Vendetta for the Saint

Originally a two parter on British television this was made into a movie for foreign movie goers. Simon Templar is going for a meal in an Italian restaurant in Italy when he gets involved in an altercation between Ian Hendry and Fulton McKay, McKay is murdered soon after. This gets Templars interest and he's soon on Destamio's (Hendry) tale. It appears that he is indeed Dino Cartelli who was involved in a bank robbery. Templar now gets involve in the murky world of the Mafiosi. This is an interesting and well acted tv thriller much in the Bond style which Moore would become famous for 4 years later. Excellent location work make this an enjoyable watch.

One of the true beauties of 60/70's Euro Cinema. Rosemary Dexter is in this, making it most worthwhile. I've read everything about her I can find. Very intriguing life.

Ian Hendry, who plays Destamio here, was the original on the Avengers back in '61 (John Steed was his assistant), with the classic English accent. Yet here (as an Italian-American gangster), he produces the most tone-perfect Frank Sinatra imitation I've ever heard from a British actor.

When television shows becomes theatrical features, it's usually a cheat like in the case of THE SAINT two-part episode VENDETTA FOR THE SAINT, which, pieced together, becomes a 90-minute movie...

Although herein, there IS a kind of theatrical touch, for two reasons: villain Ian Hendry, as a mobster who was once someone else and now goes by a fake name while working as an aging/dying mob-boss's sophisticated, falsely-related henchman, is always great on both the big (GET CARTER) and small (THE AVENGERS to THE SWEENEY) screen...

But it's director Jim O'Connelly, mostly known for bringing Ray Harryhausen's dinosaurs to life in the novelty science-fiction western VALLEY OF GWANGI... before creating terrifically fast-paced theatrical noirish crime programmers THE TRAITORS, THE HI-JACKERS and SMOKESCREEN...

Moving Roger Moore along just the same in his career-making series that's otherwise mostly expository dialogue, here more action-oriented from beginning to end, getting in and out of trouble ranging from old antique dungeons to car chases and gun-play while protecting Hendry's gorgeously vulnerable pseudo-niece Rosemary Dexter and reluctant blonde mob moll Aimi MacDonald as, just as he would as 007, Moore's always perfect when traipsing around unexpected bulwarks at every turn.

Roger Moore once commented that although The Saint was often set in exotic locations, he hardly ever left the studio. This edition is an exception. It was set in Sicily with plenty of outdoor action to prove it. Except it isn't. It was clearly filmed on the small, sunny island about 70 miles south of Sicily. Malta. Having been to Malta numerous times it was easy to spot many Maltese tourist attractions. As for the story this is a two parter put together to make one film. It sees our hero going after the next head of the Mafia, with the help, naturally, of two gorgeous women. It is entertaining enough, but for a double header the plot is a bit thin. As a child The Saint was my favourite show, and viewing them 50+ years later it is easy to mock the uncomplicated stories, poor production values and often wooden acting but I still love 'em.