L'appât de l'or noir

This is the second "Winnetou" western I've seen, and though I have yet to see more of the series, I'm getting the feeling they are more or less the same. Stewart Granger actually makes a good hero - though starting to age, he has both a charm and a heroic presence that fits this particular "Hand" hero he plays. Other than that, it's more of the same - nice scenery, but bogged down by a leaden pace, blatant padding (especially toward the end) plus comic relief that's both utterly unfunny and childish. There is some interest in seeing a young Terence Hill, several years before he became a European superstar, and there is some amusement to see HIM being the one slapped and punched around for a change!

New entry in long series including attractive characters , crossfire and gorgeous Yugoslavian exteriors magnificently photographed ; included the beloved friends : the righteous leader of the Apaches, and his blood brother Old Surehand . It deals with a nasty businessman nicknamed The Oilprince (Harald Leipnitz) . He looks forward to a lucrative covenant with the "Western Arizona Bank¨ represented by an ambitious banker . He sells the bank some oil wells at Shelly Lake that do actually not exist . Meanwhile , a group of colonists run by Bill Campbell (Walter Barnes) head to settle there . They are joined by Old Surehand (Stewart Granger) who agrees to escort them in a search for the precious lands . There is also a card player (Terence Hill or Mario Girotti) helping the group , but he has dark intentions , he is really a traitor ; later on , he falls in love with the girl (Macha Meril) in an enjoyable love story . Then , there takes place an emotive meeting between and Winnetou (recently deceased -2015- Pierre Brice) and Old Surehand to carry out their good purports and save them . As the heinous Oilprince to be aware that the settlers would like to settle at Shelly Lake . He , then , plans to exchange the scout of the settlers by one of his underlings to give them another route . But soon the Oilprince has to recognize that he has not counted on Winnetou and his faithful half-brother Old Surehand , both of whom are on the trail to discover the truth . In spite of troubles caused by bandits led by unscrupulous Oilprince and some rebel Indians who seek revenge , they get escape . Old Surehand set out on pursuit of Oilprince and his minions bandits and prepares them a trap . After that , the train wagon reaches ¨Shelly Lake¨ , a location full of swift streams , risked falls and a dangerous river to cross in some spectacular scenes (most of them made by means of transparency) that are the highlights of the movie . At the end takes place a thrilling epilogue by means of shootouts and fire with no much sense .

This is a thrilling and stirring adventure based on Karl May novel with two agreeable roles , being stunningly played by Stewart Granger and Pierre Brice respectively . This is a so-so episode about one of the series of popular German made Western , featuring the duo who agree to guide the motley group trough Indian territory , both of them repeat their same notorious roles as dignified as always . This enjoyable saga benefits from sensational adventures , shoot'em up , betrayals , larger-than-life characters and overwhelming scenarios shot in Spandau, Berlin, Cetina river, Krka Falls, Krka National Park, Croatia and Perucko reservoir, Yugoslavia .

Winnetou-Pierre Brice repeats , as usual, his excellent role to be continued in a TV series . Brice was descendant of old French nobility and considered to be one of the most famous and most loved actors in Germany and in the other countries in Eastern Europe , thanks to this role and starred several pictures as charming Indian Winnetou . He even received First Class Medal as one the most popular Frenchmen in Germany . In 1962, the German producer Horst Wendlandt searched for an actor who should play the Native American chief and got to know Brice at the Berlin Film Festival . He got the role and portrayed "Winnetou" in ten more movies . Barker scored especially high marks , though he played as a serious and intelligent man who joins forces with Winnetou , while Stewart Granger as Old Surehand performs with humor and joy , he's the perfect counterpoint to Winnetou . Enjoyable relationship between Old Surehand and Winnetou is quite match . The highbrow Lex Barker played the most part of series : ¨Apache gold (1963)¨ by Harald Reinl, ¨Apaches last Battle (1964)¨ by Hugo Fregonese, ¨Last of renegades(1964)¨, ¨The desperate trail¨, ¨Old Surehand¨ (1965) directed by Alfred Vohrer, ¨Old Shatterland(1966)¨ by Harald Philipp, ¨In the valley of death(1968)¨ by Harald Reinl . Stewart Granger took the role in two occasions , he starred a diverse character but the role is pretty similar to Old Shatterland , he plays with mirth and sympathetic manner as ¨Among vultures¨ and ¨Winnetou and Surehand¨ . Besides , Rod Cameron starred only one : ¨Old Firehand¨ in which chemistry between stuffy Cameron and Brice is inexistent . Nice support cast such as the customary nasty Harald Leipnitz along with the Morocco woman : Macha Méril , Walter Barnes and ¡ Terence Hill ! prior his amusing films with Bud Spencer playing as Trinidad and Bambino . In fact , Terence married an American girl of Bavarian descent , and learning German language , he starred several Germanic films , before his successful Italian ones .

