Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Vengeane is Mine (1967) posterGianni Garko is John Forest, a bounty hunter with a past that includes spending 10 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit.

He and brother Clint (Claudio Camaso) grew up in a wealthy family. Then it was revealed that John is his mother’s bastard son.

Clint, always jealous of his older brother, demands that he leave the home. John complies.

When his father follows, hoping to bring him back home, Clint shoots him down, then pins the blame on John.

Flash forward several years and John is a bounty hunter operating in the Civil War’s western theater. He’s just brought in four bandits when he spots a poster offering a $6,000 reward … for none other than Clint Forest.

John intends to collect that reward. But he’s also received word that his mother has died.

Her last wish: That Clint be brought to justice, but not killed. And that if gunfire is exchanged between the brothers, that John never fire the first shot.

But bringing Clint to justice will be complicated by a $50,000 Confederate payroll and Clint’s attempts to cheat outlaw partner Jurago and two “friends” out of their share of that money.

Gianni Garko (Gary Hudson) as John Forest, coming face-to-face with his past in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Gianni Garko (Gary Hudson) as John Forest, coming face-to-face with his past in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Claudio Camaso as Clint Forest, facing an unexpected reunion with the half-brother he wronged in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Claudio Camaso as Clint Forest, facing an unexpected reunion with the half-brother he wronged in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Review:

Better than average Spaghetti Western featuring two lead characters who are both tortured souls.

By the time the main story takes place, Clint has transformed from a well-off young man to a money-hungry killer willing to cheat anyone.

John Forest, meanwhile, is offered a second chance at a happy life with girlfriend Annie (Claudie Lange) and her young son.

But he can’t leave the past in the past. Sorry, hatred and happiness don’t mix, he tells her, as he heads off in search of Clint.

Having both Jarago and his gang and Clint’s two former partners engaged in the hunt for the loot Clint hides provides the impetus for plenty of shootouts.

And poor Gianni Garko, using the name Gary Hudson here, is beaten, wounded and tortured multiple times before reaching his moment of truth.

Claudie Lange as Annie, John Forest's girlfriend in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Claudie Lange as Annie, John Forest’s girlfriend in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Bruno Corazzari as Gary and Carlo Gaddi as Jack, Clint Forest's partners in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Bruno Corazzari as Gary and Carlo Gaddi as Jack, Clint Forest’s partners in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Directed by:
Giovanni Fago
as Sidney Lean

Cast:
Gianni Garko … John Forest
as Gary Hudson
Claudio Camaso … Clint Forest
Claudie Lange … Annie
Zuzana Martinkova … Mary
as Susanne Martinkova
Bruno Corazzari … Gary
Carlo Gaddi … Jack
Andrea Scotti … Dr. Jim
Silvio Bagolini … Old Sheriff
Dada Gallotti … Saloon singer
Jole Fierro … Mrs. Forest
Giovanni Di Benedetto … Mr. Forest
Piero Lulli … Jurago
Maurizio Tocchi … Jurago’s henchman
Fernando Sancho … Gonzalez

Also with: Gaetano Scala, Osiride Pevarello, Giancarlo Bastianoni, Mario Dardanelli, Franco Ukmar, Rinaldo Zamperla, Roberto Messina, Rodolfo Valadier, Adriana Giuffre

Runtime: 96 min.

aka:
Per 100,000 dollari t’ammazzo
For $100,000 for a Killing
$100,000 per Killing

Music: Nora Orlandi

Piero Lulli as Jurago, looking for Clint Forest and $50,000 in stolen loot in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Piero Lulli as Jurago, looking for Clint Forest and $50,000 in stolen loot in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Silvio Bagolini as the aging sheriff in a nearly deserted town in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Silvio Bagolini as the aging sheriff in a nearly deserted town in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Memorable lines:

John Forest: “The past has a strange way of coming back on you. It can make you suffer again. Suffer, just like the pain of an old wound.”

Annie: “Stay with me. We could be so happy together.”
John Forest: “Sorrow and hate just don’t mix with happiness, Annie.”

Dr. Jim to John Forest: “Death can also be a blessing. That’s one thing I know.”

Clint Forest: “You know very well where we shold go. There’s all that money, just waitin’ to be divided.”
John Forest: “That’s stolen money.”
Clint: “Don’t make any difference. I reckon all the money in the world’s been stolen sometime.”

Gary to John Forest: “I’ll make you talk. If I have to cut your throat open to look for the words.”

Clint Forest: “Only a fool leaves his enemies behind him.”

Susanne Martinkova as Mary, John Forest's former fiance in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Susanne Martinkova as Mary, John Forest’s former fiance in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Jole Fierro as Mrs. Forest and GIovanni Di Benedetto as her husband in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Jole Fierro as Mrs. Forest and GIovanni Di Benedetto as her husband in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Trivia:

This film was released in November 1967, eight months after “$10,000 Blood Money,” which also featured Garko and Camaso in the lead roles. That film was direced by Romolo Guerrieri.

Czechoslovakian actress Susanna Martinkova plays John Forest’s girlfriend in flashback sequences. Martinkova and Garko met on the set of this film, were eventually married and had a daughter named Maria.

This marked the directorial debut for Giovanni Fago, who would follow up with “Full House for the Devil” (1967) and “Viva Changaceiro” (1969) before moving into other genres and TV work.

Gianni Garko (Gary Hudson) as John Forest and Claudio Camaso as Clint Forest spot potential trouble in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Gianni Garko (Gary Hudson) as John Forest and Claudio Camaso as Clint Forest spot potential trouble in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Dada Gallotti as a saloon singers whose time with Clint Forest is interrupted by a brotherly reunion in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Dada Gallotti as a saloon singers whose time with Clint Forest is interrupted by a brotherly reunion in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Fernando Sancho as Gonzalez, a Mexican bandit with a price on his head in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Fernando Sancho as Gonzalez, a Mexican bandit with a price on his head in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Andrea Scotti as Dr. Jim, informing John Forest (Gianni Garko) of his mother's death and last wish in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Andrea Scotti as Dr. Jim, informing John Forest (Gianni Garko) of his mother’s death and last wish in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Claudie Lange as Annie, threatened by Gary (Bruno Corazzari) when John Forest refuses to talk in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Claudie Lange as Annie, threatened by Gary (Bruno Corazzari) when John Forest refuses to talk in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Claudio Camaso as Clint Forest, preparing to ride off with $50,000 in stolen money in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Claudio Camaso as Clint Forest, preparing to ride off with $50,000 in stolen money in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Gianni Garko (Gary Hudson) as John Forest, a bounty hunter haunted by a man he hasn't brought to justice in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

Gianni Garko (Gary Hudson) as John Forest, a bounty hunter haunted by a man he hasn’t brought to justice in Vengeance is Mine (1967)

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