Second Sauerkraut Western from Rapid Film with Brad Harris and EUROPEAN FILM AWARD nominee Mario Adorf
After the gigantic cinema success of the Karl May film adaptation "Der Schatz im Silbersee / The Treasure in the Silver Lake" (1962), the clever film producer Wolf C. Hartwig from Rapid-Film came up with the idea of building on this success of the Rialto and the Constantin Film and To film works by one of May's predecessors. The writer Friedrich Gerstäcker, who was born in Hamburg in 1816 and died in Braunschweig in 1872, also wrote several westerns. His novel "Die Regulatoren von Arkansas / The Regulators of Arkansas" (1846) became the basis for the second western produced by Rapid-Film after "Die Flusspiraten vom Mississippi / The River Pirates of the Mississippi" (1963). The German-Italian-French co-production (Mario Siciliano was also there with his Metheus film) was directed by the experienced Paul Martin, who had already made "Ein blonder Traum / A Blonde Dream" and "Glückskinder" in the 1930s with his then partner Lilian Harvey. Herbert Reinecker, who would later write all episodes of the globally successful television series "DERRICK" (1974-1998), was also involved in the script. The film, which was released in West German cinemas on November 20, 1964, was shot in the forests of Bohemia and in the Barrandov Studio in Prague.
The gold rush breaks out in tranquil Marble City when it becomes known that there must be a rich vein of gold somewhere in Indian territory. Many settlers make their way to the small town in Arkansas in the hope of finding great wealth. In this unrest, Phil Stone's (Brad Harris) father is shot in cold blood. Together with his friend Dan (Horst Frank) he tries to find the murderer. They get to know different people among the newcomers: a resolute mother (UFA star Marianne Hoppe, who was also there in "Schatz im Silbersee") with her adult children (Dorothee Parker, Olga Schoberova, Thomas Alder), Pastor Benson (Dieter Borsche, also in "Der Schut"), the completely overwhelmed trek leader (Ralf Wolter, also well known as Sam Hawkins, "if I'm not mistaken"), a card-sharp (Mario Adorf, "Winnetou I", the murderer of Nscho- tschi!) and another obscure guy (Philippe Lemaire). Until the murderer is unmasked, there is still a lot of fighting (Brad Harris is of course back in his element as a stunt choreographer), but also singing (Ralf Paulsen sings the hit "Viel Gold und keine Freunde / Much Gold and No Friends").
This is certainly not a Western masterpiece, but the film is a lot of fun. Above all, it offers a reunion with many popular actors. Also in a supporting role is Josef Egger, who, in his signature role as a comical Western oddball, also appeared alongside Clint Eastwood in Sergio Leone's "For a Fistful of Dollars" (1964). For Olga Schoberova and Brad Harris, it was the second film together after "Das Geheimnis der chinesischen Nelke / The Secret of the Chinese Carnation" (1964). The American muscle man and the Czech sex bomb formed a dream couple who were also married from 1967 to 1969 and have a daughter together.
This film, also known as "Alla conquista dell'Arkansas" and "Massacre at Marble City", is well worth seeing and an important example of the short but still popular wave of sauerkraut westerns produced in German-speaking countries.
