This Italian & Spanish co-production qualifies as an enough-budget, mid-brow western , a so-so level before the great Spaghetti westerns . "$100,000 for Ringo" has a thrilling start when a woman is relentlessly pursued by Indians ; a bit later on , she is murdered by a mysterious killer . The murderer will blame the innocent Indians about the crime . Then , a ¨white men posse¨ attack an Indian tribe , carrying out a brutal slaughter . Meanwhile , a wandering drifter called Ringo (Richard Harrison) arrives in a ranch where he's mistaken for a former resident named Ward Cluster who was believed dead in the Civil War . Cluster's spouse is now dead but his young son , Sean (Loris Loddi) raised by Indian chief , Gray Bear (Rafael Albaicín) , also believes Ringo to be his daddy and the kid plans a future with him . Soon after , Ringo or Lee Barton rides into the western town of Rainbow Valley in which he meets himself in opposition to local mobster , Cherry (Gerard Tichy) and his brother (Guido Lollobrigida or Lee Burton , Gina Lollobrigida's brother) . Ringo joins forces with a bounty hunter (Fernando Sancho) and a sheriff (Luis Induni) attempt to restore peace and order . Cherry seeks to find $200,000 stashed away by a Mexican general (Tomas Torres) and during the course of his chase captures and flogs Ringo .
This stirring tortilla/Ravioli Western packs thrills , shootouts , noisy action , and riding pursuits . Italian-Spanish co-production filmed in Catalunya , full of familiar faces , assaults , exaggerated characters , crossfire , lots of shots and fights . Starring Richard Harrison as a stranger rider , he is pretty nice , he ravages the screen , he jumps, leaps and bounds , hits and runs ; besides , receiving violent punches , whipping and wounds . Worthwhile watching for a demonstration of the confrontation between Richard Harrison and Gerard Tichy with some looks that say it all , including an exciting ending . Strong and robust Richard Harrison was a magnificent muscle-man . Harrison played in Hollywood some minor roles as ¨Kronos¨, ¨South Pacific¨ and ¨Master of world . Then , Harrison jumped at the chance when offered the first character in 1961 ,¨The Invincible Gladiator¨ , which was filming in Europe . He wound up settling in Italy for the next two decades . To avoid being penned in too much as a muscle man , he sought characters in routine spaghetti westerns as ¨Texas the Red¨, ¨Gringo¨, ¨Reverendo Colt¨ , ¨Joe Dakota¨ , even the main role from ¨For a fistful of dollars¨ was offered to Richard Harrison , but he turned down and explaining : Maybe my greatest contribution to cinema was not doing Fistful of Dollars, and recommending Clint Eastwood for the part . Support cast is frankly good , thanks to the boastful Fernando Sancho , playing a likable bounty hunter . He played a Mexican outlaw lots of times , as he starred multitude ¨Chorizo¨ or ¨Pipperone¨ Westerns , as the quarrelsome , swanky Mexican bandit , such as : ¨A pistol for Ringo¨, ¨Return of Ringo¨, "Requiem for a Gringo" , "Dakota Joe" , ¨Winchester Bill¨ , "The Man Who Came to Kill" and several others . Other important secondaries are the followings : Gerard Tichy as Tom Cherry who used local Indians to drive off settlers , subsequently turned against the Indians , Eleonora Bianchi as Deborah , a blonde townswoman who loves a drunken man played by Massimo Serato or John Barracuda , Mónica Randall as a beautiful Indian , Francisco Sanz as José , Tomás Torres as Mexican General , Luis Induni as Sheriff , Frank Oliveiras , Cesar Ojinaga .
Being decently photographed by Federico G. Larraya in Eastmancolor , Techniscope , though is necessary a fine remastering because of the film-copy is washed-out . Mostly filmed in atmospheric scenarios on location in Fraga , (Huesca) , similar to Almeria , and a Western village located in ¨Spugles De Llobregat¨ built by producers/directors brothers : Alfonso Balcázar , Francisco Balcázar , Juan Jose Balcazar though this Balcazar family went to bankrupt and had to sell the terrains . It resulted to be the locations where were shot lots of Westerns produced and directed by Catalan people , because Almeria was too far and the ¨Fraga¨ landscapes bear remarkable resemblance . There are many fine technicians , film editing by Teresa Alcocer , nice assistant direction and adequate production design by the usual Juan Albert Soler , the latter creates an acceptable scenario . Climatic and enjoyable musical score , including catching leitmotif , by Bruno Nicolai , usual collaborator to Ennio Morricone , adding a wonderful song : ¨Ringo¨ .
"One Hundred Thousand Dollars for Ringo" was well produced by Alfonso Balcazar productions that financed lots of Westerns . Most of them starred by Richard Harrison , Jorge Martin or George Martin , Luis Davila , Daniel Martin or Robert Woods . The motion picture was regularly directed by Alberto De Martino . He managed to make a fluid and filled with thrills , duels , attacks , and shots , though average . He was an Italian craftsman , working from the 60s in all kind of genres and B movies . As he directed Peplum (Secret seven , Spartan gladiators , Invincible gladiator , Valley of stone men) , Spaghetti Western (Django shoots first , Providence , Charge of seven cavalry) , Warlike (Dirty heroes) , European spy genre (OK Connery , Operation Lady Chaplin) , and Terror (Miami Golem , Tempter , Horror , Holocaust 2000) , among others . Rating : 5.5/10 acceptable and passable , though sometimes embarrassing . If you like Chorizo , Paella , Butifarra or Spaghetti westerns , this one remains lightly watchable .
