Town is being forced to pay protection money to a bunch of thugs controlled by the town big men. Enter Brandy (Alex Nicol) who is the town drunk. A charming one though, and strikes up a bit of a romance with a bar maid. Eventually Brandy is elected sheriff and cleans up the town and pulls everybody together.
Robert Hundar plays one of the bad guys and snarls his way around town, and always forget what a huge guy he was. Very striking as he wears all black which suits him. More American in style, but that does not bother me. Nicol steals the show in this one, and enjoyed even more this time round. Viewed a fandub of the French disc which presents the film in around 2.35 widescreen, but the print is not remasterd in any way.
The plot is quite implausible as how Alex Nicol just decides not to be alcholic anymore but it was entertaining, ok film. Alex Nicol played few starring roles in early sw’s which is weird because he doesn’t have that certain western actor look, imo.
Nicol was sort of roped into getting elected into the job as sheriff. Suited the town big men as they expected him to be rubbish at his job, which would be beneficial for their protection money scam. But turning out to be such a good sheriff in such a short space of time, is pushing things a little.
I have seen it a few years ago. Don’t remember much, I had even forgotten that Nicol was in it, and that he plays the drunken lead. There was probably at the end a longish fistfight on a formation of big stones, yes?
If so, a mediore, but not totally boring little pre FoD western.
Yes thats right re the fistfight on the formation of stones, but is a little before the end. But there is also a shorter fistfight at the end though between Nicol and Hundar.
Pretty mundane and classical (pre Leone) in style but there is always pleasure to be had watching Robert Hunder strut around shooting people willy nilly and the rest of the support cast add some merit of their own. Nicol lacks the charisma needed to pull off a western lead for me and found the exposition cards an almost archaic feature. Still, have seen a lot worse recently.
Started watching this one while doing other things, thinking I wouldn’t be paying much attention to it nay way, but after a while I started to pay more attention to what was happening in of the screens, forgetting the other with Office stuff.
Actually is one of those SW that ends better than it stars, the second part of it was quite good above my expectations, the film had real developed characters and a good storyline. I specially appreciated the subplot with the ex convict “pistolero”, whose bail out of prison, was paid by a widow, so that him could help her taking care of her farm 8must have been a common thing in those days as I’ve seen in other films), was pretty clever stuff and modern for a Spanish western of 1964.
Alex Nicol playing main character Brandy (great title) may not be an obvious choice, but I guess he did a good job, doesn’t had the hero looks? Yes true, but so didn’t Jimmy Stewart, of ourse Nicol is no Stewart, but for a pre-Leone SW, he was fine.
So not a bad SW, with a good story and some nice scenes, Bornau was kind of a arthouse director that to is luck (or no) only directed almost exploitation films. Brandy didn’t let me down a solid 3 stars for me, with the plus of having Maite Biasco a very lovely actress.
the correct name of the director is Borau…Jose’ Luis Borau Moradell.
If I remind well he was in the comic book or novels writing before entering the cinema career, same as Jose’ Luis Mallorqui’
I just finished watching my VHS. About 10-15 minutes in, I didn’t think I’d enjoy the rest of the film but I managed to get into it. I think I could watch it again.
@Companero_M has updated Ride and Kill to the new layout (3.0). Let us know if you can add anything: pictures, posters, trivia, facts, figures, links, etc…
I added a picture or two and most importantly we now have a new, full on review of the movie by @davidgregorybell
There are posters of German origin that have a Murnau Foundation watermark. Which puzzles me, I don’t find the title in their database so why would there be pictures watermarked by them…