Le trésor du lac d'argent

This "natural" looking and tentious Western will give pleasure to nature-bound spectators as well as to Western fans. The first Winnetou western acts after the introduction of Old-Shatterhand (Lex Barker) and Apache-chief Winnetou (Pierre Brice) in the movie "Winnetou 1". Herbert Lom had been got for playing a colonel, restricted by the script. Marianne Hoppe had her first international movie. For the laughers: Eddie Arent (Lord Castlepool) and Ralf Wolter (Trapper Sam Hawkins) can be seen.

As a fan of western movies, I was astonished by this one. There was at least 300 or more extras in this film. There were bad guys, good guys, a whole lot of Indians, a secret tunnel, a cave with treasure, a beautiful girl, etc. The scenery was terrific. Apparently it was shot in southern or eastern Europe. All in all, a terrific film. I gave it a 10.

Treasure of Silver Lake is one of the most entertaining films I've ever seen. Establishing the template for every euro-western that followed, it features non-stop action, beautiful scenery (unfortunately compromised by the pan and scan version recently aired on Encore Westerns), and an amusing and watchable cast. Like most euro-westerns the film is more sympathetic to Native Americans than a typical Hollywood movie, but the Indians aren't really the focal point of the story--though they do ride around a great deal and emit fearsome war whoops. The Good Guys, led by sometime Tarzan Lex Barker, have a treasure map that will lead them to, erm, some treasure. The Bad Guys, led by a re-dubbed Herbert Lom (and who seem to have an unlimited supply of men, horses, and ammo), want that map! Much gunplay ensues. Lom gets to whip some of his men into shape (literally), there's a trapper with a frightwig (literally), and another trapper who speaks in rhyme! Highest recommendation, as long as you know what you're getting: a fun movie with lots of action.

Paving the way for the Italian "Spaghetti Westerns" was this German-made "Kraut Western" that kicked off a whole series of films based on the writings of frontier adventure author Karl May. American audiences will likely have a difficult time fully appreciating this film because of the downright horrendous dubbing. Also, even though this film is inspired by the countless American westerns that preceded it, it has certain elements that may be a turn-off to traditional western enthusiasts. However, to those who approach the film with an open mind and anticipate that the dialogue will sometimes sound unintentionally funny when paired with the faces on screen, the film is more than a little entertaining. Barker plays a legendary drifter called Old Shatterhand. He roams the plains with his best pal Winnetou ("Chief of all Apaches" as the script dictates) played by Brice (and apparently played over and over by Brice in film and even on stage!) This neo-"Lone Ranger and Tonto" duo rights wrongs and helps various settlers with their sizable problems. This time out, they team up to thwart a ruthless band of criminals (led by Lom) who will stop at nothing to retrieve the title goods. If this rather simple plot sounds dull, it is decidedly not! The nearly epic film depicts stunning scenery, a nail-biting assault on a fort, a knock down contest between Barker and a towering Indian chief and a satisfactory climax at Silver Lake. Barker, a gloriously handsome former "Tarzan" has his beautiful mug hidden under a beard at first, but not for too long. He gives a standout performance in a role which won him multitudinous European fans. Brice (a French, blue-eyed actor!) doesn't get to do as much, but still made enough impact to assure a long career as this character. Also in the cast is hunky, stocky, deliriously sexy George. He manages to overcome the ridiculous vocal dubbing and provide a highly energetic and entertaining performance. In fact, all of the actors got a rigorous workout in the making of this film. They clearly did much of their own riding and stunt work. (Some of it is really odd. Watch for the fight scene between George and Lom in which George practically sits on Lom's face and then picks him up by his genitals to throw him! George also throws a dead/injured man down a well....the only source of drinking water for miles and miles! Why?) On hand for decorative purposes (which she fulfills well) is Dor, who would later be a Bond girl and the subject of one of Hitchcock's most famous camera shots in "Topaz". Lom (with a shocking burst of red hair on his usually bald head) is also beset by bad dubbing, but comes across as a serious villain. There are some comic relief characters that are excruciating. A Gabby Hayes-style rip off in a fright wig, a foppish entomologist with a butterfly net and, worst of all, a lanky, coonskin cap-wearing man who insists (to the utter torture of the viewing audience) on speaking everything in rhyme! There are also goofy elements like people hiding behind tiny trees and bushes in plain sight, yet not being seen. Still, the good outweighs the bad here with the colorful characters and exciting situations going a long way to make the film entertaining. The music also tends to be pretty interesting when it isn't intrusive. The scenes at the title lake are truly beautiful, not only due to the gorgeous setting, but also because George finally takes his shirt off for a while. Fans of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" will find the climax of this film to be a bit of an inspiration for the climax of that film.

