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Author | Harry Harrison (based upon characters created by Leslie Charteris) |
---|---|
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Series | The Saint |
Genre | Mystery |
Publisher | The Crime Club |
Publication date | 1964 |
Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
Preceded by | The Saint in the Sun |
Followed by | The Saint on TV |
Vendetta for the Saint is a 1964 mystery novel featuring the character of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint". Vendetta for the Saint was the first full-length Saint novel published since The Saint Sees it Through , 18 years earlier. A television adaptation of the novel was released as a theatrical film, also entitled Vendetta for the Saint, in 1969.
Vendetta was the first Saint volume published after Leslie Charteris, who created the character in 1928, stopped writing the adventures himself. Charteris was credited as the author and remained as editor, approving stories and revising material when needed, but the novels were largely written by other authors. These books were mostly based on the TV series comic strip; the next wholly original Saint literary stories were not published until the novella collection Catch the Saint more than a decade later.
Vendetta was written by Harry Harrison, a noted science fiction author who also wrote the syndicated Saint comic strip. In an interview, Harrison claimed that Charteris contributed in a very minor way.. The reference work The Saint: A Complete History by Burl Barer, however, indicates that Charteris was heavily involved in editing the book.
Set on the island of Sicily, the story shows a slightly older, more mature Saint. Although still a formidable opponent for any criminal, he will not storm into action but choose his moments more carefully.
On holiday in Naples, Templar witnesses an argument in a restaurant; an English tourist greets an Italian businessman as an old friend, but the Italian claims never to have met him. When the businesman's bodyguard attacks the Englishman, the Saint intervenes. The Italians leave. Templar learns that the Englishman, Euston, is absolutely certain the Italian Businessman was his old friend Dino Cartelli.
Next morning, Templar sees an obituary for Euston in the local newspaper. Apparently the man had an unfortunate accident. Suspicious, the Saint starts an investigation. He discovers that Dino Cartelli was a faithful bank employee, brutally murdered by bank robbers years ago. His face and hands were mutilated beyond recognition. He also learns that the businessman is Alessandro Destamio.
Next day, a limousine arrives at the hotel and the Saint is courteously invited to have a meeting with Mr. Destamio. He is flown to Destamio's private island, and Destamio introduces himself as a businessman with many enemies who takes his privacy very seriously.
Back in Naples, the Saint is attacked by a street robber. The police arrive and take them to the police station for questioning, where the police accuse him of attacking the robber. Luckily a senior officer, Inspector Ponti, arrives, dismisses the Saint and even recommends him a good restaurant for lunch. The Saint understands it is a veiled invitation, and waits for Ponti at the restaurant. Ponti explains that the Saint is up against the Mafia. They will try to hunt him down and the police cannot be trusted. Ponti will be his only ally.
The Saint visits Destamio's family, including the lovely Gina. At night, he visits the mausoleum of the Destamio family, but before he can investigate the grave inscriptions he is clubbed unconscious.
Captured in a castle, at the mercy of the Mafia, the Saint is brought to the head of the Mafia, who is seriously ill. It appears Destamio aims to be his successor, but he has to defeat other candidates who wonder why Destamio has brought the Saint to their headquarters. It appears that Destamio claims to be from a worthy family, which the Saint might dispute.
Returned to his cell, the Saint manages to untie his ropes and climbs out of the dungeon. Pursued by gangsters, he descends from the castle hill and starts running through the Italian countryside. During the chase, the Saint has brief encounters with locals who help him, but their fear of the Mafia is all-apparent. A local barber manages to conceal him and tells him to leave as soon as possible. Bus passengers on the Palermo bus stay clear of him, realizing he is on the Mafia's hit list.
The Saint manages to reach Palermo and contacts Ponti. Then the tables can be turned. Ponti has mobilised a secret military strike force, ready for battle and very grateful to learn from the Saint the location of the Mafia headquarters.
The Saint joins the attack on the castle. Although the castle is surrounded, the Mafia succeeds in breaking through the perimeter with a bullet-proof car. The army commander, the Saint and Ponti start the pursuit. When they cross through Palermo, they discover they have chased the car too long and the head men must have sneaked out. When driving back, the Saint leaves the car and sends Ponti to call reinforcements.
