1825, Corsica. The French rule but many of the island's inhabitants cling to the old ways. A portentous voice over explains the nature of vendettas in this community, how if a man is murdered he must lie in unhallowed ground until his death is avenged by the killing of his murderer. Based on a French novel entitled Colomba, this piece does have an agreeably gothic atmosphere of stygian gloom and gnarled trees. In fact it is sometimes so dark it is hard to see what's going on! It clearly had a troubled production history; the named director, Mel Ferrer, much better known as an actor, added sequences and reshot the ending (still abrupt) and there was apparently an earlier release in 1946/47 that was unsatisfactory with this version making an appearance in 1950. Powerful film mogul Howard Hughes had already fired two directors and notable ones at that, Preston Sturges and Max Ophuls and another director, Stuart Heisler had been taken illl and substituted for by Paul Weatherwex before Ferrer came on to the scene, presumably to make something of the mess and bulk up the running time. The production values are fine but the acting less so, so it still feels like a B movie. The acting is never less than competent but only two actors shine. Fortunately one of them is Faith Domergue as the lead, Colomba. She is a Freudian dream or possibly nightmare as the woman obsessed with avenging her father's death and possibly also unhealthily obsessed with her brother, Orso, who she nevertheless pushes into danger. Domergue is a striking presence throughout and commands all the scenes which feature her in a committed performance. Also good is Nigel Bruce as an Englishman, Sir Thomas Nevil, droll in his talk of guns and hunting, though his role Peters out towards the middle of the film. This tale of Corsican bandits in the right but on the wrong side of the law and the villainous Barracinis, on the right side of the law purely because they are the establishment, feels like it deserves the epic treatment and its ambition seems to be headed that way before seemingly accepting its limitations as an interesting but flawed, melodramatic B movie.
Review of Vendetta
