Review of The Singer Not the Song

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. The plot is intricate , meaningful , brooding and dramatically played against the Mexican background. Mutual respect and admiration is evident between Mills and Bogarde as they manage a tense and difficult stand off. 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.