The Saint enters the house where the Mafia top men have gathered. He is able to corner them, but before he can thoroughly question Destamio he is again surprised by one of the guards. After that the army troops arrive and although several top men are arrested, Destamio again escapes through a back garage.
The Saint realizes he can only go to one other place and sets off for the Destamio mansion. There he finally confronts Destamio. Confronted by the Saint, he admits his real name is Dino Cartelli. He offers the Saint a bribe in return for his freedom. The Saint lets him go, straight into the hands of arriving police troops.
Vendetta for the Saint was adapted as a two-part episode of The Saint , and was broadcast during the programme's final season on January 5 and 12, 1969. [1] Roger Moore played Simon Templar. After the series ended, the two episodes were edited together as a movie that was distributed theatrically in Europe and was also released to TV and, much later, home video.
The TV series adapted a number of Charteris' original Saint stories and novels during its run; Vendetta for the Saint was the last of these adaptations to be broadcast, and the only one not based upon a solo Charteris work. It is also one of only four full-length novels to be adapted for the series.
Location shooting took place in Malta, for the producers were afraid of shooting a movie with a Mafia theme on location in Naples or Sicily.
The Saint is the nickname of the fictional character Simon Templar, featured in a series of novels and short stories by Leslie Charteris published between 1928 and 1963. After that date, other authors collaborated with Charteris on books until 1983; two additional works produced without Charteris's participation were published in 1997. The character has also been portrayed in motion pictures, radio dramas, comic strips, comic books and three television series.
Giovanni Falcone was an Italian judge and prosecuting magistrate. From his office in the Palace of Justice in Palermo, Sicily, he spent most of his professional life trying to overthrow the power of the Sicilian Mafia. After a long and distinguished career, culminating in the Maxi Trial in 1986–1987, on 23 May 1992, Falcone was assassinated by the Corleonesi Mafia in the Capaci bombing, on the A29 motorway near the town of Capaci.
Leslie Charteris, was a British-Chinese author of adventure fiction, as well as a screenwriter. He was best known for his many books chronicling the adventures of his hero Simon Templar, alias "The Saint".
The Saint in New York is a mystery novel by Leslie Charteris, first published in the United Kingdom by Hodder and Stoughton in 1935. It was published in the United States by Doubleday in January 1935. A shorter version of the novel had previously been published in the September 1934 issue of The American Magazine.
The Saint is a British mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the United Kingdom on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It was based on the literary character Simon Templar created by Leslie Charteris in the 1920s and featured in many novels over the years. In the television series, Templar was played by Roger Moore. Templar helps those whom conventional agencies are powerless or unwilling to protect, often using methods that skirt the law. Chief Inspector Claud Eustace Teal is his nominal nemesis who considers Templar a common criminal, but often grudgingly tolerates his actions for the greater good.
She Was a Lady is the title of a mystery novel by Leslie Charteris featuring his creation, Simon Templar, alias The Saint. The novel was first published in serialized form in the magazine Thriller in February and March 1930, and after being rewritten by Charteris, was first published in complete form in the United Kingdom by Hodder and Stoughton in November 1931. This was the seventh book chronicling Templar's adventures, and the fourth full novel.
The Holy Terror is a collection of three mystery novellas by Leslie Charteris, first published in the United Kingdom in May 1932 by Hodder and Stoughton. This was the eighth book to feature the adventures of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint". When published in the United States for the first time, in September 1932, the title was changed to The Saint vs. Scotland Yard.
The Brighter Buccaneer is a collection of short stories by Leslie Charteris, first published in the United Kingdom by Hodder and Stoughton in June 1933. This was the eleventh book to feature the adventures of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint". It was the first volume to make use of the short story format; previously Charteris had written either short novels or full-length novels featuring the character. This format would dominate the series during the late 1940s and through the 1950s.
The Saint Goes West is a collection of three mystery novellas by Leslie Charteris, first published in the United States in 1942 by The Crime Club, and in the United Kingdom the same year by Hodder and Stoughton.
The Saint Sees it Through is the title of a mystery novel by Leslie Charteris featuring his creation, Simon Templar, alias The Saint. The book was first published in 1946 in the United States by The Crime Club. Hodder and Stoughton published the first British edition in 1947.
