Navajo Joe

Sergio Corbucci is regarded as the best spaghetti western director after Sergio Leone. This is a reputation well-earned after the important and iconic Django and his later masterpiece The Great Silence, which remains one of the best westerns ever made. Navajo Joe was a film he made earlier in his career from the period when the Italian western was in its early years. In fairness, it pales somewhat in comparison to those other two films and it's a more standard spaghetti western overall.

It's probably most famous for starring Burt Reynolds. He was hardly a name you would associate with this kind of thing but in this one he plays the titular anti-hero. He resembles a lot of other lead characters from spaghetti westerns who seemed to be loners with almost super-human combat skills; however, he differs in one significant way in that he is an Indian. It wasn't very common at all for Italian westerns to feature Native Americans in any capacity far less in a lead role. Reynolds actually even looks like an Indian as well. He is okay in the role otherwise though but nothing especially great, although his character is hardly the most well-written one ever. Seemingly Reynolds has dissed this film in public which seems somewhat harsh to me as it's a decent film and he did star in the Cannonball Run films after all but then again he has also bad mouthed another of his later films, Boogie Nights, a movie that is exceptionally good. So perhaps we shouldn't pay too much attention to Burt's taste in these matters.

Like lots of other films of this type, the story is revenge themed. Joe comes to the rescue of a small town terrorised by some bandits. The criminals have hitherto been used to killing Indians for a dollar a head but have now moved onto robbing a train for a much larger sum. Despite the townsfolk having anti-Indian sentiments, Joe helps them but at a cost and also because it is convenient with his plans for revenge on these bandits. Quite frankly, the story is pretty pedestrian. It has a fairly interesting underlying anti-racism message but mostly it's unremarkable. Neither Joe nor the villains are especially interesting. The best character for me was Estella, played by the beautiful Nicoletta Machiavelli but she is pretty peripheral. There is a lot of bloody action for sure but it isn't that memorable. The most striking moment – it you can forgive the pun – was when one of the bad guys gets a flying axe embedded in his head. Like a lot of similar productions, this one benefits from a score by Il Maestro himself, Ennio Morricone. In the final analysis, Navajo Joe is a fairly workman-like spaghetti western but will certainly offer something to fans of the sub-genre.

Instead of slapping you in the face for not seeing Navajo Joe, Burt Reynolds is more likely to slap you in the face if you have seen Navajo Joe!

I saw a television interview once where Reynolds spoke very flippantly about it, basically saying that he was trying to imitate Clint Eastwood's (whom he replaced on the TV series "Rawhide") path to success by going to Europe and starring in a western. He went on to say that unlike Eastwood who got Sergio Leone, he was stuck with Sergio Corbucci.

While I understand Burt's disappointment that this didn't become a hit movie or do much to advance his career, I don't understand his embarrassment as this is actually a pretty decent picture and he did get to star in a movie, which most people don't get a chance to.

Sergio Corbucci is named by many as the next best thing to Leone, whose films are being rediscovered and re-appraised as classics of the genre. I'd say he did pretty good for a TV actor! (and this couldn't possibly be worse than Driven!)

The plot involves a brutal band of cutthroats led by menacing Spanish actor Aldo Sambrell, who go from killing Indians for profit to an attempt at robbing a train, thwarted by Navajo Joe who takes the train (and the loot) to it's intended destination and agrees to save the town from the now angry rampaging outlaws.

As far as Italian westerns and Sergio Corbucci films go, this is neither the best nor worst of either. It's worth watching and has a great score by an uncredited Ennio Morricone.

Not without interest but this starts so well with some great long shots and then some startling up close violence and the story is unfolding as we struggle to keep up, and then it pretty much stops. We are introduced to a very young Burt Reynolds who looks pretty good with his horse and rifle but then we get to meet the baddie brothers and they seem far more interesting. Lovely old train but lame plot which necessitates the town's folk (who have said 'no' to guns) being able to do nothing except sit around and wait hoping that Joe will sort things out. Thing is we have to sit watching them sit. And so it plods on. There are a couple of spurts of nasty violence but the girls are wasted, criminally so in the case of Nicoletta Machiavelli and we are forced to imagine just how good this might have been.

"Navajo Joe" is a spaghetti Western from 1966 starring Burt Reynolds as the titular Native warrior who seeks revenge on a gang of sadistic outlaws who massacred his wife and tribe.

They say Italians have been making the worst movies for a hundred years, but "Navajo Joe" is pretty good for a spaghetti oater. In an interview Reynolds admitted that he took Clint Eastwood's example (whom he replaced on the TV series "Rawhide") by going to Europe and starring in an Italian Western; unlike Eastwood who got Sergio Leone, however, Burt got Sergio Corbucci.Despite this, Reynolds was in his prime and looks robust; being a stuntman, he did all his own stunts, which is impressive when you view the movie.

Other highlights include the typically outlandish but memorable score by Ennio Morricone (pseudonymously credited as Leo Nichols), which is reminiscent of his later score for "Burn!" and raven-haired Nicoletta Machiavelli as Estella, a half-breed who takes a liking to Joe. Other than this, the typical revenge plot moves right along for a fairly entertaining 60's European Western where the dubbed voices don't match the lips. "Navajo Joe" may not be great, but it's amusing enough.

The film runs 93 minutes and was shot in Spain.

GRADE: B

Navajo Joe is directed by Sergio Corbucci and collectively written by Fernando Di Leo, Ugo Pirro and Piero Regnoli. It stars Burt Reynolds, Aldo Sambrell, Nicoletta Machiavelli, Tanya Lopert and Fernando Rey. Music is by Ennico Morricone and cinematography by Silvano Ippolitti.

Though Reynolds would say it's the worst film he ever made, anyone who has followed his career will know that simply isn't the case! It's an odd Spaghetti Western that sees Reynolds play the title character, who strides out for revenge against the ragamuffin varmints who slaughtered his woman and tribe. Cue blood letting galore as Joe enacts said revenge with bloodthirsty glee as the hints of anti-racism struggle to show their heads above the pasta strewn pulpit.

Narratively there's nothing else to add, it's simplicity 101 and at times it becomes laborious. Where the film doesn't lack for interest is with the technical aspects. Corbucci hones his skills as a purveyor of brutal set pieces, each striking for entertainment purpose. Ippolitti adds his own brand of cinematography, gracing the story with a pizazz it doesn't deserve, whilst Morricone provides a wonderfully catchy musical score. As for Reynolds? He does OK. Veering close to being pantomime and showing a lack of interest, his all round brooding charisma shines bright and gives the picture a macho edge.

Not a great film by any stretch of the imagination, the script is just too lazy, but it is above average and Spaghetti Western fans can find enough here to gorge on for a satisfying meal. 6/10