The Singer Not the Song

Plot synopsis:
Father Michael Keogh (John Mills) arrives to Quantana - they pronounce it <<Kantana>>, when in Spanish this orthography should be read <<Kwantana>>. Anyway, Father Keogh is going to be the new priest of this town. A blonde young lady, Locha de Cortínez (Mylène Demongeot) advises him not to go to the town, because Anacleto "Malo" Comachi (Dirk Bogarde), the gang-leader who rules in town with a fist of iron will kill him. Keogh says that Malo didn't kill Father Gómez (Leslie French), but she says that Gómez doesn't matter anymore. She leaves feeling contented with herself.Keogh walks, carrying his small suitcase, to town. Children run after him and adults spit from behind drawn curtains. Father Gómez tells him that he has to be careful with his laundry, and tells the story of Malo - he is a bright young man who happens to hate the Church, because in his mind it represents all the corruption of politics. Father Gómez is stressed and anxious because he is afraid he's going to miss his coach out. Gomez says that he tried to become Malo's friend to bring him back to church, to no avail. Then, he complains that he - Father Gómez - should have died in defense of the Church, but he didn't, as Malo killed other people, innocent people just to terrorise all the townsfolk. Malo killed people in alphabetical order making everything look as accidents.At that moment Malo arrives. He's an attractive young man dressed in leather. He loves cats but is unkind. He says that the townspeople didn't welcome Keogh because nobody knew that he was coming. Gómez tells Anacleto that he should not judge the Church for Gomez's mistakes.Anacleto and his gangmen appear on horses to give Gómez a "sendoff" and escort him to the buss. People laugh at Gómez and the horsemen surround them. One of the horsemen shoots to the air for no reason, startling Gómez. Pablo (Laurence Payne) is pushed off his horse so that Gómez can ride. It is implied that Gómez catches his bus in time.Keogh visits the church - it's a disaster and there's poultry and farm animals scattered among the chairs. He makes the bells heard. Old Uncle (Laurence Naismith) used to be a good Catholic man, but now he laughs at the tolls of the bells. Three women go to the church to speak to Keogh: Señora González (Marjorie Forsyth) and two females friends of hers.Presidente (Eric Pohlmann) is the mayor of the village, the richest and most influential man. Hegives stupid excuses not to go to church; also he is worried that his 6-month-old baby, Silvanito, is his wife Silvia's son, but not his. Jefe, the Police Captain (John Bentley) tells Keogh that Malo doesn't usually even have to use violence, as it came to the point when everybody is so terrified that nobody would dare oppose him. Jefe says that he needs proof, but nobody wants to become witness against him. Pedro de Cortínez (Roger Delgado) is a man who doesn't want to know anything about reality, he hides behind his books, and Lucha's mother is a disinterested woman, egotist and bored to death in this sleepy village, who would like to have been an international socialite. Pedro admits that he pays Anacleto for protection. Pedro also admits that Lucha behaves like a wild person. Lucha's mother, Doña Marian (Jacqueline Evans) offers Keogh a cup of hot chocolate. Lucha encounters Keogh later; she had already guessed that Keogh was looking for allies against Malo, but Pedro can't be bothered. Lucha says that god doesn't worry about Quantana at all. Keogh just wishes to see Lucha at church soon.A gang member (Larry Taylor) is setting some haystacks in fire in front of a rebellious farmer (Arthur Brough), who didn't pay for Anacleto's protection. Keogh appears and asks what's happening. Anacleto says that he and Marco (Frank Sieman) are trying to put off a fire. The farmer is so frightened that won't dare to contradict Anacleto.Keogh has visited a boy who was sickly. He notices Lucha staring at a car which won't start. Keogh solves the problem and starts the car. Lucha asks Keogh to teach her to drive - he is surprised that she is driving a car without really knowing how to, and he suggests that he become a sort of nurse in his dispensary.Keogh makes the bells sound. Many people go, but some of them are scared off by Malo's men. Lucha is defiant and looks at Malo's eyes before entering the church. Keogh starts preaching in the middle of the main square of the town. He tells everybody to kneel down and pray with him to fight the