Vendetta for the Saint

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.

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.

Worth seeing because of Aimi MacDonald's beautiful body. And Rosemary Dexter was sweet. Ian Hendry was a very good actor (especially in Polanski's "Repulsion"), and Roger Moore had his unique charm.

"Vendetta for the Saint" is a theatrical release which is actually made up of two episodes of the long-running British TV series "The Saint", starring Roger Moore.

The film begins with some poor schnook recognizing an old co-worker. However, Destamio (Ian Hendry) denies being this old friend....and he has his henchman beat up the guy! Simon Templar (Moore) sees this and intervenes. Some time after this, the poor schnook is murdered...and Simon knows that it was by Destamio's men. But why? Why murder someone just because they think you are someone else? Well, Simon decides to find out why and his trail takes him all the way to Palermo, Sicily...and for a meeting of the various godfathers to pick a new leader for the mob. And, Destamio is one of them. Can he manage to uncover the truth without meeting with an 'accident'?

The integration of the two episodes was seamless...so I assume the shows were originally a two-parter. Regardless, it makes for an interesting story and the Italian locaiton is a plus. Well worth seeing...especially since it feels almost like a James Bond flick.

The movie is a revenge movie starring Roger Moore, Ian Hendry, Rosemary Dexter, Aimi MacDonald and Maria Burke.

This is a revenge movie and a typical Dependent on Roger Moore and you will not get disappointed.

Acting of the central characters are good but support cast disappoints.

The movie is not long and is good. Direction is ok, screenplay is nice, location is again ok.

Overall a typical Roger Moore movie.