1975
Italia/ Usa
Director : Antonio Margheriti
Reparto : Lee Van Cleef , Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, Catherine Spaak, Jim Kelly, Barry Sullivan, Dana Andrews, Harry Carey Jr., Robert Donner, Charles McGregor, Leonard Smith, Ronald Howard, Ricardo Palacios, Robin Levitt, Buddy Joe Hooker, Paul Costello, Hal Needham
Fotografía : Riccardo Pallottini
Música Jerry Goldsmith
In 1975 (date of the film) the spaghetti was in decline and was increasingly more extravagant proposals, including the mix between them with genres such as comedy or film martial arts ( "My Name Is Shanghai Joe," "Karate, the colt and the imposter" ). In this case it seems that the 20 Centuy Fox was raised to a hybrid between the western and the film called blaxpoitation (usually action films made by black b series aimed at a largely black audience) I was born in the early seventies, boomed in the timing of this film. For this we have three of its top stars from the previous year had appeared together in "The wreckers" , a highly successful film among the black community, former football players Jim Brown and Fred Williamson to which was added Jim Kelly, very popular at that time to have intervened with Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon ", the latest film of Lee. From what I've read all three players also tried to choose a black director but the producer refused and opted for Antonio Margheriti, aka Anthony M. Dawson, one of the great European filmmakers of the terror experienced in combining western with other genres: gothic horror ("And God said to Cain", 1970) or martial arts (the named "Karate, the colt and the imposter" filmed in 1975). In addition to further business the film had one of the great myths of spaghetti as was Lee Van Cleef, who had worked with Jim Borwn in "The Condor" , a U.S. western shot in Almeria, with strong influence " spaghettera "and would appear with him in the ill-fated production of Golam-Globus couple shot in Israel Venganza bloody ", and some old glories of Hollywood as Dana Andrews, Barry Sullivan, and also in order to give a touch more exotic yet moved to the Canary Islands to roll (in the film can be distinguished, inter alia, geographical as emblematic as El Charco de los Click Chincha Lanzarote o Roque in Tenerife).
Morgan, a leading farmer, sold for $ 86,000 after all the cattle that were transported from Sonora died of a heart attack, but makes him promise just before his loyal foreman , Pike, who will return to money to realize a dream, building a more just community. The news will run like wildfire throughout the region and Pike will be pursued by all kinds of gunmen, a relentless bounty hunter named Kiefer, a peculiar racist preacher, the town sheriff, two of the cowboys who had worked in the transport of livestock to ally with Kiefer and a group of Mexican bandits. A change will be assisted by a smart gambler Tyree also want to take the money, a former French prostitute that saves and Kashtook, the loyal servant of this breed in India.
The film begins well enough with the presentation of Lee Van Cleef, an uncompromising man hunter mercilessly just an old villain reintegrated into society, so later when the local sheriff told the villagers believed the dead man a good man, to answer that all that matters is that he was wanted by the law. But from the approach of the main theme of the film that has the satisfying presence of Dana Andrews and from the moment he begins the journey back from Pyke honored with $ 86,000, the film starts to loose both the quirky characters that inhabit it, especially Tyree (it is unlikely that at this time and in the south a black American was a poker player Professional and above were allowed the luxury of cheating) and a Red Kashtook dumb I do not know know how martial arts expert, as a script rather repetitive and consistent weak featuring various pursuers go on to be blurring at the whim of the writers, in addition to an end a bit absurd that I do not gutting not to film with implausible situations (Kiefer hires a band of Mexicans paying $ 100 each and they accept without questioning that do not require the bounty hunter for nothing), failed as they try to end two of his men Kiefer or ridiculous as the presentation of the character played by Jim Kelly.
However the film can be seen with some interest because of its good technique. So the hand of its director, as well as in the beginning, it shows in some action scenes, as the great and spectacular shootout filmed in a beautiful canyon scene that, I guess, was not unconnected with the second unit director Hal Needham, started as a professional double stars to finish directing films. A Margheriti's work and Nedham must add the great photograph of Riccardo Pallottini that beautifully portrays the varied, wild and rugged landscapes canaries to the point that they seem to own the southern U.S. and good work in the artistic direction of Julio Molina, a professional with considerable experience in the spaghetti.
For the soundtrack was one of the great musicians nominated for the Oscar on seventeen occasions, Jerry Goldsmith, who, for the occasion, he composed a theme closer to the classic western with some influence of the main theme the movie "Bandit", also written by him. The other incidental issues are looser but are fully inserted into the action.
Regarding the cast, the protagonist is Jim Brown ( "River Conchos "," Dirty Dozen ") that is quite correct as Pyke, the honest foreman Morgan will make every effort to return the money and embodies, therefore, the hero straight and honest characteristic of classic Western. Next to him, ceding the spotlight, appears an aging Lee Van Cleef in the role of Kiefer merely be out there, but the truth his role not do anymore since much of the footage behaves as if only was watching the events. Fred Williamson strikes me as somewhat unbearable Pyke (a character that reminded me slightly when played by Sidney Poitier in "Duel at Diablo" ) and seems to want to steal all levels to more sober Brown. Jim Kelly is not acting directly but given his absurd character (a mute Indian martial arts expert) is limited to kicking, jumping and running (I do not know why not ride a horse). French actress Catherine Spaak, daughter of the great screenwriter Charles Spaak, plays the only female character convincingly. In supporting roles, we find the welcome presence of Dana Andrews (an old star said, especially in the black film directors from the hand of the likes of Fritz Lang and Otto Preminger) and Morgan, Barry Sullivan ( " The Bad "," Forty Guns ") in the role of the corrupt sheriff and Harry Carey Jr. (son of Harry Carey and customary in the John Ford film that pays tribute to him in a scene) that gives life to one of the men of Kiefer.
As curious comment that the trio protagonist (Brown, Williamson and Kelly) reappeared in "gamble" a film directed by Williamson himself in 1982 also played a leading role Richard Roundtree (another of the main stars of blaxpoitation).
I have a copy circulated by Nacadih video with excellent picture and good sound but totally stingy with extras (no directory).
Definitely a strange western that had great potential but somewhat disappointing to fail the script does not know or develop the characters or situations (the end, especially, is hard to believe, hasty and failed .) However, thanks to its good technique, well above average, and its many action scenes can be seen without boring too.
SCORE:
HISTORY: 4
AMBIENTE: 6
ADDRESS: 6
ACTORS: 5
MUSIC: 6
MEDIA: 5.4
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