fear. Anacleto and his men appear, so that people stand up and leave while Keogh is left on his own still preaching on. Old Uncle finishes the prayer with an "Amen" on his own. Keogh says that he's prepared to suffer because of his faith. After Keogh has left, Anacleto asks what day he goes over the mountains to confess - it's on Wednesdays. Anacleto says that it's a pity that he has to be killed, because he likes him.Keogh gives first aid to the villagers with Lucha's help. Lucha realises that it's at that moment when Father Keogh is most vulnerable, and tells him so. Father Keogh tells him that nobody is ever on his own, smiles and leaves anyway, leaving her worried about him. Father Keogh is driven away. Lucha writes the names of Anacleto and Keogh in two pieces of paper, puts them in a small box, shakes it and picks one without looking - it says Anacleto. It looks like she doesn't like what she's chosen herself.Keogh arrives to a cross in the road. The driver puts water to the radiator of the car. The road is not very good, and the brakes of the car do not work. The car is moving faster and faster. Father Keogh sees a small mountain pathway and steers the car in that direction.Lucha goes to fix a glove. Anacleto lets her be tended to first. Lucha asked Anacleto not to harm Father Keogh. She tries to remind him that, a long time ago, he promised he would do anything for her; but Anacleto answers that she's right - that was a long time ago.Keogh tells Jefe, but he can't prove that Malo or any of his men cut the brakes' cable. The police officer offers police protection for him, but the priest refuses, as he can't be an example to the rest of the people if he's afraid himself. That night, he tolls the bells again, so that Anacleto realises that he's still alive. Lucha goes to visit Keogh at church. Lucha was hidden in the church, frightened. There's a noise outside, but there looks that nobody is there. Somebody with a machete attacks him, but the machete cuts on his bible. Keogh thinks that god has protected him, Old Uncle thinks it was the devil. Old Uncle offers to kill him. Anacleto says that they can't afford to fail one more time. He also knows that the bishop who sent Keogh to Quantana are watching for him - even in Rome they are aware of whatever happens to him. Pablo thinks that Anacleto admires Keogh too much, but Malo dismisses it, as it's only natural that one appreciates his enemies in their own value. He intends to use Michael Keogh's kind heart against him. Anacleto writes in a piece of paper a big "D".Chela (Selma Vaz Días) is Keogh's maid. She is serving dinner speaking about pythons when somebody knocks on the door. She complains that it's not civil hours - she gives Father Keogh what she found: the piece of paper with the letter D. The narrator says that D was for Domínguez, and we see the dead body of a man in the local river, E was for Elizondo, and we hear the scream of a man thrown down from a steep cliff, F was a young boy (Nyall Florenz), whom the audience sees still alive strolling around on his own. Keogh tells Jefe that he should arrest Anacleto, but the honest police officer cannot arrest Anacleto only on the "alphabet" clue - he needs a witness, or some evidence. Keogh believes that he's between the devil and the deep blue sea. A police officer (Jan Muzurus) arrives at that moment saying that a young boy was found run over, and that his name was Victorino Fernández. The child was only seven. Keogh gets really worked out on Anacleto, but then he restrains himself. Revenge is not the way, he says.Keogh leaves in anger and faces Anacleto, and wants to speak with him face-to-face. Anacleto asks him to be quick in a nonchalant way, because he's going to celebrate with his friends. Anacleto says that it had to be an accident. Keogh tells him to repent.Keogh visits Francisco Goya (John Steed), who works as Anacleto's messenger. He gives Father Keogh the letter in which somebody whose surname begins with "G", González, who will be killed in the early hours of the following morning. Jefe is positive that the following morning they may have at last proof against Anacleto. Jefe will hide in the farm of Anacleto, and threatens González in case he wants to tell Anacleto of the trap. Anacleto arrives with some of his men. Anacleto arrives with a paper and tells González to sign. The, he asks Keogh and Jefe whether they can breath hidden away. Anacleto says that he was only doing some business with González. However, Malo was about to