At first a director should always think which action scenes a film needs and which not, and then how to shoot them, how to present them. The massacre of the General’s people is at first filmed very unimaginatively, and then it would be better to show it only indirect (only the gunfire in the background, and then later maybe the aftermath of the slaughter). It felt wrong for me to have such a conventional action directing for such a scene.
Apart from that was the whole flashback very conventional and in conflict with the film’s overall style.
Otherwíse the film is well directed, which is kinda surprising after Baldi’s early SWs.
Actually all action sequences were made rather sloppily, unconvincing and unexciting if you ask me. And the general’s demise could have been executed in a better way, you’re right.
Nah, I think the other action is well done, which I can’t say for most of the action scenes in the earlier Baldi westerns. But it is then Blindman in which he got the best out of himself.
Which doesn’t give me much hope for Baldi then because Blindman only works and is remembered due to when it came out. If it had been released in '66 or '68, it would probably be overlooked, lost in the shuffle. As it is, it is just as much nostalgia and “last of the true” feeling about it that means fans like it as it is the actual (dubious if fun) merits of the film.
I agree, the first action scene when Rafael pretends dead looks very sloppy to me.
How opinions differ - to me film didn’t look very promising until that long flashback scene when all of the sudden it received more depth and grandeur plot-wise and look-wise.
That flashback/massacre scene together with fiery finale is the highlight of the movie for me.
I also like dancing scene for its costumed elegance - not something very often seen in SWs.
To be precise, I thought duel sequences were very well executed (Mann vs. Lulli and the last one), but shootouts were rather unimpressive I’d say. I liked the movie very much forasmuch the action sequences are rare and their slightly flawed execution never becomes that disturbing and Baldi focuses more on a psychological motive.
I think it is essential to recover the slightly longer original version, including two more scenes with Francisco (Piero Lulli) and a conclusive flashback.
[size=12pt]" /sizein addition to a short passage of pure sadism with Piero Lulli whose blue eyes leads us to believe that blue is ultimately the colour of Hell and shows us the suffering endured by Martell (…)[size=12pt] "[/size]
Yes, Bruckner derives the runtimes from the old and unfortunately no longer available Anica data:
Il pistolero dell’Ave Maria - naz.: Italia/Spagna - regía: Ferdinando Baldi - v.c. n. 54830 del 14.10.69 - m. 2882 - ppp: 17/10/69 - c. pr.: B.R.C. - Produzione Film - c. compr.: Izaro Films, Madrid (Spagna).
In Spagna: Tierra de gigantes (Madrid, 02.03.70) - In Francia: Le dernier des salauds (Paris, 1971) - In Germania Occ.: Seine Kugeln pfeifen das Todeslied (10.07.70 - 91’)
On the other hand cinematografo.it, the Italian page on Wikipedia and these books
Marco Giusti, Dizionario del Western all’italiana (2007)
Massimo Moscati*, Il grande dizionario dei film apparsi in Italia dal 1930 ad oggi (1998)
Paolo Mereghetti, Il Mereghetti, dizionario dei film (2001)
report a running time of 88 minutes for the Italian release.