Savage Gringo (1966)
6/10
Acceptable Paella/Spaghetti Western with fights , go riding , romance, plot twists and shoot'em up
10 November 2020
A laconic drifter, Ken Clark , arrives in a ranch and helps a troublesome couple , Kay : Yvonne Bastian, and rancher Marty : Alfonso Rojas who mistreats her, against a nasty landowner called Carter : Piero Lulli and his hoodlums : Howard or Red Ross , José Canalejas. While Carson sets his eyes on Kay , but this one has a crush on the mysterious drifter . The Wild West ..where desperados slept by Day.. struck by night...

Decent Tortilla , Pasta Western with action , thrills , brawls , shootouts , twists, and turns . Stars Brad Harris who gives a good acting as the drifter who takes justice on their hands . The film is well paced with continuous action , intrigue , gun-play and surpising final twists . Nice and brave starring , the American Brad Harris who similar to Steve Reeves , Gordon Scott , Reg Park, Rock Stevens emigrated to Italy to play Sword and Sandal or Peplum movies , as Brad getting a certain popularity by performing Spaghetti Westerns and Euro-Soy sub-genre . Being a Spain/Italy coproduction here shows up regular genre actors as Spanish : José Canalejas , Alfonso Rojas , Frank Braña, Alfonso de la Vega , Simon Arriaga, Francisco Sanz , Angel Ortiz , as Italian : Piero Lulli , John Bartha , Red Ross , among others .

Special mention for the catching musical score by Nino Oliveiro with enjoyable Spaghetti sounds and attractive songs at the beginning and the end . As well as evocative cinematography by Mancori and uncredited Bava , including usual exteriors from La Pedriza , Colmenar Viejo, Manzanares Del Real, Madrid, but no Almeria .The picture was professionally directed by Antonio Roman , assisted by uncredited Mario Bava who made a lot of scenes . Out of respect for Roman , Bava refused to accept credit on the movie .Antonio Roman was an uneven Spanish filmmakerand sucessful , at times as Los Últimos de Filipinas , his real big hit . He wrote several films, directed a few documentaries and went on to become one of the managers of Cooperativa Cinematográfica Castilla . His film debut was a documentary : La Ciudad Encantada . Later on, his first full length Escuadrilla 1941 , it was made in collaboration to Raza's José Luis Saenz de Heredia. After that, he directed various dated historical dramas and prestigious adaptations based on known novels such as Lola Montes , Lope de Vega's Fuenteovejuna , La Fierecilla Domada , Madrugada , Clarines Del Miedo . Moreover, several dramas as Pacto de Silencio with Yvonne Bastian, La Vida Encadenada , and Intrigue . And he also made some Folkloric movies . Soon after , he went on writing critics and directing pictures throughout the 60s and 70s , although his output slowed . In 1966 he was allegedly fired by the producer Fulvio Lucisano from the set of Ringo of Nebraska , after having shot partially the movie , that's why the financer did not love his slow-moving style . He was replaced by his friend Mario Bava , in fact Antonio Roman wrote the notorious Sci-Fi movie directed by Bava : Planet of the Vampires .
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