Johnny Hamlet (I couldn’t wait til the weekend)
What a great film! Great visuals from Castellari and a nice De Masi score.
Vendetta at Dawn -> Strangely flat western. George Eastman is supposed to be the leading man in this one but you really don’t see him that much eventhough he this time has got the must cleaned-up look if I’ve ever seen him have in a western. A really hard western actually but with a not very interesting plot. Not really recommended. The soundtrack was OK though. Had a feeling it maybe were lifted from another western but am not sure.
[quote=“Phil H, post:1721, topic:141”]Johnny Hamlet (I couldn’t wait til the weekend)
What a great film! Great visuals from Castellari and a nice De Masi score.[/quote]
I completely agree !!! One of my favourites !!!
You’re right !!! The main titles (Walk by my side) are lifted from ‘Il momento di uccidere’, the rest of the soundtrack is taken from several DeMasi scores (e.g. Il ranch degli spietati) !!! Have a look at the DVD-review !!!
Thanks mate.
NEVADA SMITH (1966, Henry Hathaway)
One of those westerns I found for a few bucks in a supermarket (the best place to buy your westerns now companies, preparing for Blu-ray, apparently throw away what they still have in stock).
Surprisingly enough, I had never seen it.
A typical revenge western, it has the look and feeling of a spaghetti western, which is quite surprising considering the year of its release. It reminded me a little of DEATH RIDES A HORSE, even though ‘the teacher’ dissapears from the movie early and has nothing to do with the killings the younger man wants to avenge: it has the same deliberate pace and strong emphasis on atmosphere. The action is short but pretty violent for an American western of the mid-sixties.
In fact, Hathaway is a bit to American western what Petroni is to the spaghetti western, a real runner up: hardly anyone will call him his favourite director, but most people like his films.
McQueen is very fine even though he is too old for his part and certainly doesn’t look ‘half indian’.
Recommended, but I guess most of you have already seen it.
HENRY HATHAWAY Veteran Prolific USA Director of Classic Westerns, Thrillers Etc
I voted for HENRY HATHAWAY as my favourite USA Director and Looking at his credits
I can see why he had such a long prolific, fruitful career.
NORTH TO ALASKA 1960 SONS OF KATIE ELDER 1965
LAST SAFARI 1967 FIVE CARD STUD 1968 AIRPORT 1970 TRUE GRIT 69
LONG LIVE HENRY HATHAWAY :o 
Just finished watching Pistoleros. It wasn’t the film i was first intending to watch but i’m glad i did. Tough, gritty and violent, just how i like 'em. The revelation at the end could be seen a mile off but that didn’t detract from the film. The comedy brawl seemed a little out of place, but that would be my only complaint about the film.
[quote=“SARTANA DJANGO, post:1727, topic:141”]HENRY HATHAWAY Veteran Prolific USA Director of Classic Westerns, Thrillers Etc
I voted for HENRY HATHAWAY as my favourite USA Director and Looking at his credits
I can see why he had such a long prolific, fruitful career.
NORTH TO ALASKA 1960 SONS OF KATIE ELDER 1965
LAST SAFARI 1967 FIVE CARD STUD 1968 AIRPORT 1970 TRUE GRIT 69
LONG LIVE HENRY HATHAWAY :o :D[/quote]
I like his westerns, so it’s quite miraculous that I never saw NEVADA SMITH before; I guess I never noticed the director’s name.
I think it’s his best western, even a bit better than (the first rate) Katie Elder and True Grit.
What do you make of it, SD ?
I still don’t think many people will consider him the best American western director, but you do have a point if you say he is the most consistent one. Peckinpah (I know you don’t like him), Mann and Walsh are favourite directors of mine, but I admit that the quality of their work varies. I love The Wild Bunch, but Peckinpah’s later work is rubbish; Pat Garret and Billy the kid is a hodge podge of some brilliant, a lot of mediocre and a few downright rotten scenes.
QUINTO: FIGHTING PROUD (1969)
An odd one, this. Bank robbers disguised as lepers (full robes and pointy klan-like masks/hats) shoot up the town and in the melee double cross each other, and aren’t sure who’s got/hidden the dosh. It turns into a whodunnit complete with b/w flashbacks. As mentioned elsewhere, an indian called Navajo gets a good part. Also a strong female who’s bad to the bone and after everybody elses ‘good part’. The dubbing is particularly bad when the smoothy crooner with a guitar starts to sing.
Enjoyable, different and about as much sense as a Fidani. Worth a look 
[quote=“scherpschutter, post:1729, topic:141”]I like his westerns, so it’s quite miraculous that I never saw NEVADA SMITH before; I guess I never noticed the director’s name.
I think it’s his best western, even a bit better than (the first rate) Katie Elder and True Grit.
What do you make of it, SD ?
I still don’t think many people will consider him the best American western director, but you do have a point if you say he is the most consistent one. Peckinpah (I know you don’t like him), Mann and Walsh are favourite directors of mine, but I admit that the quality of their work varies. I love The Wild Bunch, but Peckinpah’s later work is rubbish; Pat Garret and Billy the kid is a hodge podge of some brilliant, a lot of mediocre and a few downright rotten scenes.[/quote]
My favourite Henry Hathaway Western is
FIVE CARD STUD 1968 DEAN MARTIN INGER STEVENS Roddy McDowall
I have reviewed this fabulous murder mystery heavyweight western and explained that
for me it is one of the all time great westerns because of the plot, director and electric
on screen presence between DEAN MARTIN and the late great INGER STEVENS.
Also Dean Martin sings a magnificent melodious opening number “Five Card Stud”
Good Support from Roddy McDowall, Robert Mitchum and Katharine Justice.
