Il pistolero dell'Ave Maria

(1969) The Forgotten Pistolero/ Gunman of Ave Maria/ Il pistolero dell'Ave Maria DUBBED SPAGHETTI WESTERN

Co-written and directed by Ferdinando Baldi very loosely based on "Oresteia" by Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus. It centers on gunman, Rafael Garcia (Peter Martell) being sidetracked by three bandits attempting to follow orders of bringing him back. He succeeds in shooting all of them as well as some others around him leaving a bandit, Francisco alive so that he can give him a message. The next scene has Rafael reaching to an isolated ranch before he falls off his horse upon pleading with the rancher, Sebastian Carrasco (Leonard Mann) for some water. It appears Sebastian does not recognize Rafael at all, and he fills him on his past history that the current lady he has just buried nearby is not her actual mother. That Sebastian's actual mother is still alive and is hanging around in a town called Oaxaca. And after hanging around with him some more, he tells him how his actual mother, Anna Carrasco (Luciana Paluzzi) shot and killed his actual father, General Juan Carrasco (José Suarez) by shooting him on the back, who was conspired with a bandit leader, Tomas (Alberto de Mendoza). And that the lady, Sebastian he had just buried was nothing more but the nanny/ housekeeper. That he also happens to have a sister, Isabelle (Pilar Velazquez) married to a store keep. This sets the stage for them to set things right as viewers find out that the hired bandits were ordered to fetch Rafael and return him back to Anna. That Rafael spent years looking for Sebastian and has finally managed to convince him to join him.

There is many twists and turns with some complicated scenarios as well as some surprising revelations gives this film a pass. The ending wasn't bad either.

Ferdinando Baldo needs only 85 minutes to deliver a family drama of high complexity. Rafael hates Anna Carrasco because she didn't permit him to marry her daughter. To accomplish his revenge he searches for Anna's son Sebastian who wants to avenge the murder of his father who was actually murdered by Anna. Anna back then was helped by her lover whom she replaced already by another men. I will not continue any further, I hope you've got an entry into the muddled plot. Unfortunately this isn't a Western plot which means that genre fans will be rather disappointed. Fans of serious drama will be disappointed by the high pace which never permits to get any deeper into the characters. Anna's daughter Conchita says: "I will not leave the town as long as the murderers of my father still live here". Well, I would always prefer not to live together with murderers but that quantity of logic is missing. The story as it is told often rises more questions than it answers. Acting is as good as the weak script permits, the women are really handsome. Sets and locations give the impression of being in Southern Spain and not in the American West most of the time.

The high quality German DVD is a real bargain and has an English soundtrack.

5 / 10 (**)

Ferdinando Baldi's "Il Pistolero Dell' Ave Maria" aka. "Forgotten Pistolero" Of 1969 is good Spaghetti Western with an excellent score. Baldi is responsible for several good Spaghetti Westerns, including the great "Blindman" of 1971 and "Texas Addio" of 1966 with Franco Nero in the lead, and although "Forgotten Pistolero" is not one of his greatest achievements, Baldi proves once again, that he is an above average Western director. While "Blindman" is my definite favorite of Baldi's movies, I couldn't say whether I preferred "Texas Addio" of "Forgotten Pistolero". On the one hand, "Texas Addio" has Franco Nero, without doubt one of the Italian Western's best actors, in the lead, and the supporting cast includes Luigi Pistilli, Livio Lorenzon and Gino Pernice. On the other hand, the acting in "Forgotten Pistolero" is also very convincing, the score is excellent and the storyline is a bit more interesting than that of "Texas Addio".

After Sebastian's father, Civil War General Juan Carrasco (José Suárez) is murdered by his wife Anna (Luciana Paluzzi) and her lover Tomas (Alberto De Mendoza), their son Sebastian flees with his nanny and former wet-nurse. Years later, grown Sebastian (Leonard Mann) has become a fast and excellent shot. One day Rafael (Peter Martell) comes to Texas, where Sebastian lives, and brings back the dark memories of Sebastian's childhood. Rafael, who is the lover of Sebastian's sister Isabel (Pilar Velásquez), is constantly victimized by Anna Carrasco's henchmen (one of them played by Piero Lulli), and Sebastian agrees to join him back to his mother's estate in order to free his sister from their unscrupulous mother and to avenge his father's death.

This is the second movie starring Leonard Mann I've seen, after "Three Amens For Satan" of 1971. "Three Amens For Satan" was certainly no masterpiece, but Mann definitely delivered a good performance. In "Forgotten Pistolero" he is once again very good in the lead, and although Mann is not a very well-known Spaghetti Western actor, it should be said that this guy definitely had potential to play silent avenger types. Peter Martell also delivers a credible performance as Sebastian's sidekick Rafael, and Alberto De Mendoza is good as the villainous Tomas. The best performances in this movie, however, are in my opinion those of Luciana Paluzzi as the sneaky mother Anna Carrasco and beautiful Pilár Velásquez as Isabel. Piero Lulli fits perfectly into his (regrettably small) role of the brutal thug as always. The score by Roberto Pregadio is excellent, and the film is shot quite nicely in decent locations.

