Genoveffa di Brabante

While I have always been a fan of the epic/historical film, I was mainly drawn to this one because it was produced by The Godfather Of "Euro-Cult" himself – Riccardo Freda: I do not know if he was originally assigned to it and then relinquished his duties (as he had done previously on a number of fantasy titles to the ultimate benefit of one Mario Bava!). Incidentally, I am not familiar with the name of Spanish director Monter (this was a typical co-production of the era), so I cannot say for sure whether the faults here – which I will get to later – should be placed exclusively at his door!

Anyway, the narrative is a compelling one and deals with the famous tragedy – set at the time of the crusades – involving a woman called Genevieve (originally Genoveffa and hailing from the Italian Brabante family), which had already been brought to the screen in 1947. Come to think of it, the plot resembles that of another much-filmed tale i.e. Beatrice Cenci, which Freda had actually impressively tackled himself 6 years previously…and this may well be another reason why he opted not to direct the film under review (or else he was consciously employed in order to supervise its making at the same time)!

We start off with middle-aged hero Alberto Lupo (unconventionally the leader of a plundering band) being wounded while unaccountably defending his arch-enemies (with Andrea Bosic, once again, at their head). While the former is convalescing in their castle, the female lead turns up in his room – amusingly clutching a dagger and seemingly ready to strike, only to cut a piece of gauze with it…but then departs, following a brief conversation with the man, not having applied the medication after all and leaving him with a bloodied forehead! Before long, however, the two fall in love and marry and the girl goes to live with Lupo at his far-off estate. She has barely had time to settle in that he is called to participate in the Holy Crusades…so that he charges young lieutenant Stephen Forsyth with the castle's upkeep in his absence.

However, the latter proves a veritable tyrant who victimizes one and all – but especially Genevieve for having mellowed his master (except that, if he is the one to replace Lupo at home during his marauding exploits, why does Forsyth bemoan their cessation so much)! Hilariously, the young man is at one point anachronistically described by an elderly servant lady as a "son-of-a-bitch"! Concocting an adulterous frame-up for the heroine (who, in the meantime, has borne a son and whose letters to and from her husband are blocked by Forsyth and his entourage), he then opts to mete out the justice his master would have demanded under the circumstances; that said, the man he appoints to carry out the sentence decides to merely leave them in a wasteland at the mercy of the elements.

Cut to four years later and the couple are still living precariously inside a cave! Lupo, by now a prisoner of the Muslims, begins to suspect that something is wrong (and not a minute too soon!) and escapes – leading to the inevitable face-off with Forsyth (whose histrionics constitute the film's highlights and actually anticipate his starring turn, and signature role, in Mario Bava's black comedy/giallo HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON [1970])…though his come-uppance proves far too mild vis-a'-vis the transgression he had perpetrated upon the heroine! For the record, the copy I acquired of this film was culled from the UK TV channel "Movies 4 Men" which has shown a number of similar efforts over the last year or so though, unfortunately, the reception has not always been optimal (in fact, even here the image froze a couple of times!).

This historic movie regarding the notorious tragedy set at the Medieval time involving a Knight count and a distressed woman hailing from the Italian Brabante family . While hunting and battling in the forest, Count Sigfried (Alberto Lupo) is wounded in a skirmish with assailants , and is subsequently taken to a nearby castle of his arch-enemy Duke of Brabant (Andrea Bosic) where he is tended by his daughter called Genevieve or Genoveffa , the beautiful daughter of the Duke of Brabant . But Siegfried, count of Treves, who has just married Genevieve (Maria Jose Alfonso) has to carrry out an important mission : to battle the Muslim in Holy Land . He then decides to leave his dear wife , that's why he must go to the Crusades and she stays under the protection of his majordomo Golo (Stephen Forsyth) , as the count employs his right-hand man to allegedly look after his wife . But the latter , unaware that his supposed friend has plans of his own for the new countess , and having coveted Genevieve in secret , takes advantage of the count being away to make advances to the kind countess . Rejected by the chaste lady , Golo falls into a fit of rage and swears vengeance . He soon manages to have Genevieve falsely accused of infidelity and the poor woman , although innocent, is condemned to death .....

