A Train for Durango

A great film, great cast and soundtrack. Steffen and Salerno make a fine pair, supported by a mystery gringo (Damon).

In the train o Durango they saw a robbery made by the Lobo (Camardiel) a a beautiful girl been taken by the thieves. They went where Lobo is, to revive the girl and the gold, but this pair is a little bite confused, and an American named Brown starting helping them, till they gets close the gold.

There are also the participation of Aldo Sambrell as a officer and José Bodalo as a chief of robbers. Gets a little bite boring in the middle but the end is fantastic.

Two rogues witness a train robbery carried out by Mexican revolutionaries. They try to offer their services to these men suggesting that they know how to break open a safe of money stolen in the raid, while at the same time they try to rescue a girl also abducted in the robbery.

A Train for Durango is a spaghetti western that also falls under that most uneven of sub-genres, namely the comedy western. I haven't seen too many of these that were worth a second look and to be honest this film is ultimately no different, even if it is a little better than most of its kind. It's still really actually quite unfunny which kind of is a problem, given that that is sort of one of its main ideas. But I would file it under forgettable as opposed to painful. The trio of main actors were pretty decent I have to say and it did in fact end on a pleasingly decent note. Actually, come to think of it, the ending was quite funny, despite what I said earlier. On the whole, it's one for spaghetti western fans mainly but it's strictly minor fare.

Two penniless adventurers (Anthony Steffen, Enrico Maria Salerno) see a possibility to steal a gold treasure from bandits after a train robbery. Too many competitors get involved, and the attempts to get hold of the gold get increasingly desperate.

A comedy with sophisticated writing which works surprisingly well with two leading actors who were not known as comedians in their other westerns. Also the rest of the cast is working fine with Mark Damon, Roberto Camardiel and Aldo Sambrell.

Though the 1970 spaghetti western "They Call Me Trinity" inspired a number of other comic spaghetti westerns, there were a few comic spaghetti westerns made before it, this movie being one of them. This one seems at times a little unsure of what tone to be, since there are several somewhat brutal killings by gunfire spread throughout. But most of the time the movie aims to be a silly experience. Though I have to admit that I didn't laugh at any time or at any gag, the light-hearted attitude makes the movie a pleasant experience if you are a fan of pasta westerns and want to see one that's somewhat different than usual. The only real complaint I have about it (other than the brutal parts) is that the movie for the longest time seems a little drawn out. Had it been shortened by fifteen or so minutes, I think it would have played out better. But the movie is all the same enjoyable.

Steffen and Salerno play Gringo and Lucas, two adventurers on their way back to Texas from Guatemala (where Steffen was shot in the behind). They sell their horses and guns to buy tickets for the train to Durango. On board is also a safe carrying a large sum of government money. While Steffen is flirting with a French mademoiselle (Dominique Broschero) and Salerno is sneaking up on passengers to steal their food, the train is robbed by three different gangs, led by the unholy trinity of El Lobo, Heraclio and El Jefe, who have joined hands for the occasion. The safe is stolen and the mademoiselle is kidnapped, but Gringo and Lucas, the only survivors of the massacre, accidentally find the two keys of the safe, and are now the only ones who can open it. They intend to get close to the safe now in the hand of El Lobo, a bandit. At various occasions, a mysterious American (Mark Damon), who drives around in a red car, appears at the right moment to save them.

A Train for Durango is a colorful, lively, and imaginative comedy western. It's lighthearted throughout, that is only tempered by the violence - a train robbery resulting in mass murder and a bizarre 'Death Ring' scene, featuring a group of people gathered round a table, playing a Mexican variation on Russian Roulette. But that's the nature of SW; they tend to have some black humour or morbidity. It's good to see Anthony Steffen play a lighter and not so smart character instead of his usual hard man silent roles. Dominique Broschero is a hottie. With that suaveness and sly grin, Mark Damon reminded me of Face from A-Team ( Dirk Benedict) and he was really good.