A Train for Durango / Un treno per Durango (Mario Caiano, 1968)

(Yodlaf Peterson) #1

http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Treno_per_Durango%2C_Un

a.k.a. Un treno per Durango

1967

Directed by Mario Caiano

Starring

Anthony Steffen (Antonio De Teffe)
Enrico Maria Salerno
Mark Damon
Aldo Sambrell

Steffen and Salerno play two friends who are after the gold which is on the “Train to Durango”, helped along the way by Mark Damon who keeps popping out of nowhere to save them.(along with some plot twists!)

A thoroughly enjoyable western with nice cinematography by Enzo Barboni which is only slightly let down by a musical score by Carlo Rusticelli that doesn’t really seem to fit the film.

The script was written by Mario Caiano, Jose Gutierrez Maesso & Duccio Tessari.

i saw it on a Dutch tape that was letterboxed at roughly 1.85:1 (a compromise from 2.35:1 i know but better than seeing it fullscreen i suppose)

(Raph_Alv) #2

Great film, like very much Caiano… I watched on VHS conversion to dvd on fullscreen, image was good… Somebody knows if there is a english DVD version ?

best regards,
Raphael

(Sebastian) #3

Koch Media plans to release this film. as always, with english subtitles

(Yodlaf Peterson) #4

Hooray!

(Sebastian) #5

just watched the Koch DVD.

the film was really great. I mean, I don’t like the comedy westerns much, but this one was one of the best - for a comedy western. The acting was really fun, so was the scenery and the action. You get some nice cleavage, some fun music and a really funny duo of idiots who get screwed over time and again. very recommended

(Yodlaf Peterson) #6

[quote=“Sebastian, post:5, topic:428”]idiots who get screwed over time and again.[/quote]I though Mark Damon’s role of screwing them over was great :slight_smile:

(Sebastian) #7

I love the scene where they pay everyone just to end up at the first guy who they paid

(Bluntwolf) #8

I’m not too fond of comedy westerns but this one is really well made and enjoyable. De Teffe is not as stiff and wooden as he usually is and the rest of the great cast is also doing a nice job.

(YourPallbearer) #9

Thought this one was pretty average.
More of an adventure comedy than a straight action movie.
Steffen shoots only one guy if memory serves.
Damon is the best thing about the picture.

(Yodlaf Peterson) #10

Ordered my one now

(Stanton) #11

A Train for Durango is a very enjoyable western comedy, a funny spoof about 2 losers who are not too bright and always ended up getting laid.

I always thought that Mario Caiano had quite an eye for westerns, but surprisingly this is his only one of greater interest so far (haven’t seen all of him). It seems that all he needed were some better screenplays or basic ideas.

But the real surprise is a very convincing Anthony Steffen, the best I have seen from him as actor (his best film is still Django the Bastard). In Ringo: Face of Revenge he played a similar role, but unfortunately the film changes his style after half of it’s length, film and actor became a typical (and boring) revenger and Steffen fell back to Stiffen.

Luckily Caiano and Steffen stayed for A Train for Durango to their concept, to which Duccio Tessari contributed as screenplay writer.

(Bill san Antonio) #12

Steffen is a real surprise in this film. It’s funny how Mark Damon tells in Koch Media’s dvd extra feature how he teached Steffen for two weeks to play comedy role, otherwise he couldn’t act like this. But then again, Damon seems to be crediting quite a lot for himself: the usual story of recommending Eastwood to Leone and also the writing the script of Django etc.

(ENNIOO) #13

Yes, the man credits himself with a lot :-…

(Yodlaf Peterson) #14

I bought Damon’s book but haven’t started it yet. People have put me off to be honest.

(Tom B.) #15

Average at best.

I son’t trust any western with an automobile in it. The only good one is The Wild Bunch.

Damon’s book is very disappointing if you are reading it for SW information. It skips back and for from his production companies to his acting days.

(chuck connors brother) #16

I think this is one of the best comedy westerns, Anthony Steffen was impressive, that death circle scene and the end duel were genius. Way better than Ringo - Mark of Vengeance.

(Phil H) #17

[quote=“Tom B., post:15, topic:428”]Average at best.

I son’t trust any western with an automobile in it. The only good one is The Wild Bunch.[/quote]

Tepepa is also an exception to that rule I think.

(alk0) #18

Let’s not forget “The mercenary”. Personally i have nothing against automoblies in westerns, i like Zapata westerns a lot and these ones usually show up in them.

(ENNIOO) #19

Motorcycle combinations have starred in a few westerns of course…

(Phil H) #20

I’m a big revolutionary western fan too and you’re right, these films often have motor vehicles popping up in them. But, as a rule of thumb, I’m with Tom B. as I find cars, motor bikes, aeroplanes just don’t fit with the ‘feel’ of a western. I think these things are of the modern world and tend to break the mystique of the mythological setting of a western. For me anyway.