"Forgotten Pistolero" is a solid and entertaining Spaghetti Western, not a genre-highlight, but definitely a good film. 7/10

Moving and dramatic Macaroni/Paella Western about a violent feud among sons , mother and her lover . Spanish-Italian co-production with Spaghetti-heroes as Leonard Mann , Peter Martell against Luciana Paluzzi and Albert De Mendoza . An Italian-Spanish co-production full of action , exaggerated characters, gun-play and lots of violence . In the beginning of the movie returning from Civil War , general Jose Carrasco (Jose Suarez) is double-crossed and takes place an ambush, in which is killed by his unscrupulous spouse Anna (Luciana Paluzzi) and her lover named Tomas (Alberto De Mendoza) . The sole survivor named Sebastian of a slaughter seeks vendetta . Years later, grown-up Sebastian (Leonard Mann) has become a magnificent and fast-hand gunman. One day Rafael (Prieto Martellanz or Peter Martell) goes back to Texas , where Sebastian resides , and brings back the terrible records of Sebastian's infancy . Rafael, who is the lover of Sebastian's sister Isabel (Pilar Velazquez), insistently chased by Anna Carrasco's hoodlums (Jose Riesgo, Piero Lulli), and Sebastian agrees to join him back to his mother's estate in order to rescue his sister from their mommy and to avenge his daddy's death . After suffering atrocity , both of whom execute a single-handedly revenge , they hit , ravage and kill each person involved in the massacre . Follows the exploits of Sebastian Carrasco and Rafael Garcia in SW usual theme, 'revenge' . For pleasure, for avenge, don't care why they kills or how . They are relentless in their vendetta , deadly in his violence . The conflict is simple one between two avengers and a Baron land with his hoodlums , oppressors, nasty bandits .

It's an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between the protagonists Leonard Mann , Peter Martell and the enemy , Alberto De Mendoza, and his underlings . Leonard Mann is fine, he ravages the screen, he shoots , hits and run and ultimately takes the law on his own hands . Alberto De Mendoza as a cruelly baddie role is terrific, subsequently he would play similar characters in various oaters . Furthermore, appears usual secondary actors from Italian/Spanish Western as Jose Suarez , Jose Riesgo ,Franco Pesce , Jose Luis Martin , Luciano Rossi ,Enzo Fiermonte , and several others. Brief appearance of future Spahetti secondary myth , Piero Lulli . The film blends violence, blood, tension, family drama , high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing a shootout or stunt every few minutes . This is a good Spaghetti Western with some moments genuinely entertaining if you can avoid thinking too much . The musician Roberto Pregadio composes a vibrant soundtrack in Morricone style and well conducted ; including a catching leitmotif and considered to be one of the best . Atmospheric scenario with barren outdoors, dirty landscapes under a glimmer sun and a fine sets with striking cinematography in Eastmancolor with negative regularly processed , being necessary a right remastering . Interior filmed in Elios Studios (Rome) and outdoor sequences filmed on location in Lacio (Rome) along with Almeria, where in the 60s and 70s were shot innumerable Spaghetti.

It's a Western freely based on famous Orestes myth . According to Pindar, the young Orestes (here played by Leonard Mann) was saved by his nurse Arsinoe or his sister Electra (here Pilar Velazquez) , who conveyed him out of the country when Clytemnestra (Luciana Paluzzi) wished to kill him. In the familiar theme of the hero's early eclipse and exile, he then escaped to Mount Parnassus . In his twentieth year, he was urged by Electra to return home and avenge his father's death. He returned home along with his friend Pylades (Peter Martell) . The same myth is told differently by Sophocles and Euripides in their Electra plays. Other Spaghetti based on known and classic novels and plays , are the following : ¨Johnny Hamlet¨(1968) by Enzo G Castellari ; ¨The return of Ringo¨ by Duccio Tessari inspired on the ¨Odyssey¨, ¨John Il Bastardo¨(1967) based on books from Zorrilla and Moliere ; ¨Fury of Johnny Kid¨by Gianni Puccini based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and ¨Anche Nel West Céra una Volta Dio ¨ (1968) by Marino Girolami¨based on ¨Island of treasure¨ by Robert Stevenson. The motion picture was compellingly directed by Ferdinando Baldi . Baldi was a craftsman who directed all kind genres but especially Western such as "Carambola's Philosophy: In the Right Pocket" , "Django, Prepare a Coffin" , ¨Adios Texas¨ , ¨Rita in the West¨ and of course this ¨Il Pistolero dell'Ave Maria" or USA original title) "Forgotten Pistolero".

"Gunman of Ave Maria" ends up missing the mark. It has a good story. The male cast is fine and the female cast is dreamy but, for some reason, it doesn't really come together. It kind of plays like a Lifetime version of a spaghetti western. I guess they deserve some points for trying something different but I don't think I'll be re-watching "Gunman of Ave Maria" any time soon.