Il figlio di Django

"Son of Django" amounts to nothing more than the title character's vendetta against what approximates a "Mafia don" in the old west...... It's a routine plot with Jeff Tracy, Django's son avenging his death. I never liked our American westerns much because they mostly seemed so unconvincing...the heroes (like Randolph Scott and John Wayne) and even the villains are way too clean and sterilized for the times, and the killings are antiseptically bloodless for some odd reason. I now watch them just for the plots and the settings, which are superior to the spaghetti westerns.

As sub-par as this one is, it's faults are mainly due to the writers and director. Gabriele Tinti cannot be blamed for his lack of any credible dialog. His good-looking, masculine face and weathered,beard-shadowed jaw perfectly resembles those western heroes customarily pictured on American pulp paperbacks. He's long, lean and could be mean, but he's got a lot of soul and some morality, too. My favorite sequence is when he intervenes to stop a brutal and seemingly endless gang beating of an innocent man right in the middle of the town, in front of the victim's wife. It's hard to believe that Tinti, who looks like the perfect, slightly grubby epitome of the western hero was stuck for most of his career as a supporting character in "Emmanuelle" films. What a waste!

I give this film a 7 out of 10 just because of Tinti's magnificent presence which illustrates the ideal of the American western hero. With a better script worthy of him, this could have been a standout and a new direction for his body of work.

Why the Wild East DVD company decided that this particular spaghetti western was worth a DVD release in North America, I can't say for certain. Maybe it was because American Guy Madison was one of the actors in it, but any fans of Madison will likely be very disappointed by how he's used here. He doesn't first show up until more than a third of the movie has passed, and he doesn't get to speak until half the movie has gone by. To add insult to injury, his character really doesn't get to do that much. It's possible the movie could have still worked despite all this, but for the most part the movie comes across as an amateur effort. It looks and feels really cheap, and the feel of the movie is cold and passionless. The bad script makes everything unfold at a really slow pace. That is, when the story makes sense, since there are some really unclear and confusing portions throughout. (Just try to understand the first part of the movie!) This is one Euro western that really gives the genre a bad name.

With two great titles (SON OF DJANGO and VENGEANCE IS A COLT 45), top-billed Guy Madison, and director Osvaldo Civirani at the helm (a man who has made quirky films in a number of genres--he sometimes misses the mark, but he takes chances), I had high hopes for this film.

The DEATH RIDES A HORSE-style opening sequence was quite exciting too, but the film that followed was a letdown. The pacing is flat, the lead character is neither interesting enough nor mysterious enough to command much attention, and Guy Madison, although top-billed, should really have been given "and with the special participation of" billing in the credits as he is essentially a guest star. Gabriele Tinti is the protagonist, and he basically stumbles from one scene to another, getting the tar knocked out of him, but not showing much of a distinctive character (Richard Harrison would provide wit as he went through such torment, Tomas Milian would spew contempt toward his tormentors, Craig Hill would command fear even after getting beaten temporarily). There are a few nicely composed shots, a few places where the music is haunting and we see Tinti riding alone, and of course Guy Madison is excellent as the gunslinging priest/minister who comes to Tinti's aid, but isn't exactly welcomed. This role is a bit different from Madison's later role in Reverend Colt, a much better film.

The "climax" of the film is quite unsatisfying too--I don't know if Tinti is to blame. Probably hurried writing and slack directing are responsible. Fortunately, AFTER the lame climax with Tinti, Madison's is the last face we see, so at least the film left a positive image in my mind.

Although a "revenge for a murdered father" film, SON OF DJANGO features little tension and this viewer at least didn't really care whether Tinti got his revenge. There are probably a dozen Bob Steele westerns from the 1930s with a similar plot, and nine-tenths of them as I remember pulled me into Steele's quest for revenge. Not here.

I can recommend the film only to Guy Madison collectors--he's fine here, although once again dubbed by someone else--and Eurowestern completists. And for the latter, I should say that this is not a BAD film, just an average one. It may well work for you, but didn't for me.

Ravioli Western with a professional Italian director and two main actors from Spaghetti : Tinti and Madison . This is an exciting film , plenty action , thrills , fights , and starking outdoors from El Lacio , Rome . This violent Western is set on dirty outdoors and evocative interiors , the star is a mysterious revenger who searches for the killer of his father , who comes to a dangerous town and taking on nasty villainous . It deals with an avenger named Jeff Tracy (Gabrielle Tinti), he gone back from a dark past to revenge his parent . Jeff searches for the killer of his infamous daddy , the implacable gunslinger Django . He arrives in a small town , a location called Topeka dominated by violent gangs . In that place there is a feared band led by Clay and his nasty gunfighters . Jeff faces off two wealthy owners Clay Ferguson (Daniele Vargas) and Thompson (Ignazio Spalla or Pedro Sanchez) , both of whom are feuding over business . Thereby involved in a war between two factions headed by former acquaintances of his father . Meanwhile , Tracy saves a damsel in distress called Jane Grayson (Ingrid Schoeller) from Ferguson's hoodlums .