Saint Errant is a collection of short stories by Leslie Charteris, first published in 1948 by The Crime Club in the United States and in 1949 by Hodder and Stoughton in the United Kingdom. This was the 28th book to feature the adventures of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint", and the first Saint short story collection since 1939's The Happy Highwayman. Several of the stories were based upon the then-current Saint comic strip, while the story "Judith" was first published in 1934.
The Saint on TV is a collection of two mystery novellas by Fleming Lee, continuing the adventures of the sleuth Simon Templar a.k.a. "The Saint", created by Leslie Charteris. This book was first published in the United States in 1968 by The Crime Club, and in the United Kingdom later that year by Hodder and Stoughton. This is the first time since 1948's Call for the Saint that the novella format had been used in the series; with a few exceptions where full-length novels were published, the novella format would remain the norm until the series concluded in the early 1980s. It is the first of three Saint books to first see publication in 1968, which was also the 40th anniversary of the character's introduction.
Catch the Saint is a collection of two mystery novellas by Fleming Lee, based upon stories by Norman Worker continuing the adventures of the sleuth Simon Templar a.k.a. "The Saint", created by Leslie Charteris. Following usual practice at this point in the series, the front cover credits Charteris, although Lee and Worker receive interior title page credit; Charteris served in an editorial capacity. Some editions misspell the author's name "Flemming Lee."
Capture the Saint is the title of a 1997 mystery novel by Burl Barer, featuring the character of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint" who was created by Leslie Charteris in 1928.
Meet the Tiger is an action-adventure novel written by Leslie Charteris. In England it was first published by Ward Lock in September 1928; in the United States it was first published by Doubleday's The Crime Club imprint in March 1929 with the variant title Meet – the Tiger!. It was the first novel in a long-running series of books featuring the adventures of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint". It was later reissued under a number of different titles, including the unofficial Crooked Gold by Amalgamated Press in 1929 which failed to credit the authorship of Charteris, and the best-known reissue title, The Saint Meets the Tiger. In 1940 the Sun Dial Press changed the title to Meet – the Tiger! The Saint in Danger.
The Saint's Double Trouble is a 1940 action-adventure film produced by RKO Pictures. The film stars George Sanders as Simon Templar, a.k.a. "The Saint", a master criminal turned crime-fighter, and features horror film legend Bela Lugosi as "The Partner". This was the fourth of eight films in RKO's film series about the character created by Leslie Charteris, and the first film to not be directly based upon one of the original Saint books, although Charteris did contribute to developing the story for the film.
Patricia Holm is the name of a fictional character who appeared in the novels and short stories of Leslie Charteris between 1928 and 1948. She was the on-again, off-again girlfriend and partner of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint", and shared a number of his adventures. In addition, by the mid-1930s, Holm and Templar shared the same flat in London, although they were unmarried. Although such co-habitation between unmarried partners is commonplace today, it was rare, shocking in the 1930s. The two also appeared to have a somewhat "open" relationship, with Holm accepting Templar's occasional dalliances with other women.
Claud Eustace Teal is a fictional character who made many appearances in a series of novels, novellas and short stories by Leslie Charteris featuring The Saint, starting in 1929. A common spelling variation of his first name in reference works and websites is Claude, however in his works Charteris uses the spelling without the 'e'.
The Saint is a 2017 American action film directed by Ernie Barbarash and starring Adam Rayner in the title role of Simon Templar, created by Leslie Charteris. This was Sir Roger Moore's final film appearance and the film was dedicated to his memory as he died two months before the release; Moore portrayed Templar in a 1960s TV series of the same title. Filmed in 2013 as a television pilot for a proposed TV series, the film was not originally intended for release when the series was not picked up. It eventually saw release direct-to-video in 2017 when it was released in tribute to Moore following his death. Ian Ogilvy, who portrayed Templar in a 1970s TV series titled Return of the Saint, also appears.
...it was made as a two-part story in the ATV/ITC series starring Roger Moore (and, edited, released in cinemas outside Britain), but Harrison was not credited or remunerated for this; it had been "for a lump sum, no royalties".