character. If you have seen this film (or TV-made film), you know what I mean.

If you haven't, decide how hard up you are to see Roger Moore giving his handsome lessons to those less-fortunate members of the viewing audience. If you are truly in need of a Saint-fix, you might want to see Val Kilmer's disguise-changing version of Simon Templar in the film version THE SAINT. That big screen version at least gives us a credible reason for Templar's adopting the names of actual saints by beginning with a sad incident from his childhood. Another interesting take on Simon Templar is afforded by Vincent Price in radio versions aired around 1950 and available now on Mystery Play-1 Radio on iTunes.

Templar may have been originally meant to be a thief with a few hard edges, but Moore shows him as being more like Bond than Templar. In VENDETTA FOR THE SAINT, we almost expect to hear him identify himself as "Bond, James Bond" instead of "Templar, Simon Templar."

The best movie with the saint, starring roger moore in an unforgettable role, that suits him better than the james bond.