leave. Jefe tells Keogh that it's not normal to do "business" at two in the morning.While they are coming back to Quamala, Francisco Goya, the messenger, was killed. Apparently, he was sleepwalking and fell from the window of his bedroom. Keogh officiates the funeral.Old Uncle thinks he's dying and calls for a priest. When Keogh arrives, he realises that Old Uncle's problem is that he's completely wasted. Old Uncle wants to confess. Pablo laughs and says "Tell him about María, that's a good story". Old Uncle still remembers when he was a boy and used to help the priest to celebrate mass. Anacleto arrives and inquires what's happening. He tells Keogh that he's sorry he's being played a joke. Keogh says that Old Uncle has some things on his conscience, but that there's no use hearing his confession in Old Uncle's present estate, and he leaves. When Father Keogh leaves, Anacleto tells off Pablo and Marco, calling him a fool. Anacleto throws some water to Old Uncle's face and asks him what he confessed to the Father, but the drunken old man says he can't remember, but then he says that Father Keogh wants to absolve Malo because Old Uncle loves Anacleto. Malo is furious that Old Uncle still wears a Catholic cross around his neck, but the old man says that he only wears it for good luck. Anacleto is angry because that cross proves that the Church and Keogh still have a little power over Old Uncle. Old Uncle throws it away through the window because he has never betrayed Malo, and he considers him as a son. Old Uncle drinks some more while Anacleto doesn't say anything else. Old Uncle leaves and almost falls down the stairs. Anacleto realises that the old man is going to look for the crucifix among the rubbish of the canteen.Anacleto pulls out his gun and goes to speak to Keogh. Chela sees him and runs to tell Jefe. Anacleto is not going to kill Father Keogh himself, though. All the opposite, he tells the priest that Old Uncle is coming to kill him. Malo asks Keogh what the priest told the old man; he says that he offered absolution to Anacleto if he confesses and repents, and that he wouldn't tell the police.Old Uncle arrives and Anacleto points his gun at the drunkard. He shows the necklace he found on the street. Old Uncle pushes Anacleto out of the way and goes for Father Keogh. They fight. Malo recovers and takes Old Uncle away from the priest, and finally shoots him on the back. Old Uncle cannot believe it. He tries to aim again and Malo shoots him twice. Old Uncle falls to the floor. Anacleto is hurt and Father Michael is OK. Jefe, the police officer and Chela arrive. Jefe now has the evidence that Anacleto tried to kill the priest, and nobody believes Keogh when he says that Anacleto was trying to protect him. Keogh insists that Anacleto is innocent, but nobody would believe him. Old Uncle came to kill the priest by Malo's orders. Jefe gives Anacleto 12 hours to leave town, or he'll go for him, thinking that Father Keogh wants to fight at both sides of the war. Anacleto says goodbye to Malo. He says that it must be irritating and fascinating at the same time to be a really good man. Chela is left with the body of Old Uncle and prays for him.The Presidente is celebrating the anniversary of Father Keogh's coming to Quantana. Anaclato comes back that very same night. He looks like a small-time squire. The priest asks him if he thinks it's wise to came back to the town. Anacleto says that he's thought about it, and that if the Catholic Church satisfies a man like him, it may also satisfy himself. Anacleto wants to believe and learn if it's the Church (the song) or the Singer (the people who believe) which make the message good. Anacleto wants to learn and be convinced. Father Keogh will try to convert him. Anacleto proposes to stay at the priest's house, as he doesn't have any friends anymore. Chela is outraged about the idea, and refuses because she had been eavesdropping. Chela wants Malo to sleep outdoors, but Keogh reprimands her and prepares a bed for him.Lucha doesn't want to hear how her mother tells her to enjoy life with boys, as the mother herself used to do when she was younger. She wants her to go to Florida and stay with Philip "Phil" Brown (Philip Gilbert), his rich cousin. In the ensuing argument, the mother finds some letter which she thinks they are love letters to Anacleto; she runs to show them to Father Keogh. The mother asks the priest to convince her to go to Florida. Keogh really thinks that Anacleto may convert.Anacleto reads the