The film displays a colorful cinematography and a catching , sensitive musical score ,though with excessive use of synthesizer by Martin Bottcher , series's ordinary , being eventually replaced in some episode by Peter Thomas . The motion picture ¨Rampage at Apache Wells¨ or ¨Der Olprinz¨ by Harald Philipp was well produced by Rialto Film Preben-Philipse/Horst Wendlandt /Constantin . The flick was professionally directed by Harald Philipp who made all kind of genres : action , Western , Wartime , besides he was a German thriller expert called Krimi -Edward Wallace adaptation- and realized another Western titled : ¨"Winnetou and the Crossbreed" . Rating : 5.5/10 , acceptable and passable . Worthwhile seeing for marvelous landscapes and breathtaking outdoors from Yugoslavia , including rousing falls , canyon, rivers and mountains ; all of them as spectacular as Almeria -Spain- outdoors where at the same time were shot numerous European Western . In successive episodes the faithful half-brothers are ready on the trail to undertake other adventures.

This Winnetou movie contains a story with whole look at Winnetous opposite OIL PRINCE Harald Leipnitz. Stewart Granger's script gave him a rather passive position. Heinz Erhard (piano-player) could turn it into a comedy, but he fails sometimes. Terence Hill ads the famous actor set, surrounded by the famous soundtrack. Psychological cruelty enriches the Winnetou plot and turns newer aspects in an attractive western.

RAMPAGE AT APACHE WELLS played theatrically in the US and used to get a lot of TV play as late as 1991. Its popularity is not hard to understand. Like all of the German-made westerns from the "winnetou" cycle, based on the literary works of Karl May (this one from his novel The Oil Prince, which IS available in an in-print English translation for those so inclined), this is well-mounted, beautifully photographed, beautifully scored, and well-acted. As I remember, Lex Barker made SIX films in the role of Old Shatterhand, Stewart Granger made two in the role of Old Surehand, and Rod Cameron made one in the role of Old Firehand (and I have not seen the latter...). As rugged and manly as Barker was, Granger also does well with the role, bringing his own unique humor and elegance to the character. If only he had made more of these! One surprising appearance here is Terence Hill (under his real name, Mario Girotti) as a complex, not-really-admirable character who grows throughout the film and sees the error of his ways. Hill plays the snivelling role convincingly, and he will be a surprise to those who only know his later heroic and comedy roles. Another interesting aspect of this film (more evident in the novels than in most of the films) is the details about German immigrants in America. As I live in South Texas, I live near some of the German settlements of the 1800s and have learned about the history of Germans in Texas-- it's interesting to see particularly German qualities in some of the settlers instead of just making them generic Anglo settlers. Of course, I don't go to films like this (or any film) for detailed history, but the particularity has a interesting flavor to it. The late Stewart Granger was a man with real star quality, with a charm and wit and elegance that is seen in every frame. While he camps it up in some of his European work of the 1960s (although always in an entertaining manner!), he certainly took the role of Old Surehand seriously. He is a nice mesh with Pierre Brice's warm but stoic interpretation of the Winnetou character. The film also has a full array of colorful supporting characters. Overall, while this may not have the depth or philosophical profundity of the finest Italian Westerns, it is a satisfying, impressively mounted Western that fires on all cylinders and deserves wider fame.

This film opens with a ruthless conman known as "the Oil Prince" (Harald Leipnitz), who tries to convince a banker, "Mr. Kovacz" (Gerd Frickhoffer), that he owns land rich in oil. Meanwhile, a wagon train of German settlers approaches the same region, hoping to persuade the leaders of the local Utah and Navajo tribes to grant them that tract of land in exchange for developing it for the benefit of everyone involved. To assist in this endeavor, they are led by the renowned scout "Old Surehand" (Stewart Granger) and his trusted friend, the Apache chief "Winnetou" (Pierre Brice). What neither Old Surehand nor Winnetou realizes, however, is that the Oil Prince is aware of their plans and is willing to do whatever it takes to convince the Utes and Navajos to give him the land instead. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will simply say that I didn't particularly care for this movie, largely due to its meandering plot and lethargic acting from all involved. That being said, while I don't consider this to be a bad movie necessarily, it just didn't interest me all that much, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.