Leofwine_draca GUNFIGHT AT RED SANDS is a good-natured spaghetti western, made just one year before Sergio Leone's A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS helped to define the genre as we know it today. As such, GUNFIGHT is more in line with the kind of Hollywood westerns that were produced in the 1950s, such as HIGH NOON: it's neither as gritty nor as dark and violent as many of the spaghetti westerns made in the late '60s. Nevertheless, I'd recommend it as a film definitely worth a watch, because it has much going for it – not least another effective leading man performance from peplum actor Richard Harrison. Harrison, who made his name in equal numbers of westerns and historical adventures, is as tough and ready as he ever was on screen. He's no Eastwood, but he does a good job.My biggest complaint with this movie is the score by Ennio Morricone. This guy is one of my favourite composers, thanks to his iconic work on Leone's DOLLARS trilogy, but his music here sounds twee and dated, as if it came from some '30s melodrama than a '60s western. It seems he's constrained here by the producers, and the lack of experimentation hurts the movie a lot. Still, it's not all bad. The screenplay by future trash director Albert Band breathes life into old genre staples – i.e. the adopted son, the corrupt lawman, the criminal gang, the fiery love interests – and the action is well-handled, with plenty of nicely-choreographed brawls, shoot-outs, and gun battles. The chief villain role goes to Giacomo Rossi-Stuart and he fits it like a glove; I never did like this actor when I saw him playing the 'good guy', much preferring him as a slimy creep. Mikaela and Sara Lezana play opposing love interests, the former fiery while the latter sweet, although astonishingly I read somewhere that Lezana was born in 1948, which made her only 15 when she appeared in this film, kissing and frolicking with Harrison – surely an error?

spider89119 Gunfight At Red Sands is an excellent early spaghetti western. It is probably the best pre-1964 eurowestern I have seen.I wouldn't be surprised if this spaghetti was the one that started it all, as far as the style goes. The other early examples of the genre I have seen seem to be lacking in the defining characteristics that make these films so great, but this movie has all of the stylistic elements in place. The ultra-bleak depiction of life in the west, a couple of oddball off-kilter characters, a great music score (by the master, Morricone, no less), some great suspense-building camera work, a dramatic showdown, and lots of rousing action really make this one stand out.The acting in the film is very good, and definitely above-average for a eurowestern. Richard Harrison is great in the role of "Gringo." Giacomo Rossi-Stuart also does an excellent job in the role of Sheriff Corbett. All of the other players are great as well. The character "Lisa," played by Sara Lezana, is one of the strongest female characters I have seen in a western. She's every bit as tough, and can shoot as well as any other character in the story, and she has a very prominent role in the most important action scenes of the film.The story is a very engaging one, and it moves along at a really good pace. There are no slow parts or fillers in this movie. There is also a strong element of mystery, as Gringo has to do a fair amount of detective work to figure out who murdered his father.All in all, this is a great movie that no spaghetti western fan should overlook.

zardoz-13 Muscle-bound peplum star Richard Harrison dons a Stetson and buckles on spurs and six-shooters in Spanish director Ricardo Blasco's "Gunfight at Red Sands," one of the earliest examples of Continental westerns before Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars" kick-started Spaghetti westerns. Some of the people behind the scenes on this oater later on figured prominently in the Leone westerns, principally composer Ennio Morricone using the pseudonym 'Dan Savio,' "Fistful of Dollars" lenser Massimo Dallamano as 'Jack Dalmas,' veteran Euro-western bad guy Aldo Sambrell of "Navajo Joe," and another "Fistful of Dollars" actor Jose Calvo who owned the saloon between the Rojos and the Baxters in the Leone classic. Morricone cut his teeth on Euro-westerns with this Spanish-produced sagebrusher and the title tune that he composed with lyricist Dicky Jones could easily qualify as the anthem for spaghetti westerns, with lyrics like "Keep your hand on your gun/Don't you trust anyone/There's only one man you can trust/That's a dead man or a Gringo like me." Altogether, "Gunfight at Red Sands" ranks as a pretty fair facsimile of the American variety with heaps of hard-riding, fast-shooting action set against rugged desert scenery and a well-laid out western town.Richard Harrison, who made several spaghetti westerns, such as "Gunfight at High Noon" (1963), "One Hundred Thousand Dollars for Ringo" (1965), "El Rojo" (1967), and "Between God, the Devil, and a Winchester" (1968), was just at home on the range as a western hero as he was in the peplum genre as a strongman. The character that he plays in "Gunfight at Red Sands" is the 'Gringo' referred to in Ennio Morricone's song. Before Gringo makes his appearance, scenarist Albert Band—who helmed a couple of spaghettis himself, "The Tramplers" (1966) and "The Hellbenders" (1967)—and writer/director Blasco lay the ground work for the action. Manuel (Giacomo Rossi-Stuart) rides into Red Sands to drink and gamble, but he drinks too much and loses everything, including a pouch of gold. During his gambling spree, he mentions that his father, sister, and he have found more than enough gold to buy the saloon. Later, three masked gunslingers surprise his dad at home, shoot him in cold blood, and steal several bags of gold from a compartment in the floor. Meantime, Ricardo (Richard Harrison) has spent the last four years fighting alongside the revolutionaries in their desperate bid to rid their country of the oppressive political regime that makes their lives so miserable. White-clad soldiers by the dozens have Pedro (Jose Calvo) and Gringo on the run. In fact, Gringo barely escapes with his life after Pedro and they splash across the Rio Grande back into Texas, but one of the troops fires a last shot and kills poor Pedro. Sickened by all this bloodshed, Gringo decides to settle down and live a peaceable life. His illusions are shattered when he rides home to find his father dead on the floor of their ranch. When Gringo launches his own investigation, he clashes with the local lawman who displays his bigotry for all things Hispanic as do several of the townspeople. Later, inquisitive Manuel discovers that Maria, a saloon hostess, has been keeping their stolen gold stashed in their safe. Manuel kills the saloon owner, escapes with the gold and a posse pursues him to the ranch. Gringo sends Manuel packing before the posse arrives. When they show up, Gringo proves that the stolen gold belonged to his father. An anti-Mexican deputy gets in a brawl with Gringo and our hero kills him in front of witnesses, providing the sheriff with a legitimate reason to lock him up."Gunfight at Red Sands" has several surprises and plot twists during its lean 95 minute running time. The intolerance shown toward Mexicans qualifies it as a message movie of sorts and the hero is an American who had been adopted by Mexicans and raised as one of the family. No, there are no racial epithets, but one laughing cowboy distinguishes Mexicans by their stench until Gringo roughs him up during a saloon brawl. Morricone's flavorful scores enhances the excitement and heightens the drama throughout. The dubbing appears to be rather well-done, considering that this is a Euro-western, and the performances throughout are good, too. Unfortunately, the only prints available of this landmark western are horrible public domain prints, but it is still an entertaining saga.

boardwalk_angel 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.