Bible. Father Keogh inquires about Lucha. Malo can't believe that she's in love with him. Malo thinks that if Lucha has a passion, it's not going to be for him, although the priest doesn't really understands what Malo means. The priest leaves, Anacleto looks out of the window and he sees Lucha arriving by car.Lucha enters the dispensary. Keogh is not there, but Anacleto is. Anacleto kisses Lucha, but she seems to reject him. Lucha says that she doesn't love him. Anacleto shows her one of her own letters and tells her that her parents and Keogh reached the obvious conclusion; he says that he is a modest man and that after the kiss he knows it's not him whom Lucha loves, and that realises that it must be hard for her to love a man who can't be hers. Anacleto says he understands her, which gives hopes to Lucha that Malo won't try to hurt him again.Father Keogh arrives. Anacleto leaves. They have no patients so far. The priest encourages Lucha to go to Florida. Lucha says that her mother wants her to marry Phil, but Lucha would prefer to become a spinster. Anyway, she'll go to Florida if Father Keogh thinks it's a good idea.Pablo asks Anacleto why he stays with the priest. Lucha has got engaged in the USA and will get married in Quantana in three weeks' time with Phil. Chela wishes Lucha happiness. Before, Lucha used to dress like a child, now she dresses as an old woman. Keogh is happy to see Lucha again, as nobody had told him that she was coming. Suddenly, Lucha doesn't look as happy. She says that Phil loves her and that she loves him as much as she could possibly love a man she could marry. That makes Father Keogh suspicious. Anacleto asks Keogh if he has ever loved a woman; he says that many years ago, before he got his vocation. Anacleto hasn't married because of his vocation as well.Lucha is running after her cat Lucky, which is in Anacleto's arms. He tries to convince her of not marrying Phil. Phil really loves Lucha. Phil has liked Father Keogh as well, who speaks wonders of Lucha. Michael Keogh marries Lucha and Phil. Lucha has a face of somebody who is going to be fed to the lions in her wedding dress. Anacleto arrives to see the wedding in his new fancy car. Keogh is terribly happy to marry her off, but suddenly he realises she's not happy at all. Lucha runs away without saying anything and leaves in Anacleto's car.Her father wants to police to rescue her, but Jefe tells him that she left to her own accord, she wasn't kidnapped and everybody has seen it. He also adds that it's Father Keogh's fault, because el Jefe himself would have never allowed Malo into the town again.Keogh is hearing a confesion (Eileen Way), and then Anacleto says he wants to confess. He tells Keogh that Lucha loves the priest, not him, which outrages Keogh, as he thinks he's lying. Anacleto says that the song is worthless. Anacleto thinks that Keogh will sacrifice the community of Quantana because he is in love with Lucha. A distraught Keogh prays in desperation.Lucha is being serenade, but she doesn't really appreciate it. Malo finally takes Father Keogh to Lucha. She hugs him and feels relieved he's OK. Lucha tells him that he's an egotistic man who never thinks on her. Finally, Lucha and Michael french-kiss. She is left even more distraught as Keogh doesn't love her.The bells in the tower toll. Anacleto goes to church with his friends. The rest of the townsfolk look at them with contempt. Father asks them to accept Anacleto if his repentance is honest, but he says that he'll denounce Anacleto's fake conversion. Finally, the priest denounces Malo. Anacleto runs from Jefe and his men. Malo is finally shot, although Louis keeps on helping him giving him a gun. During the shootout, Lucha takes cover while Father Keogh tells Jefe to take Malo alive. Finally, he shoots Anacleto twice and he dies.The priest runs to Anacleto, who's died. Pablo shoots Father Keogh, but he's shot by Jefe. Lucha cries and leaves. Father asks for an act of contrition from Anacleto, but he refuses. Keogh can't hear him, so he says that if he is repeating an act of contrition, he should press his hand.Anacleto says it's the singer, not the song, and presses his hand. Both die in each other's arms.---written by KrystelClaire

Tags: murder

Review:
Slow-moving but compelling psychological Western about a determined priest who arrives at a small town that seems to be mysteriously dominated by a local bad guy, and decides to fight him in his own peaceful way; their confrontations make the movie.
