Une corde... un Colt...

Cemetery Without Crosses (1969)

*** (out of 4)

Manuel (Robert Hossein) is asked by his former lover (Michele Mercier) to seek out the men who murdered her husband. The gunslinger agrees to take the job so he gets some help and heads out to take the gang down.

CEMETERY WITHOUT CROSSES was a French/Italian co-production that has gained much popularity over the years because it's basically a love letter to the style of Sergio Leone and the film is even dedicated to the legendary filmmaker. Hossein not only stars in the picture but he also directed it as well as co-wrote it and for the most part it's a pretty good entry for the genre. Is it in the same league as Leone? Of course not but this is certainly worth watching.

The screenplay, which included Dario Argento as a co-writer, isn't all that original but what I enjoyed the most about this picture was the style. There are several long stretches where there's not a single line of dialogue spoken. There's often a lot of noise whether it's sound effects or the music score by André Hossein blaring and this allows the terrific cinematography to come to life. The camera just floats from one shot to the next with the sound effects really taking your mind off everything that is going on. This often time leads to a nice surprise with one of the best examples being a scene at the diner table.

You're watching a group of men eat and we hear the sound of them chomping and then out of nowhere there's a little surprise that really works well. I won't ruin the ending but it too was quite effective because of the set up and how the director shows the final shoot out. Both Hossein and Mercier are very good in their roles with Hossein obviously trying to copy the Man With No Name role. CEMETERY WITHOUT CROSSES is a well-made little film. I think there's more style than substance but that's really not a problem here.

From the opening sequence, as a sepia camera lens captures the pursuit of a single rider by a gang on horseback, I just knew that this film was going to demonstrate class. And, although the story itself probably has little to set it apart from many other films within the Euro Western genre, it more than makes up for it with its effective use of camera work and great character portrayal. Yes, this film has class in abundance.

So to the story itself. Having witnessed her husband Ben (a brief but welcome appearance by Benito Stefanelli) executed by the Rogers family, Maria (played by stunning french actress Michèle Mercier) seeks revenge on the killers. Unable to rely on her two oafish brothers-in-law to assist, she seeks help from Ben's best friend (and, as we find out, Maria's former lover) Manuel (Robert Hossein).

Manuel enlists himself as a member of the Rogers gang, enabling him to capture the only daughter. With this prisoner in her custody, Maria has the perfect ransom to deliver a perfect revenge on the Rogers gang. With the scene now set, the bloodshed and twists to the story soon commence.

The character of Manuel is quite unlike any other main western lead that I have seen. Whilst demonstrating an unnerving ability with a gun, there is a definite reluctance to become too embroiled with Maria's plot. His time as a gunfighter by choice has passed - perhaps symbolically shown by him being the sole resident of "Ghost Town". However, his involvement is spurned on by his feelings for her. Hossein, who both played the part of Manuel and directed the movie, plays this solemn and complex character superbly.

Hossein's direction is really eye catching too, with the camera work demonstrating more than a little nod in the direction of a certain Mr Leone (to whom there is a suitable credit in the end title sequence). This is no copycat Leone film however, and firmly stands up on its own merit. Less is definitely more, as the opening scene proves (it must be a good ten minutes before there is any real dialogue. And in reality, when the picture is this effective words are not needed).

In summary, don't be put off by the simplicity of the story, as the way that this film is crafted makes such an issue completely irrelevant. It can stand quite proudly in that top echelon of Euro Westerns, and quite possibly a perfect introduction to the genre to those that have purely seen the Leone movies.

Unusual spaguetti western made by Robert Hossein in a beautiful Almeria landscape in Spain, a sort of a homage to Sergio Leone who actually directed a single dinner scene only, Hossein playing a quiet guy who wear a black glove every time he needs use a gun, a wise trademark for a gunman and Michele Mercier as black widow for first time didn't use your sex appeal, on a serious acting, well made french-Italian production, finally something new for this genre!!!This movie just come out in box-set with four movie in spaguetti kind all them remastered with original audio!! Those movies already available in brazilian maket as single release has a bad image on dubbed version, mostly has a fake english audio!!

Resume:

First watch: 2018 /How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25

This is a violent , beautifully crafted as well as exaggerated Spaghetti and packs taciturn acting on cynical characters with bloodbaths including high body-count , sense of style and elaborate narration . It pits ¨Man with no name¨ against two families that are feuding between them , the Rogers and the Caine . As a gunslinger (Robert Hossein) saves the damsel in distress who is also his former flame (Michelle Mercier) and at the same time she is seeking revenge for death her husband . The gunman join forces with the widow pitting the nasty family who uses twisted means to chase them and it terminates in a deadly feud . The pistolero kills various bandits in a gunfight at the saloon , then he is detained and imprisoned by the sheriff . Later on , there takes place kidnapping , killings , street shootouts at a ghost town and tragic events .

This classic Western titled ¨Une Corde, Un Colt..." or "Cemetery Without Crosses" or "The Rope and the Colt" contains slow and deliberating filming , elaborate shoot-outs , and portentous close-ups of grime-encrustred faces with heinous bloodbaths included . It is a strange , slow-moving and almost utterly visual picture with some surprises and well paced . Robert Hossien stars as a leather-clad gunfighter and wearing black glove , drawn into a dramatic facing off between two revengeful families . Hossein plays a drifter similarly to Clint Eastwood's ¨Man with no name¨ from ¨A fistful of dollars¨ and ¨For a fistful of dollars more¨. Fine support cast formed by Italian/French actors , all of them customary Spaghetti such as Guido Lollobrigida or Lee Burton , Daniele Vargas , Serge Marquand , Benito Stefanelli and Ivano Staccioli . Special mention to Michele Mercier as attractive as well as vengeful widow .

This is a well-made French/Italian production , in spite of , there appears usual Spanish secondary players from Paella/Ravioli Western , mostly uncredited , such as Simón Arriaga , José Canalejas , Álvaro De Luna , Charly Bravo , Cris Huerta , Lorenzo Robledo and Angel Alvarez as a Barman likeness to his role in Django . Unforgettable and terrific original music by André Hossein , in Ennio Morricone style , including a catching leitmotif , one of the best of Spaghetti . Worn-out cinematography by Henry Persin , being necessary a nice remastering because of the colors are faded.

This stylish , violent , laconic Western was very well shot by Robert Hossein and is dedicated to Sergio Leone , who made one of the more important scenes . Hossein did revive his career almost instantly on the strength of this film through the main role and filmmaking . Director Robert Hossein claims that Dario Argento was not involved in writing the screenplay with perhaps not more than two dozen lines of dialog ; Dario Argento is listed in the credits on the Italian and German versions but not on the French version . Robert Hossein said that the dinner scene at the Rogers house was directed by Sergio Leone. Rating : Better than average Spaghetti Western .

Robert Hossein (who also co-wrote and directed) is a brooding, ghost town dwelling sharpshooter who, for either love or money, seeks vengeance against the family who apparently stole stole an ex-friend's livestock (or were they already stolen?) and hung him for trying to get them back.

One of the most cynical and grim of the Euro-westerns, this is fairly stylish, told with a minimum of dialog. It has the look and feel of a spaghetti western. However, the film owes a bit more in terms of storytelling to it's French half.

As far as the movie goes, Cemetery Without Crosses was offbeat and definitely worth watching, though I didn't find it as brilliant as others make it out to be.

Really puzzling is the writing credit issued to Dario Argento. If he didn't co-write the film, then why is his name on it? Does anyone else say otherwise?