I agree with you though that NEVADA SMITH 1966 is a very good all round western and
also directors Anthony Mann and Raoul Walsh I like very much as you do.
I am NOT a Sam Peckinpah fan as I explained earlier but I do like his Major Dundee 65
and his Wild Bunch 1969 is a good film also with William Holden/Robert Ryan/EBorgnine.
Pat Garrett and Billy The kid I agree with you is a real mess and a poor film. I especially
do not like the cast with Bob Dylan and the whole plot makes me cringe. EEEEk :’(
Just watched it myself last night. Good flick, and I agree with your thoughts about the comedy fighting.
The more I see of Anthony Ghidra the more I like him!
Tessari: Return of Ringo[url]http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Ritorno_di_Ringo%2C_Il[/url] (dvd-r)
-Great film, one of my top favorite spaghettis.
[quote=“Bill san Antonio, post:1733, topic:141”]Tessari: Return of Ringo[url]http://www.spaghetti-western.net/index.php/Ritorno_di_Ringo%2C_Il[/url] (dvd-r)
-Great film, one of my top favorite spaghettis.[/quote]
I love that film. One of my favourites too.
[quote=“SARTANA DJANGO, post:1731, topic:141”]My favourite Henry Hathaway Western is
FIVE CARD STUD 1968 DEAN MARTIN INGER STEVENS Roddy McDowall
I have reviewed this fabulous murder mystery heavyweight western and explained that
for me it is one of the all time great westerns because of the plot, director and electric
on screen presence between DEAN MARTIN and the late great INGER STEVENS.
Also Dean Martin sings a magnificent melodious opening number “Five Card Stud”
Good Support from Roddy McDowall, Robert Mitchum and Katharine Justice.
I agree with you though that NEVADA SMITH 1966 is a very good all round western and
also directors Anthony Mann and Raoul Walsh I like very much as you do.
I am NOT a Sam Peckinpah fan as I explained earlier but I do like his Major Dundee 65
and his Wild Bunch 1969 is a good film also with William Holden/Robert Ryan/EBorgnine.
Pat Garrett and Billy The kid I agree with you is a real mess and a poor film. I especially
do not like the cast with Bob Dylan and the whole plot makes me cringe. EEEEk :’([/quote]
Ha ha, we disagree again.
Funny, but for me 5 Card Stud is Hathaway’s worst western.
Have you seen Rawhide, SD? I liked it very much. Brutish film for 1950. Together with True Grit his best, for me, of course.
And Pat Garrett … was always one of my favourites. An awful beautiful film, similar themes as The Wild Bunch but very different in it’s mood. Brillant for me, despite some minor flaws. The DVD cut serves the film best.
Oh well …
NO NICHT Stanton I think you are JOKING again :’(
I have both films you mention recorded and have viewed them:
Rawhide 1950 :This is a very minor western, quite good, nothing memorable, routine.
True Grit 1969 : This is the John Wayne Film that the critics finally praised and a long
overdue Oscar was given, but he plays a very dull role in a plain film.
The True Grit is one of John Wayne’s worst westerns with Shootist 76
FIVE CARD STUD 1968 as I explained is a MAJOR WESTERN it has the star cast
the intricate exciting murder mystery plot, masterful direction, electric screen presence
between DEAN MARTIN and INGER STEVENS , wonderful music/songs etc
There is simply no comparison and i suggest you sit down and WATCH THE FILM as i did
As I explained in detail elsewhere I found Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid boring, badly cast and a very poor western. Scherp dislikes it also but Wild Bunch I rated quite OK.
Never mind Stanton as I said “whatever turns you on” then you Stanton go for it :’( :o
Hey SD, we should make a list of our 1000 most beloved films and then exchange it.
After that we know exactly what we have to avoid! 
What do you think?
[quote=“stanton, post:1735, topic:141”]And Pat Garrett … was always one of my favourites. An awful beautiful film, similar themes as The Wild Bunch but very different in it’s mood. Brillant for me, despite some minor flaws. The DVD cut serves the film best.
Oh well …[/quote]
I do agree that it looks beautiful, Stanton, and it does contain some of the best scenes Peckinpah has ever shot, still to me it’s no more than a film by a once brilliant filmmaker who is now clearly over his peak.
Sparks of brilliance : Pickens death at the riverside, watched by Durado (‘mama’), Billy’s escape from prison, killing Bell and Ollinger, a few scattered scenes along the way involving Elam and (especially) John Beck (since his part was largely removed from the Special DVD version I still prefer the Turner version). But there are far too many dull scenes, too many thrown-in blood-spattered scenes, and most of the time the film just doesn’t work. When it’s inspired, it’s marvellous, but the problem is that it hardly ever is inspired. Most actors - including Coburn - are mumbling and moving slowly, as if they were having little idea of what was going on. I like Dylan’s soundtrack, but his part is completely superfluous and his thespian talents non-existing.
The film somehow manages to transmit the feeling of getting old, of having outlived your own time, but better films have been made on that subject (even by Peckinpah himself). And I’m pretty sure the film would’ve been much better had Peckinpah made it some seven or eight years earlier.
But of course I invite you to disagree wholeheartedly …
I don’t think it’s boring. James Coburn is great and the score is beautiful…
[quote=“stanton, post:1737, topic:141”]Hey SD, we should make a list of our 1000 most beloved films and then exchange it.
After that we know exactly what we have to avoid!
What do you think?[/quote]
I love making Top 50 , Top 100 Lists Stanton but I think 1000 is a laborious task ;).
I do respect “foreign” film makers like Akiro Kurasawa, John Woo etc but clearly my
TOP PRIORITIES lie elsewhere :o. As you said what is important is that we ENJOY films