Una pistola per Ringo

"A Pistol for Ringo" is an above-average Spaghetti Western. The anti-hero (Gemma) and villain (Sancho) are both very charismatic, and each has a good sense of humor. The basic plot situation is interesting: Fleeing from a bank hold-up in which their leader was wounded, a gang of bandits takes refuge at a farm. Although the farm is surrounded, the posse cannot attack because of the hostages. The anti-hero is highly paid to infiltrate and destroy the gang, and recover the money. The film has some unusual twists; for example, the bandits are executing two hostages per day, even after the anti-hero joins the gang, and he makes no effort to halt the executions. There is an interesting contrast between the behavior of the anti-hero (Gemma) and the sheriff (Martin) who behaves like a traditional Western hero. The film has a nice music score by Ennio Morricone. But somehow, this film failed to fully satisfy this viewer. The heroine is dull and bland, too much of the film takes place at the farm, and the anti-hero kills the villain in an absurd manner. There are also some gaps of logic-why didn't the bandits lock the sheriff in his jail? In any event, the film was such a financial success that the seven principal actors were reunited in "The Return of Ringo" (a sequel in name only, since all characters were different). This review of "A Pistol for Ringo" is based on the (poorly) English-dubbed home video version, titled "Ballad of Death Valley." The video suffers greatly from lack of widescreen; for example, the first shootout has Ringo against four opponents at once, but all you can see on the TV screen is Ringo and one of the opponents, so you don't even know who drew first. If you want to see this film, try to see it in widescreen.

Una pistola per Ringo (A Pistol for Ringo) is directed and predominantly written by Duccio Tessari. It stars Giuliano Gemma, Fernando Sancho, Lorella De Luca, Nieves Navarro and Antonio Casas. Music is by Ennio Morricone and cinematography by Francisco Marin.

When a gang of bandit bank robbers hole up at a rich family's hacienda - taking all who reside there as hostages - the authorities free the gunman known as "Angel Face" from prison to ingratiate himself into the bandit horde. His mission is to destroy from within and free the innocent...

Filmed in Technicolor/Techniscope out of the familiar Spaghetti Western stomping grounds of Almeria in Spain, A Pistol for Ringo is a very enjoyable piece of pasta. From the quirky sight that greets us at pic's beginning, where our anti-hero gunman with the baby face plays hopscotch with children - then quickly dispatching four enemies enemies in the blink of an eye - to the wholly satisfying finale, it's quirky yet dramatic entertainment.

Set at Xmas time, Duccio enjoys dallying with the season's motifs as part of the narrative, and even Morricone gets in on the act, imbuing his varied score with seasonal strains (the Silent Night section simply wonderful). Gemma is very likable in the lead role, helped enormously by a screenplay that introduces a character that uses cunning whiles that are as deadly as his pistol skills. He is also very athletic (no doubt boosted by the calcium from all the milk he drinks), which brings some energy to the narrative. What action there is is brisk and zippy, with heaps of horse and stuntman felling going on, and little stabs of humorous violence (the bell shot oh my) induce smiles. Add in a couple of verbally jousting babes (Luca and Navarro) and Sancho as a bulky and moody bastardo, and yer good to go for one of the better Spags of the time. 7/10

This spaghetti western was apparently a big hit when it was released, enough to get a sequel ("The Return of Ringo") made. Watching it, I couldn't help but wonder why audiences flocked to it. Don't get me wrong, I usually like spaghetti westerns, but I found this particular one to be largely boring. Most of the movie takes place in one location, and there is a lot of scheming but very little advance in the plot. When there is gunplay, it often comes across as kind of disturbing, with little regard for life by those who fire their guns (even the hero is guilty of this on more than one occasion.) And the Ennio Morricone score is far from his best. Fernando Sancho does well as the villain, the production values are acceptable, and the climatic action sequence does have some excitement, so the movie is not without merit. But even with this stuff, this is one drab western.

This Italian Western - which just so happens to be set at Christmastime - made a star out of the charismatic former stuntman Giuliano Gemma. Using his Anglicized pseudonym Montgomery Wood, he stars as title character Ringo, an amiable outlaw. Ringo is in jail for murder (which he says was done in self defense) when the town bank is robbed of a substantial amount by bandits. They hole up in a remote community, and take hostages. The law enforcement types come up with the idea to have Ringo infiltrate the criminal gang, which he does in his own inimitable style.

"A Pistol for Ringo" is a solid and engaging example of the Spaghetti Western. It may not be as well known, or well regarded, as the most famous films in the genre, but it offers ample entertainment. A large part of the appeal is Gemma himself. Handsome, charming, and sly, he does a fine job at portraying a man who doesn't seem to have any real loyalty to anything other than money. He actually offers his services to the bandits if they will promise him a larger percentage of the take than the law. We're never quite sure what to make of him, but we do know that he's fun to watch.

The exceptional composer Ennio Morricone, who's done hundreds (!) of scores during his life and career, gives this film a typically atmospheric soundtrack. The widescreen photography is first rate, and Gemma has a fine supporting cast to work with. The prolific, corpulent, robust character actor Fernando Sancho has a field day as bandit leader Sancho. Lorella De Luca as Miss Ruby and Nieves Navarro as Dolores are simply beautiful. Antonio Casas is excellent as the hospitable Major Clyde, as is George Martin as Sheriff Ben, who is in love with Ruby (you can't blame the guy).

Exciting action scenes and a healthy dose of humour also make this quite pleasing to watch.

Seven out of 10.

"Merry Christmas".

It is with this customary exchange that "A Pistol for Ringo" opens. Christmas is only two days away, but the towns-folks festive celebrations are about to come to an abrupt halt, when a band of mexicans, led by Sancho (played, quite aptly, by Fernando Sancho), take a ranch and its inhabitants hostage following a failed escape from a bank-robbery. The local sheriff, Ben, (played in true Hollywood style by Jorge Martin) has the ranch surrounded, but cannot attack for fear of the hostages being massacred. A particular concern in view of the fact that his love interest is amongst the hostages. Ringo (Gemma) is spending time in jail for the killing (albeit in "self defence") of a local gang. But when Sancho threatens to kill two hostages a day unless he and his gang are freed, the Sheriff has no option but to send in Ringo.

This is a really enjoyable movie, that sits somewhere in-between the dirt and grittiness of Leone and his Italian counterparts, and the classic American western. Even Morricone's soundtrack leans towards 50/60's Hollywood, with its crooned (and toe-tappingly catchy) theme tune.

The leading roles played by Gemma and Sancho are very convincing, and the dialogue is entertaining and full of classic quotes throughout: "God created men equal. It was the six gun that made them different". Ringo is far cleaner than Eastwood's Man With No Name (thus his name Angel Face), and cares not for alcohol, much preferring milk. But he shares the same ability and ruthlessness with a gun. Sancho meanwhile is gruff and merciless, revelling in carrying out his threat to kill one hostage at sunrise and one at sunset daily. Didn't anyone tell him it was the season of goodwill to all men????

Although not quite as strong as Director Tessari's follow up "Return of Ringo", this is one of the best of the early Spaghettis, and definitely a must view.