Die Bestialischen

...this might have been a decent western. The story, of a school teacher captured, raped and left for dead by thugs, whose then saved by a lone Apache she forms a bond with is nothing new. And neither is this rather dull movie. The ending is entirely predictable (again, in the hands of a more imaginative director, perhaps this would have been avoided). The saving grace is the beautiful Michele Carey, who actually shows some skin and Henry Silva as the Apache, Chatto. Keenan Wynn is surprisingly good as the lead villain, but the set ups are almost bad enough to be TV westerns and again, the story fails in the end.

The sort of movie where the Native American outfits appear to have come from Woolworth complete with rawhide leather go-go boots. The multiple titles alone tip you off it was hastily made for the bottom half of drive-in bills. It's sort of interesting in how it reflects (or panders to) the spirit of the late 60's/early 70's: protofeminist condemnation of rape, and peacenik condemnation of revenge. Meanwhile the viewers are supposed to get their kicks from the aforementioned acts, though at least the rape happens off-screen. Also typical of movies at the time, the story is bleak and pessimistic but for once mercifully short. Still it's worthy as a vehicle for Keenan Wynn, known for playing endearing cantankerous roles like Alonzo P. Hawk in the Disney Flubber movies. Here he has a scenery-chewing good time as a genuinely nasty bad guy, and he looks radiantly fit in his S & M-tinged nude scene. Another bonus is the theme music by future pina colada songwriter & Broadway director Rupert Holmes.

Henry Silva has been a long time favorite actor for years. I first saw him in an exceptional film called 'Johnny Cool.' In this western, originally called " Five Savage Men ", now entitled " The Animals " offering he plays Chatto a well known Apache warrior who comes across a motley group of bandits who have robbed a stage, murdered it's passengers and kidnapped a schoolteacher. Having had their way with the hapless school ma-rm, the gang splits up and go their separate way. Helped to recover by our Hero (Its nice to see Silva as the good guy), Alice McAndrew(Michele Carey) sets out to exact revenge against the five men. With an experienced Lawman Allan Pierce (John Anderson) and posse hot on their trail, the gang led by Pudge Elliott (Keenan Wynn) each take different trails. This movie plot is not unique as later mirrored by the succeeding film Hannie Caulder. What is unusual is that despite his commanding presence, Silva as Chato is seen as restrained in his role and the movie is hampered by the snail pace directing of Ron Joy. Still, it's a rather dramatic change to see a gun-toting female seeking violent revenge on her attackers. In addition, the formula of Whites against Indians does put a damper on the outcome and experienced audiences will guess the ending. ***

I've never understood why well established pros like Keenan Wynn and Henry Silva would have accepted the script of this Dick Bakalyan low budget western that looks more like a porn western or why the late actress-model Michele Carey, who worked with Elvis, John Wayne and Ben Gazzara, would agree to play a gang rape victim in a sick, brutal piece of junk. Wynn looked like he really enjoyed playing a sadistic killer and rapist. Sometimes I wonder if actors are genuinely embarrassed by some of the films they make. Silva, an engaging actor, plays a rare good guy who helps Michele get revenge. A really unpleasant movie that has numerous titles.

This would-be "with-it" revenge story in Western garb is notable only for having a female protagonist thus anticipating the cult item HANNIE CAULDER (1971). Still, Michele Carey's terrible central performance and her squeaky voice basically sink the film entirely as she projects little emotional scars from her ordeal; in fact, she seems to get back into a happy mood way too soon after her rape! The sadistic cast of characters are led by notorious bandit Keenan Wynn and Henry Silva is surprisingly cast as the Apache good guy who helps Carey carry out her retribution (interestingly, he had previously appeared in a similar - and much superior - tale, THE BRAVADOS [1958]). Another nail in the film's coffin is the sheer poverty of the direction which generates no suspense whatsoever as Silva and Carey are merely seen to effortlessly stumble upon each of the rapists' new hideout, kill them off without much ado and exit the scene; add to that the puerile fast-cutting technique employed intermittently which grows tiresome before too long. The trebly ironic ending, then, is a valiant attempt at resurrecting the movie but by then it is too late and only a fairly decent score saves the whole thing from a BOMB rating.