Western Wednesdays: Cemetery Without Crosses (1969)

     Cemetery Without Crosses was released in February 1969. Directed by Robert Hossein and written by Hossein and Claude DeSailly, it tells the story of Maria (played by Michèle Mercier), who seeks revenge against the powerful Roger's cattle ranchers for lynching her husband (played by the Dollars trilogy stuntman Benito Stefanelli).

     One of the things that separates the Spaghetti western from its American counterpart is its Catholic milieu. Cemetery Without Crosses is a good example of this. During the dinner scene (guest directed by Sergio Leone himself!) the Roger's family all cross themselves before eating and a Catholic priest oversees the funeral of Maria's husband where he quotes generously from scripture. Most of the prominent directors of Spaghetti westerns were Italian (or French in the case of Hossein) and therefore were raised as Catholics at a time when the traditional Mass was still the norm (this means intricate vestments, chanting, stain-glass windows and incense) so it's no surprise that they would draw on this imagery for their films.

     Nonetheless, the plot of Cemetery Without Crosses is a pretty stock western one, as Maria hires Hossein's Manuel to carry out her revenge against the Rogers. The film subverts the this tried and true plot by turning it into a parable against revenge. When Manuel kidnaps Johanna (Anne-Marie Balin), Will Roger's daughter, she is raped by Maria's brothers, Thomas (Guido Lollobrigida) and Eli (Michel Lemoine). This disturbs Maria, who did not intend for Johanna to be harmed. Her plan, in fact, was simply to humiliate the Rogers and put them in a powerless position. But the situation continues to spiral out of control when Thomas and Eli are captured by the Rogers and tell them where Maria and Manual have hidden Johanna. In the end the Rogers kill Maria, Manuel kills them in retaliation and he, in turn, is killed by Johanna.

     The whole film is quite subtle and highly minimalistic, featuring very little dialogue and a simple, straightforward plot. There is also a fatalism to the proceedings that makes the film really sad. The cycle of violence somehow seems inevitable. Manuel, at first, wants nothing to do with it but Maria eventually convinces him to help her. It is made clear by the end of the film that there is an unconsummated romance between Manuel and Mari. Whether this is the motivation for Manuel to help her, or rather he is just doing it for the money remains ambiguous.

     The stark cinematography by Henri Persin amplifies this sense as do the empty, decaying sets of the ghost town where much of the film takes place. The score, by Hossein's father Andre, can be overbearing at times but it does add to the films sense of melancholy. The upbeat opening ballad "The Rope and the Colt" (which is also the original French title for the film) is used throughout the film and feels a little out of place, though it does work to some extent as an ironic contrast to the film's somber proceedings. There are also a few scenes of unexpected comedy throughout, which help to keep the film from becoming too morose.

     Cemetery Without Crosses, despite its flaws, remains one of the best movies the Spaghetti western genre has to offer. Highly recommended.

Score: 9/10