I watched this film not expecting terribly much, but was blown away by the subject matter and, more importantly, how it was handled by the skillful actors in the film.The story centres around a priest, played by John Mills, and a local bandit, excellently played by Dirk Bogarde.Without spoiling the ending, the story focuses on the conflict between the Priest and Anacleto.
More importantly, it is a tale of the pursuit of religion, and the issues involved.John Mills excellently plays the well intentioned priest, caught between his own feelings and the duties to the church.
Dirk Bogarde plays the local bandit, Anacleto, and portrays a truly intelligent athiest at the mercy of his own desires and ideologies.This is a great story of characterisation, and of the sometimes misplaced loyalties that we place on ourselves - be it through religion, or otherwise.Watch out for the excellent and hard hitting conclusion, with some excellent summarising by both Anacleto and the Priest at the storys conclusion.A must see for those who enjoy a deeper meaning behind the action and dialogue..
It concerns on Father Michael Keogh (John Mills , his third of several works with Baker) , a priest who has been given welcome by Father Gomez (Leslie French), whom he then replaces to a Mexican village after the Revolution .
The village is submitted by Anacleto Comachi (Dirk Bogarde) dressed in dark and usually on horse , with its cowardly residents hiding in the houses .
Meanwhile , the rich owner's daughter (Mylene Demengeot) falls in love with Comachi.From the novel by Audrey Erskine written by Nigel Balchin , this British picture is an interesting drama that carries a genuine charge of intelligence with exciting battle of wits between an upright priest and a nasty outlaw .
Good Production Manager by Denis Holt with nice Production design by Vetchinsky made on location in Torremolinos , Malaga, Spain and at Pinewood Studios, London .The motion picture is professionally directed in Western style by Roy Baker , though contains up and downs with an amazing final .
Baker emerged in post-wars years as one of the best Brit filmmakers and ahead of his time in editing techniques , working even in Hollywood, right from his initial American film titled ¨Inferno¨ with Robert Ryan and as ¨Don't bother to knock¨ with Marilyn Monroe .
His movies also achieved some of the most important popular successes of the English cinema in the 50s and 60s, including ¨Morning departure¨ ,¨The one that got away¨ and the better film about Titanic tragedy as ¨A night to remember ¨ and at TV as ¨Sherlock Holmes , The Champions , the Saint , and the Avengers¨ .
On his return to the cinema in the 60s billed as Roy Ward baker , he no longer seemed the same filmmaker and indeed directed entirely different kind of subjects , mainly terror movies as ¨Quatermass and the pit¨, ¨Vampire lovers¨, ¨Asylum¨ ¨Legend of seven golden vampires among others¨ .
My first (and for a long time) only viewing of this film was way back in the mid-1980s (during the early days of VHS in my neck of the woods) via a tape of a local TV screening my father loaned from a friend of his; even though I was aware of a couple of Italian TV showings over the years, I never managed to catch up with it – until another friend of my father’s alerted me (around Good Friday of last year) that it had been released – and, as it happens, subsequently deleted – on R2 DVD in the UK…which is how I eventually reacquainted myself with it on the day marking the centenary of one of its lead actors, John Mills.
