La bataille de San Sebastian

The original story written by William Faherty was called " 'A wall for San Sabastian' and later under the direction of Henri Vernevil changed to " Guns For San Sabastian. " The late great Anthony Quinn plays the titled character Leon Alastray, a fugitive outlaw and bandito running from the military police. Wounded and helpless, he takes refuge in a Catholic Church under the protection of Father Joseph (Sam Jaffe) and Sanctuary. With the good priest being sent to a forgotten mission, where it's residents live in fear of the Native American, Yaki Apache, Alastray stows away and arrives at the distant mission, where Father Joseph is murdered. Due to circumstances, Leon take's the old priest's place and serves as protector and counselor to the frightened populace. Among the heavies of the film, audience members will see a very young, Charles Bronson, Jorge Martínez De Hoyos and Jaime Fernández as 'Golden Lance.' The story is slow to develop, but does rise to the occasion when expected, to such a degree it has become a Western Classic. Fine casting and good story. Recommended. ****

The movie begins bad with some bad story-flow and also the rest of the movie suffers from this, though the movie definitely gets better as the movie progresses. In the beginning it isn't too clear were the movie is heading to and the movie makes a pretty formulaic and redundant impression. However from the moment on when the main character arrives in San Sabastian, the story gets developed well and becomes interesting and original. This certainly ain't no formulaic spaghetti western. The movie gets multiple layered, when it concentrates on the divine. It helps the characters to develop well and the story to become interesting. The movie certainly shows some parallels to the movie "The Mission", even though it isn't as beautifully and professionally made.

It doesn't seem like it at first but the movie becomes surprisingly action filled toward the ending, with some quite big scale battles. Also the ending most certainly does not disappoint.

The movie has some good actors that help to flesh out the flat characters. Anthony Quinn is a good main lead and he makes the moral change his character goes through seem believable. Charles Bronson plays a good movie villain, though his character is perhaps a bit underused. Further more the movie features Sam Jaffe, once again in the role of a Christian.

The directing isn't much good, since the story-flow of the movie is quite poor at times, which is also due to some bad editing. Nevertheless the movie is filled with some memorable and great looking sequences, although it's also definitely true that most of those sequences are being uplifted by the musical score by Ennio Morricone.

Definitely worth seeing if you get the chance.

7/10

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The film has a good theme and set in quite genuine historical settings. It brings out the conflict between the indians and the settlers, the poor settlers and the ruling elite. It packs in quite some punch on the action category.

A spaghetti western surprise with Anthony Quinn as a "priest" and Charles Bronson as a Mestizo malcontent.

The movie has a theme, a developed plot, some actors with charisma and an Ennio Morricone score. That's more than most movies give you, regardless of genre.

I was pleased to find that Spaghettiville isn't a one-horse (Eastwood/Leone) town.

8 out of 10.

Guns for San Sebastian is directed by Henri Verneuil and adapted to screenplay by James R. Webb from the novel "A Wall for San Sebastian" written by William Barby Faherty. It stars Anthony Quinn, Charles Bronson, Anjanette Comer, Sam Jaffe and Silvia Pinal. Music is by Ennio Morricone and cinematography by Armand Thirard.

An outlaw on the run is mistaken for a priest by peasant villagers who are at the mercy of bandits and Yaqui Indians.

Something of a multi euro Western, Guns for San Sebastian latches onto the Spaghetti Western coat tails whilst attempting to put something new in the wardrobe. Undeniably the critics who said it's pedestrian in pace are absolutely right, the first two thirds of the piece asks for a great deal of your patience, whilst simultaneously demanding you buy into the various themes trundling away.

With a surreal sub-plot at play, a jokey romance and some atrocious dubbing, it's not hard to dismiss it as purely fun cannon fodder. Yet there's some strengths in the piece, literary wise and from a thrilling stand point as the last third brings the thunderous siege - cum battle stations. Quinn throws in a good turn, the Durango locale is superbly photographed, and Morricone offers up one of his tonally astute scores.

It's all very Magnificent 7 et al, but nothing wrong with that, that is on proviso you can get through the labours of the first hour or so. 7/10