L'Homme, l'Orgueil et la Vengeance

An auto 9 for noir. A bit slow though and Klaus Kinski was in it.

Luigi Bazzoni's "L'Uomo L'Orgoglio, La Vendetta" aka. "Man, Pride & Vengeance" is a quite original little film, as it narrates the story of the famous opera/novel "Carmen" in the style of a Spaghetti Western. Contrary to the common belief, however, this movie is actually not (originally) a Western. The film, which originally takes place in 19th century Spain, was made a Spaghetti Western in the German language version (and in the English version I suppose) by simply changing the plot. Spain becomes Mexico in these versions of the movie, and that's why this film that is often incorrectly referred to as a Western. The plot makes a lot more sense when the movie is regarded in is original context (I've never heard of Mexican Gypsies at least). Although this is actually no Western, however, it has all the elements of a typical Spaghetti Western, and can therefore be classified as a film of that genre, even though it actually takes place in Europe. Western or not, this is certainly a pretty original and entertaining (allthough in no way outstanding) film, with a brilliant cast. This movie unites two of the most outstanding Spaghetti Western actors, Franco Nero, since "Django" one of the greatest leading men of the Italian Western, and Klaus Kinski, one of my personal favorite actors of all-time, and furthermore features the great and stunningly beautiful Tina Aumont (who sadly passed away last year) in the female lead.

The plot, which is taken from the "Carmen" plot, begins when soldier Don José (Franco Nero) first meets the stunningly beautiful Gypsy woman Carmen (Tina Aumont), a femme fatale, who makes him range between his passion and his sense of duty...

As mentioned above, the performances are brilliant. Franco Nero once again delivers an excellent performance in the lead, Tina Aumont fits perfectly in her femme fatale role and Klaus Kinski is great as always in his typical role of the villainous psycho. The supporting cast furthermore includes Guido Lollobrigida, Franco Ressel and Alberto Dell'Acqua.

In German speaking countries this movie was, by the way, marketed as a "Django"-sequel, which is even more inappropriate with this movie than with other Franco Nero Westerns that were inappropriately given Django-titles (such as "Massacre Time" and "Texas Addio").

The movie is original and entertaining, but it also has its flaws, and gets quite boring in some parts. The best parts of the movie are those featuring Kinski (whose villain-role is unfortunately not too big). Anyhow, an enjoyable film that I recommend to my fellow Spaghetti Western enthusiasts as a quite different genre-entry that is, strictly speaking, not really a Western. 6/10

Although "Man, Price & Vengeance" has more on one occasion been labelled a spaghetti western on this side of the Atlantic - as well as in a few other countries - it really isn't. What it happens to be is a twist on the Prosper Mérimée novella of the same name, which was later turned into the well-known opera by Georges Bizet. The twist is that a number of familiar spaghetti western elements are thrown in, from the Spanish desert landscape (though this particular story IS set in Spain instead of the American southwest) to the cinematography. If it sounds offbeat, that's because it is, and this offbeat telling does make the movie interesting at times. However, there are some significant flaws to the entire enterprise. The movie feels really rushed at times, which may have been inevitable given the movie crunches the story down to about 90 or so minutes. And because of this rushed pace, some things are not given enough detail, like just why Franco Nero's character quickly gets infatuated with the character of Carmen. There is definitely some interest with this movie, but I think its prime audience will consist of spaghetti western fans wanting to see something significantly different, as well as for fans of the opera/novella wanting to see a radically different than usual take on the story.

The reviews here can be modified by the Blu-ray version of 26 May 2015 by Blue Underground in the USA with the title "Man, Pride and Vengeance" that matches the original "L'uomo, l'orgoglio, la vendetta." The movie is clearly and credited as based on Prosper Mérimée's "Carmen." The second half of the movie is realized in the style of Italian Westerns, but to attach it to a Django would be to raise the actor, Franco Nero, above the plot.

The box for the DVD does almost claim too much in saying that the film was "lensed" by Vittorio Storaro. He was the camera operator, and Camillo Bazzoni, brother of the director, was the cinematographer. There are lively travelling shots of running and horseback, lucid fight scenes, and desolate landscapes.

A problem it seems to me is dewy teen-aged Tina Aumont as Carmen. The character is a woman who could have a Klaus Kinski type as a husband. Who could have played her? Sophia Loren? But her agent wouldn't have let her. Aumont's mother, Maria Montez? Vanessa Redgrave.

This is a peculiar adaptation upon the known classic novel written by Próspero Merimee . Here a gypsy , Tina Aumont , seduces a straight-lace brigade called José , Franco Nero . This one falls big time for the beautiful gypsy who is working at a cigarette factory . The soldier then runs off after he kills an officer , Franco Ressel , and quits the army . José abandons everything to follow her band formed by various nasty brigands as Klaus Kinski , Lee Burton , José Luis Martín and Alaberto Dell'Aqua . José becomes interested in robbing , but Carmen tired of the pretty boy wanders upon a prize bullfighter .

This is an exciting story about a crazy love , in which a soldier , Don Jose , falls in love with a beautiful factory worker , but she does not reciprocate his feelings , she is a gorgeous gypsy who becomes the object of obsession for a local brigade and things wind up badly of his jealousy . Here cast does a fine job , giving acceptable interpretations . Nero and Tina Aumont are great to look at and the film's main selling point . Passable support cast plenty of secondaries from Spaghetti/Paella Western , as Klaus Kinski , José Luis Martin , Franco Ressel , Guido Lollobrigida or Lee Burton who is Gina Lollobrigida's brother , and Alberto Dell'Acqua who played along with Franco Nero in the classic ¨Adios Texas¨ . It packs colorful cinematography shot on location in Guadix , Granada and desert of Tabernas , Almeria , where was filmed a lot of exteriors and marvelously shown . Thrilling and atmospheric musical score by Carlo Rustichelli . This Carmen film version was well directed by Luigi Bazzoni who gives a surprisingly effective realization . Luigi directed a few films , 3 giallos as ¨The Firth cord¨ , ¨Footprints on the moon¨ and ¨Donna Del Lago¨ , and 2 Spaghetti Westerns : ¨Blue Gang¨ and this one.

The story has been adapted several times , such as : First silent retelling (1915) by Cecil B De Mille with Geraldine Farrar , Wallace Reid , Pedro De Cordoba . Hollywood rendition 1948 ¨The loves of Carmen¨ by Charles Vidor with Rita Hayworth , Glenn Ford , Ron Randell , Victor Jory , Luther Adler . ¨Carmen De Ronda¨ by Tulio Demicheli with Sara Montiel , Mauricio Ronet , German Cobos . ¨Carmen Jones¨ by Otto Preminger with Harry Belafonte , Dorothy Dandridge . ¨Carmen Baby¨ (66) by Radley Metzger . Musical rendition ¨Carmen¨ (83) by Carlos Saura with Laura Del Sol , Antonio Gades . ¨Carmen of Bizet¨ by Francesco Rosi with Julia Migenes Johnson , Plácido Domingo , a film version of the famous Bizet opera and to use spoken dialogue between all the musical numbers rather than being sung all the way through . ¨Carmen: A Hip Hopera¨ by Robert Towsend with Beyoncé Knowles , Mekhi Phifer . And ¨Carmen¨ by Vicente Aránda with Paz Vega and Leonardo Esbaraglia