The reason I went into such detail about my previous experience with this particular film is because, even though it’s been 23 years since my sole viewing of (what is nowadays perhaps considered) a fairly obscure title, I myself have never forgotten it.The ‘rejected priest in a godless Mexico’ theme recalls John Ford’s THE FUGITIVE (1947) and Luis Bunuel’s NAZARIN (1959), while the ‘homosexual undertones in a Western setting’ angle is reminiscent of the Howard Hughes/Howard Hawks concoction THE OUTLAW (1943) – with henchman Laurence Naismith’s ambiguous father-son-lover relationship with bandit leader Dirk Bogarde being particularly a throwback to the Thomas Mitchell/Jack Beutel one in the earlier film.
This was the fourth of six collaborations between Mills and director Baker and which also included the latter’s debut, THE October MAN (1947) – a well-regarded thriller I’d love to watch and which, incidentally, has just been released on R2 DVD as part of a “John Mills Centenary Collection”.
Bogarde, who himself considered the whole thing “beyond camp”, is almost always completely black-clad and, at one point, even sports cool shades!; here, he was already beginning to bravely delve on screen into his real-life gay side – which would come to full fruition later that same year in Basil Dearden’s VICTIM and other later acclaimed international films.Nigel Balchin’s complex screenplay is at once fascinating and heavy-going, occasioning a few lulls particularly during the last third of the film’s lengthy 132-minute duration; besides, the ‘alphabet murders’ element to Bogarde’s tyrannical rule – not to mention pretty, pouting Mylene Demongeot’s forbidden love for middle-aged priest Mills – isn’t very convincing.
Having said that, DD Video’s full-frame presentation would have usually put me off acquiring a title on DVD – but, for the reasons delineated in my introduction, I gladly made an exception in this case.Roy Ward Baker’s accompanying brief interview is very interesting: he wasn’t keen on doing the film himself but concedes now that it is beautifully-made; he also discloses that, initially, it was supposed to star Richard Burton instead of John Mills (but he was only interested in playing the bandit…except that the role was always intended for Bogarde – this, in fact, turned out to be the last film the latter made under contract to Rank) and that there was a mysterious enmity between the two male stars.
But some of the ingredients are rather tasty and juicy and so, it is actually quite enjoyable.John Mills, as the priest, supposedly Irish but who's accent is only about 10% that, does OK but doesn't shine.
To many, the ongoing religiosity - I won't go so far to say 'sermonising' between the Church (Catholic, in this case) - could be a turn-off.I was trying to place the film's setting, period wise but can't find mention of it but would guess 1930-40s and a remote village in Mexico (actually Spain).
As I said, quite a mish-mash that makes a tastier dish than it should.Trying to simplify the plot, I'll say that Mills takes over from another priest who is disenchanted and can't wait to get out.
Mills, the idealist and good-doer can't believe him when he says that the Church is hated in the village, led by the local gangster, Bogarde.
The girl is beautiful and nice to look at, Bogarde struts around gamely like a peacock and Mills is reliably nice.The title - one of its strong points - refers to the man (the priest) rather than his song (Church, The Bible) as Bogarde came to have respect and admiration for Mills, rather than what he stood for.The direction is a bit stodgy and as I saw it on commercial TV, it was cut up by frequent ads and in 4:3 ratio.
Dirk Bogarde's own opinion of this film.
I first saw it as a teenager and, at the time, thought all that emotion at the end rather an impressive bit of movie drama .
Back then I had no idea that Bogarde was gay and I'm sure that there was no mention of homosexuality in the novel on which the film was based.
I thought John Mills did the best he could with a bad screenplay and was rather good at times.