Ordinary Western follows the Sergio Leone wake , as it is proceeded in Spaghetti models more than the American Western style . It's a moving western with breathtaking gunfight between the protagonist Gabriele Tinti against the heartless Daniele Vargas and his henchmen ; in addition , a stirring ending fight in the saloon and town square . This movie is a lot of fun to watch , packing elaborate shoot-outs , moving filming , and portentous close-ups of grime-encrustred faces with bloodbaths included . It's an entertaining story with a touch of peculiarity , some offbeat as well as violent roles , and an amazing music score . The picture is a tale of justice and revenge , as a tough man seeks vendetta and his objective results to be a bloody revenge . The basic plot is typical spaghetti western fare , but what makes this movie stand out is its style . The picture is well starred by Gabriele Tinti . Tinti is appropriate in his usual two-fisted character , he ravages the screen , shoots , hit and run and kills . Tinti began playing brief drama roles , in the early 50s , as "Chronicle of Poor Lovers¨ . From there , Gabriele went on acting in sword-and-sandal epics , later moving onto the Western genre , wartime , thrillers and erotic films along with his then wife , Laura Gemser , where he found his niche . The handsome , Italian-born Tinti may be a name best remembered by Soft-core aficionados , he was one of the most popular actors of the genre from the mid-'60s to 70s and 80 until his early death at 59 . Tinti performed a lot of cheap B movies , some of them , nowadays , revered cult classics . Gabriele also interpreted in support roles some international productions as ¨The flight of the Phoenix¨, ¨Guns for Cordoba¨, ¨Riders on the rain¨ and ¨Delusions of Grandeur¨. However , he never became a top international box-office attraction . His acting is often accused of being wooden , but in many manners is ideally suited to playing the steely-faced gunslinger synonymous with the genre . "Son of Django" also starred by Guy Madison , actor who had his first major role in "Until the End of Time" a drama directed by Edward Dmytryk, 1946 to then changed in action roles , mainly series B westerns , get some success with the series "Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok" and ends up traveling in Europe in the sixties where he made a lot of Euro-westerns , such as : ¨Duel at Rio Bravo¨ , ¨7 Winchester for a massacre¨ , ¨Bang bang Kid¨, ¨Five for revenge¨ and ¨Reverend Colt¨ , the latter he played a priest , too . Support cast is plenty of familiar faces , appearing the Spaghetti ordinary roles , such as : Daniele Vargas , Ignazio Spalla , Ivan Scratuglia , Luciano Rossi , Andrea Scotti , Roberto Messina and John Bartha . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shoot'em up or stunts every few minutes . There is a very odd implementation of shots in the camera work during some particular scenes as the film approaches its climax , such as in the final gunfights . The movie gets the usual Western issues , as avenger antiheroes , violent facing off , exaggerated baddies and spectacular duels , excessive zooms , among them . The musician Piero Umiliani composes a nice soundtrack in Morricone style and well conducted , this turns out to be one of the most memorable parts of the movie ; as it's full of enjoyable sounds and haunting musical background . The soundtrack contributes tremendously to the atmosphere of the film, including an emotive leitmotif , and some wonderful songs ; the music score is perhaps the best part of this film . Striking and atmospheric cinematography by Nanuzzi .

Osvaldo Civirani's direction is professionally crafted , here he is more inclined toward violence and packs too much action , but especially this thrilling Western contains long shoot'em up . He directed this average/passable western , genre in which he would not only excel but one where he would spent much of the rest of his career , as he wrote/directed some Spaghettis , such as : "Rick and John, Conquerors of the West" , "Trusting Is Good... Shooting Is Better" , "Two Sons of Trinity" . Although he also directed other genres as Peplum : ¨"Kindar the Invulnerable" , "La Magnifica Sfida" , ¨The adventures of Hércules¨ and thrillers/Eurospy genre as "The Beckett Affair" , and "Operazione poker"

I disagree with the other reviewer and to my taste this is a superior spaghetti with an off-character performance from Tinti that places him IMHO in a superior niche to anything that Richard Harrison ever did. While this is not a great spaghetti it is a competent film and many of the scenes deserve repeat viewing for interest. This movie contains all of the elements of a fine spaghetti however it is weak in significant areas relating to storyline, continuity and detail. For example, this was not a starring role for Madison. Madison should have been listed as a "featured" cast member, however this detail does not impact the film overall. Yes his entrance is awkward -- almost an after thought -- but he did contribute to the action and I especially liked his line about "an eye-for-an-eye" being different where guns and bullets are concerned! So finally this is (after all) a 1967 period spaghetti, and IMO one of the better ones. Overall I rate this movie as a solid 7 to my taste where 10 would be something like Vengeance or Keoma.