Dramatic film with brief historical remaks containing thrills , emotion , a tragic love story , spectacular battles and a lot of sword-play . The story is a typical example of the widespread tale of the chaste wife falsely accused and repudiated, generally on the word of a rejected suitor . Genoneva or Genovefa of Brabant was said to be the wife of the palatine Siegfried of Treves, and sentenced to death , she was spared by the executioner and lived for six years with her son in a cave , at a hiding-place in the Ardennes nourished by a roe and ultimately , he comes across Genevieve and a little boy while reinstating her in her former honour . Her story is said to rest on the history of Marie of Brabant, wife of Louis II, Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine. Marie of Brabant was suspected of infidelity and subsequently tried by her husband , found guilty and beheaded on 18 January 1256. When the verdict was shown to be mistaken , Louis had to do penance for the beheading. The change in name from Marie to Genevieve may be traced back to a cult of St Genevieve, patroness of Paris . The Genevieve tale first obtained wide popularity in L'Innocence reconnue, ou vie de Sainte Genevieve de Brabant (pr. 1638) by the Jesuit René de Cerisiers (1603-1662), and was a frequent subject for dramatic representation in Germany.

The Italian/Spanish cast are pretty good , such as Alberto Lupo as Count Sigfrido di Treviri , a good man who's away fighting in the crusades and finally found out Golo's treachery , the latter played by Stephen Forsyh giving a cruelly nasty acting . While Maria Jose Alfonso plays the unfortunate wife condemned to death , though luckily, she is spared by the executioner and hides in a cave with her baby , nourished by a roe. The Latin support cast formed by familar faces as Andra Bosic , Beni Deus , Rosita Yarza , Umberto Raho and the little boy Loris Loddi to be continued a long cinematic career.

Genoneva de Brabante was produced by Sergio Newman who financed all kind of genres as Western : "Sheriff Won't Shoot¨ , ¨Oro Maldito¨ , Drama : ¨"Romeo e Giulietta" , Wartime : "Hell Commandos" , ¨When Heroes Die" and Adventure : ¨Il magnifico Aventuriero" , "Mission in Morocco¨ and two ¨Zorro¨ movies : ¨Zorro¨ with Guy Stockwell and its sequel titled ¨Oath of the Zorro¨ also by Ricardo Blasco with Tony Russel , Maria Jose Alfonso . The motion picture was professionally directed by J.L. Monter , thugh it has some flaws , failures and gaps. This Spanish filmmaker Jose Luis Monter made the following films : Los gatos negros 1964 , Genoveva de Brabante 1964 , Tela de araña 1963, Un americano en Toledo 1960 and a Documentary short : El rocío1962. Rating 6/10 . There are other versions about this story such as : ¨Genoveffa di Brabante¨ 1952 by Arthur Maria Rabenalt with Rossano Brazzi , Anne Vernon , Gianni Santuccio , Enzo Fiermonte and ¨Genoveffa di Brabante¨ 1942 by Primo Zeglio with Gar Moore , Oretta Fiume, Harriet White .

Wounded in a skirmish with bandits, Count Sigfrido di Treviri (Lupo) is taken to a nearby castle of the Duke of Brabant where he is tended by his daughter Genoveffa (Alfonso)and the two gradually fall in love. Shortly after their marriage and return to Treveri, the Count fulfills his vow to go on crusade, where he and his men are eventually captured. Meanwhile,in the Count's absence the half mad counsellor Golo (Forsyth with a psychotic edge) tries to force his attentions on the countess who rebuffs him and soon finds herself powerless as her loyal servants are murdered and tortured while Golo consolidates his power. More than four years pass, with the count's letters being intercepted and the countess' reputation ruined as she is accused of adultery and condemned to death. Altogether a rousing tale of persecution and vengeance which will keep viewers interested.