Another of these movies where Dirk Bogarde got lost.Why on earth did he have to get involved in that business?The screenplay has enormous pretensions and suggests homosexual tendencies between the priest and the all dressed-in-black Bogarde as well as a love which blonde Mylène Demongeot feels for  the same priest!which is a bit too much!Luis Bunuel could have got away with it,but the director here is not  in the same league.The screenplay is incoherent and the three leads are finally unconvincing.The title is absurd (Bogarde likes the singer (the priest?) but not his song(his Christian message?).It was  also to  be  a Rolling Stone song with a nice dulcimer arrangement by Brian JOnes in the mid-sixties.But here Bogarde's fans can have a look,but be warned:it's the actor,not the movie..
I must say I was agreeably surprised to come across this offbeat film as part of a collection of John Mills rarities (can't recall the other two,I threw them away).
Prior to viewing the full screen DVD,I was able to recall the film's poor following in N.Z. At the Auckland premiere in the early 1960's, the cinema manager came on stage and announced that "The Singer Not The Song" was unsuitable viewing and would be replaced with "Tunes Of Glory".I'm unable to recall if the film was released at all after that.I certainly don't recall anyone discussing the film in question but given it's suggestion of homosexuality,I'm now not at all surprised.Such topics were never even hinted at in those days down in innocent little New Zealand.Thank God we now live in a more informed world.Therefore,this film was years ahead of it's time and as such,I find it compelling.
Dirk Bogarde and John Mills both give thoughtful,intelligent performances and I am so grateful that keen film buffs like myself can now fully appreciate this worthwhile contribution to British Cinema..
Except that this film turns the whole story upside down and we are left to witness the villain falling for the priest in front of the bewildered girl who cannot decide which one she wants.
What an odd film this is!A British made " Western"set in Mexico, but the cars and houses are very 1950's.Dirk Bogarde is a Mexican bandit but makes no attempt at an accent.John Mills is playing an Irish priest and does attempt an accent but forgets it half the time.
One must assume that money was the prime motivation behind theses to old pros participation - Bogarde did go on to give us some of his finest performances in films like The Servant and Death in Venice.
I was more impressed by the story of a battle of wills between a determined priest and an equally determined and wily "bad man" (El Malo) boss in a remote Mexican village.
Å young girl, "Locha", shows signs of infatuation with the new ;priest, and "Anacleto" against his better judgement, begins to like the priest.
Priests and Nuns were not allowed to wear traditional habit in public for many years.In the end, "Father Keogh" must choose between the welfare of the village and his goal of bringing "Anacleto" back to the Çhurch.
When "Anacleto" comes to the church expecting the favourable sermon, "Father Keogh" instead denounces him and brings in the police to arrest him.
"Anacleto" does press his hand, but murmurs, "It's the singer, not the song".It's powerful stuff and powerfully acted by Sir Dirk and Sir John.
Dirk Bogarde gives his career best moody, mean , atmospheric performance as a menacing , ambiguous , mysterious western town gunfighter Anacleto.
The film is expertly written, produced directed and acted by a top notch cast that includes British stalwart John Mills as a confused priest who befriends a leather clad gunman Bogarde and the ravishing, exciting French starlet Mylene Demongeot as the love interest.
Bogarde's mean bandit out to control a Mexican town is resisted by Mills.
This film is recommended as Dirk Bogarde's best acting on film and also for superb direction from British director Roy Ward Baker who later went on to direct numerous masterpieces of cult Uk television and horror..
