Man, Pride & Vengeance

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.

Scores of films have been inspired by Georges Bizet's opera Carmen, but here is one with a difference. The director Luigi Bazzoni (working with Italy's most illustrious script-writer, Suso Cecchi d'Amico) chose to ditch the opera, go back to Prosper Merimee's original novella - and shoot it in the style of a Spaghetti Western!

Bazzoni's camerawork is more frenetic than inventive, and his film never quite works. Still, it does boast a wondrous cast. Franco Nero, blue eyes blazing in his dark-bronzed face, is the naive young soldier Jose. Klaus Kinski, teeth gnashing and lips curling in his usual manner, is the sadistic bandit Garcia. And lovely Tina Aumont enjoys a rare leading role as Carmen - the amoral and seductive gypsy who drags both men to their doom.

Aumont may not be the world's greatest actress. (In fact, she can barely act at all!) But like her mother, Maria 'Cobra Woman' Montez, she seems to have the words FEMME FATALE emblazoned in bright scarlet letters across her forehead. Her enormous dark eyes are wells of untold depravity. Her pouting, voluptuous mouth would lure any man to his ruin. If you remember anything in this film, it will be her.

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

Why are all the beautiful gypsies women so difficult? To make your life so miserable that you want to kill them? I had a similar experience with one, but I didn't kill her, in the end I found another woman. The film is well done, Franco Nero and Tina Aumont, in particular, they are very good, very believable and natural. What didn't convince me are two scenes: when they make love fully clothed and when Klaus Kinski shot the boy, although in the previous scene he had no bullets left in his revolver, because he had shot them all (far too many than a revolver can have - usually only 6) in the man he had been following on horseback. To appreciate the ease with which Klaus Kinski always knew how to make himself unbearable, to want to kill him too.

I was excited to watch this film, a spaghetti western starring Franco Nero, of Django fame. However, this film had little to show for it. It is not a western in the usual sense, but takes place in Spain. It follows the exploits of a solider Hose, who is enthralled with a gypsy woman Carmen, and is led down an increasingly dark path, as he loses rank and privilege, and ends up joining a group of outlaws in the Spanish countryside. They begin to suspect each other of treachery however, and competition over Carmen leads them to conflict. Carmen herself is not always honest, and plays the men off of each other in order to survive.

This movie is full of issues however. The story is weak and muddled. The romance that develops between Carmen and Hose is interesting, but transparent. There were many problems with the story and action that made the movie closer to unwatchable than enjoyable. The action is shot in the dark, and difficult or impossible to view properly. Hose's character is very shallow.

However, there are some interesting points. As I said, the romance that develops between the two leads is interesting. Nero plays his part well, as do most of the actors/actresses. There were some interesting scenes and shots. Carmen's character is also complex and interesting. All in all, this is a bit of a mess. I would say this is a pretty safe "no" if you are looking for a good film. It isn't a complete waste of time however.