Gunfight in the Red Sands

Richard Harrison is a gringo raised by a family of poor Mexican farmers, who have recently discovered gold on their property. He returns home from a war in Mexico to find his father shot down by three strangers looking to take his treasure, leading to a showdown with several local bigots and friction with the town's new sheriff.

Although definitely not the first western shot in southern Spain nor the first Italian-made western, this may have been the first real "spaghetti western" (albeit with American co-writer Albert Band), by Jolley Film of Rome, the studio that made A Fistful Of Dollars the following year.

Some say that El Sabor de la Venganza, released the same year, came before. However, I'm not entirely convinced, as this is the one that's acknowledged as the film debut of Spanish genre star Aldo Sambrell, an actor who appeared in both films.

Harrison, better known for starring in a slew of Italian sword and sandal features, is pretty good playing the sullen, lone-avenger type in this typical but entertaining flick, that benefits greatly from a fast-pace, good action, and gun-play.

This is also notable for being the first western film scored by the great Ennio Morricone. It's not his best, but there's a few good moments, including the catchy main-theme "A Gringo Like Me", featuring a truly odd vocal performance that was changed and made more mainstream for it's CD appearances!

This film essentially begins with a young man named "Manuel Martinez" (Daniel Martin) and his sister "Elisa Martinez" (Sara Lezana) riding into a nearby town to buy some supplies. Once there, Manuel heads straight for the saloon while Eliza goes to shop at the local general store. As is often the case, Manuel then proceeds to get extremely drunk and it's during this time that a brief fight breaks out which results in him being escorted by a local bargirl named "Maria Huertas" (Mikaela) to her room so that he can sober up. Unfortunately, the very next day three cowboys ride to the ranch where he and Elisa live and, after killing their father, ride off with some gold Manuel had hidden under the floor of their home. Not long afterward, their adopted brother "Ricardo 'Gringo' Martinez" (Richard Harrison) arrives and, together with Manuel, decides to find and kill those responsible. But what neither Gringo doesn't realize, however, is that one of the people involved in this crime is someone he considers to be a trusted friend. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an interesting film due in large part to the fact that it was one of the earliest Spaghetti Westerns to hit the American market. Having said that, one particular issue concerned the rather basic script which could have been compromised to a certain degree by the English dubbing. But even so, it wasn't a bad film by any means and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

I had the chance of watching this great movie the other day. Everybody told me that it was a great "spaghetti-western", and I really believe it is. And I´ll tell you why. The movie plot is very intriguing, the rhythm is unbeatable, and it´s a story it could have happened somewhere in the west last century. It´s just wonderful, great. And by the way it´s also one of the first spaghetti-westerns. The great performances of Richard Harrison, Mikaela, Daniel Martín, and the rest of the cast make this movie absolutely delightful. And to boots the main title song called "A gringo like me" is one of the best pieces I´ve heard in a western of this kind: "Put your hand on your gun...don´t you trust anyone, there´s just one kind of man that you can trust, that´s a dead man... or a gringo like me...".

This is a film for people with interest in the Western genre, mostly those who respect the European sub-genre, in the 1990's mostly connected to Italy, Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood but nowadays also related to director-names such as Sergio Corbucci and Sergio Sollima.

Filmed before Sergio Leone's success of the dollar-films, Duello nel Texas has several motives in common with Leone's films. The film is said to be set in the same surroundings, the film has the same composer (Morricone of course) and the film's story is set near the border between USA and Mexico. I watched it as a small kid, with enthusiasm over the action packed plot and some colorful characters. 20 years later, I got the opportunity to see it again. No widescreen, bad colors, bad sound and a very scratchy picture. At least it was the film that I had been waiting for.

Duello nel Texas doesn't start very promising but it grows. The Morricone-music is the best of it. The main antagonists holds the film together, and everything results in a conventional but great gunfight (that kind of direction looks so European/Italian-Western). You can find rather independent woman in the film, some anti-racism and a typical fist-fight (set in a bar). The plot is not as sophisticated as the ones in Leone's films, but it works good on it's own.

Duello nel Texas is a must see for the "die-hard European Western- fan".

Rating: 6 of 10.

1963...Sergio Leone had done 1 film as credited director..."Colossus of Rhodes"..; Clint Eastwood was still best known as "Rowdy Yates" on "Rawhide". Duello Nel Texas was released in Italy in Sept. 1963...Filmed in Northern Spain....using the set that would later be used as the town in FOD & FAFDM. Ricardo Blasco ..directed 8 other films..a couple of Zorro movies...most of his work was as Second Unit Director or Assistant Director. Massimo Dallamano, the cinematographer, went on to be director of photography on both Fistful Of Dollars and FAFDM.

Richard Harrison..had appeared in 1 previous "pre-spaghetti" Western..."El Sabor de la Venganza" (1963) (Gunfight at High Noon (USA) )....& went on to play Ringo in "$100,000 for Ringo"....Rocco in "Vengeance" (.Joko invoca Dio e muori).. & starred in "I'll Forgive You, Before I Kill You" .... .."Aquasanta Joe" & others. Gunfight at Red Sands is also noteworthy for being the first Italian Western to feature a Ennio Morricone score...& if my instincts are correct......a collaboration w/ Bruno Nicolai.

Harrison is Ricardo..a/k/a "Gringo"......who returns from an unsuccessful campaign fighting w/ guerillas in Mexico...& now just wants peace.......to discover that his adoptive father has been killed & the family's gold stolen. So he's gotta..avenge his father..& get the gold back.

This is Harrison without the stubble..not quite the antihero...an avenger...but not "The Stranger"...although he has been away for 4 years.

As for Ennio Morricone's first Western score.....parts of it are quite nice...others are just...OK...Hollywood-style stuff, as requested by the film's producers. ..Of course, early Morricone is very interesting...the title song (A Gringo Like Me) is a different version than the one that's become somewhat familiar...an earlier version w/ a different vocalist. He is also credited as musical director under the name of "Leo Nichols"...which for me is too close to Bruno Nicolai..that I suspect that to be a mistake..& Nicolai to be the true musical director.

The Italian Western was still very much an American Western imitation..but we see the SWlike quirk here & there..a lot of "roots" of what was to come in many films....the weird villain type (giggling..twitching guy)............& there's gold..Mexican revolutionaries...a corrupt sheriff who hates Mexicans....more than a few killings..a couple of not very well done fistfights..a final showdown that's OK.......minor red herrings & misdirection..pretty straightforward. Good bit early..the shootout w/ the Federales...although it does come off as too theatrical. Check out the scene early on when a jeep drives by in the background. Rest of the cast ranges from pretty awful to pretty good... nice turn by Sara Lezana as Lisa..who gets to show off some action chops that a year later became traditionally not done by women in SW.

Gunfight At Red Sands is really a PRE-Spaghetti Western....in tone... & spirit....dramatically & musically. It has more in common with the Hollywood knockoffs produced in Italy pre '64...but SW devotees will definitely notice & appreciate the elements of future films that are there...

The style hadn't arrived yet......nor the twinkle in the eye..but something quite unique and wonderful was just about to be born.

Spaghetti Western? Maybe an Antipasto Western.