said it was a Western?)...I sat through the whole thing, stunned as if I had been hit over the head with a hammer!...I don't know if "enjoyed" is a word I would use to describe this movie, but most certainly "impressed" would fit the bill...There were enough gunfights and charging about on horses to satisfy the Western lover in me, although the girl running around in a Cadillac convertible (or was it a Lincoln?) was a bit strange and took some getting used to...As someone who was raised strict Irish Catholic (oh, those were the days!!), I understood the priest's sense of duty and inner turmoil over the beautiful girl, but as a young man with more than my fair share of hormones, I also appreciated the lust and sex aspects of the affair between the bandit chief and the girl as well...As to the final shootout at the end, well, all I can say is...WOW...it totally satisfied the action requirements of a Western film...The Mexican army against a gang of ruthless gunfighters, bodies all over the place, gunsmoke hanging in the air, and of course the bloody demise of both stars...Since finding out that Bogarde was both a homosexual AND a raving Commie, I have lost all respect for him as a person, but still retain admiration for him as an actor...Like I said, this film (which I have not been able to find, or see, since 1962) is one that I have never been able to forget, even to quoting many of the lines of dialogue from time to time...Oh yes, and don't forget the bandit's white Persian cat being hand fed goldfish...(ala Blofeld's cat in 007 films!!)...A powerful movie even if not a successful one!!.
This is not Anacleto, the bandit, but Bogarde, the actor.John Bentley also seems incredibly out of place as the police chief.
THE SINGER NOT THE SONG is a rare misfire for British director Roy Ward Baker, the man best known for his crime films of the 1950s and his horror output for Hammer in the 1960s.
The problem with this film is the long-winded and overly pious storyline, which is a battle of wits between a good-natured priest (John Mills) and the town outlaw (Dirk Bogarde).
This film had a lot of good moments but was undone by having a very vague plot that seemed to have no end.
The film begins with John Mills as a Catholic priest moving to a god-forsaken small town in Mexico to replace their current priest.
It seems that the old priest was a broken man, as the town was completely anti-God because the town tough guy (inexplicably played by Dirk Bogarde) didn't want religion in HIS town.
For the first half of the film, Bogarde and his men did many horrible things to try to drive Mills off, but despite all the killings and attempted murders, Mills persevered.Then, almost like magic, this problem just vanished.
None of this really made any sense and completely undid the first half of the movie.However, in addition to a seemingly nicer Bogarde (at least he was no longer killing people), the plot just went all over the place here and the second half of the film was a diffuse mess.
Out of nowhere, a very blonde and non-Mexican looking young lady who was friends with the priest announced her love for him.
At the same time, I seemed to be noticing a lot of gay subtext--as if Bogarde had notions about Mills--though it was never very clear.
Considering that Bogarde was gay in real life and that he ran around in leather (looking like a member of Judas Priest), I think this was intended BUT the movie makers weren't bold enough to go with this--and instead created a confusing mess.By the way, this is a very strange looking film.
Though set in Mexico, there were a lot of British accents and casting Bogarde was just weird.
Plus, as I mentioned above, the leather outfit he wore was odd--looking like he belonged in an S&M film!
This was so confusing and just looked sloppy--like they could have cared less if the actors were right for the roles.Overall, this movie was way too long, way too confusing and way too vague.
It was like there were two or three movies all mixed together here and it represents one of the worse John Mills or Dirk Bogarde films I have seen..
Watch out for bogarde's tight leather trousers and the none too subtle homosexual romance between the two leads.
You have to wait another forty years for another western as gay as this one.The following actors (wisely) declined the role of Father Keogh before it was offered to Mills.
At the time it was thought "The singer not the song" had dealt a fatal blow to the British Film Industry,but as so often before and since,reports of its death were exaggerated.Good-looking sophisticated nicely brought up actors however dropped rather alarmingly from the radar as the New Wave - more like a tsunami in its affect - swept into the studios.
Mr Bogarde did not like Mr Mills despite the fact that he was shorter and considerably less pretty than himself and was not a happy bunny when he was cast as the priest.He spent most of the movie in the world's longest hissy fit which he does well to disguise fairly effectively.
Very difficult to score, because some of it is ridiculous and unbelievable, whereas other stuff is interesting with content about governance, policing, spirituality and religiosity that give the mind material for real reflection.Ridiculous;- the accents, especially Mills with his poorly sustained Irish one, which calls into question the Direction, why was he not made to do it again or some explanation given in the script for him being an English Roman Catholic Priest?