First off, I usually avoid commenting on the thoughts of other contributors to the IMDb, but since when does anyone evaluate a Western strictly on the basis of it's historical accuracy? Sounds about as logical as noting that Wile E. Coyote was working with materials purchased out of the ACME catalog that were not available in 1967 when a given cartoon was made. Like, whatever: Cowboys wear six-guns, ride horses, have mountains in the background of their locations, and don't look twice at supporting characters who are wearing baseball caps ... even though baseball had not yet been invented whenever TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE is supposed to be set.

Back to matters at hand, this was the first of a string of German made "Schnitzel Westerns" based on the books of Karl May, sort of a Teutonic version of Zane Gray who probably never got out to Dodge City either -- proof positive that anyone can write convincing fiction on any subject they choose so long as they are properly inspired & enthusiastic about it. As one other contributor notes this film is actually more progressive than American made productions of the time in it's respectful (if somewhat childish) portrayal of Native American culture. The Germans may not have gotten the war paint right but they were in awe of the Indians and don't just regard them as pop-up targets to be shot at -- though the idea of having the good guys shoot only their horses as a way to show that they were "friends" is questionable & unfortunate due to the wire tripped horse falls used to simulate it. But that's 1962 for you, and to impose modern day standards on the film is to condemn it to obscurity, which is sadly what has happened. It was wrong to trip the horsies in 1962 but even more wrong to condemn the film for being what it is, and it deserves to be seen.

Now with that said this is one of the most endearingly stupid Westerns I have ever encountered, infectiously likable from beginning to end. Euro Manbeef hero actor Lex Barker plays "Old Shatterhand", Mr. May's version of Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett combined into one character. He wears a buckskin suit, fights Injun style and at the beginning of the film is wearing a beard for the sole purpose of shaving it off to look more "civilized". Popular film villain Herbert Lom is on-hand to play the scheming, scowling, always cheezed-off villain, who wants to find a treasure of Injun gold and keep it all to himself. Villains are always more believable when they keep their motivations close to the wallet.

We also get the fetching 007 Bond Babe to be Karin Dor as the fresh-faced white woman who gets tied up to various posts no less than three times during the course of the movie and is not once felt-up by any of the bad guys. This was a more noble time in the west before Peckinpah when cowboys did each other the courtesy of fighting fair, washing regularly and wearing color coordinated costumes. There are mass horseback charges, duels to the death, a stockaded settlement to be defended, honor to be upheld, friends to be saved from doom, wise-spoken blue eyed Indian braves and doting womenfolk who dutifully stand by their men through thick & thin.

The movie has a cast of hundreds, it's Yugoslavian location work is impressively authentic if yet refreshingly unfamiliar, and the good old poetic justice ending for the greedy villains straight out of TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE get the heroes out of having to actually kill anyone. It's sweeping theme music is quite enjoyable, the camera-work arty without being bogged down by distracting flourishes, and only some unnecessary comic relief in the form of a wayward butterfly collector come between the film and a masterpiece status. It is enjoyable if somewhat socially naive, wholesome and visually compelling entertainment that the whole family can enjoy together. A testimony to modern day man's unquenchable desire to play cowboys & Indians, with even the Indians coming off as the good guys. It's stupid for sure, but aside from some wire-tripped tumbling horsies (and I pray that none were hurt), what about this movie isn't there to like?

7/10