The Saint - Vendetta for the Saint [VHS] [1969]

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.