An Eye for an Eye

Pretty-Good B-Western that Helped Fill the Void in the Genre when the Western was "Out of Favor", for the Most Part, in the Time Period.

Except for Spaghetti-Western Imports and an Occasional Outing from Hollywood, the Western was Suffering from the Previous Decades "Overkill" on the Big and Small Screen.

The Genre also was Not Completely in Line with Trending Social-Issues that were Evolving and Expanding Beyond Black-Hat vs White-Hat Scenarios.

So the Production Team on this Outlier was Directed by Michael Moore, a Steadfast and Prolific "Second-Unit" Director that had a Long and Sold Resume on some "Block-Buster" Films.

The Cast, Featuring Robert Lansing, a Respectable B-Actor who Filled "Manly" Rolls on TV and in B-Movies.

Patrick Wayne, second-son of John, was an On-Screen Presence with Broad Shoulders and a Toothy, Handsome Smile and Tried the Acting-Game with some Success.

The Supporting Cast was Stellar with Slim Pickens in a Rare Vile Villainous Outlaw Role, and He Chews the Scenes along with Strother Martin as a Typical Gutter-Trash, Immoral Snake.

Gloria Talbott, a Familiar Face in Many Sci-Fi Movies is the Love-Starved Spinster and Paul Fix is the Magistrate.

The Revenge-Chase is On, by Bounty-Hunter Lansing after Picken's Gang Murders and Rapes His Wife and Kills His Child and Burns-Down Their House.

The Off-Beat Script Adds Physical Handicaps that sends the Movie in a Bizarre Direction.

Worth a Watch.

The film packs violence , continuous shootouts , high body-count , and it's fast moving and quite entertaining. The movie gets the ordinary Western issues, such as avenger antiheroes , violent facing off and exaggerated baddies. Dealing with a former bounty hunter called Talion (Robert Lansing) is away from his farm with many enemies who still want him dead. Three wanted men, Ike Slant (Slim Pickens) and the Beetson brothers (Henry Wills, Jerry Gatlin), burn Talion's farm after killing his wife and son. As Talion returns to see his house ablaze and his family dead. He then sets-out to track the bad guys to kill them. On the way Talion teams up with a younger one, Benny Wallace (Patrick Wayne), who also is tracking the Slant gang. One man's eyes ...another man's hands ...between them they held the strangest gun in the west!. The Ultimate Revenge. Between them they held the strangest gun in the west!

There is plenty of action in the movie with quick scenes, guaranteeings gun-play, Western action, thrills and bloody spectacle and stunts every few minutes . It's an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between the starring: Robert Lansing, Patrick Wayne against their enemies: Slim Pickens, Strother Martin, Jerry Gatlin , among others . Robert Lansing is fine as a veteran bounty hunter who goes out to track down and kill the wanted gang leader who murdered his wife and little boy, while Patrick Wayne is nice as the young who seeks personal recognition in front of his legendary father who is none other than Wyatt Earp. Both of whom strike an enjoyable friendship, the development of this peculiar relationship is the best part of the film. The main novelty here is that the movie stars two crippled gunmen, on the one hand, one of them has a broken hand and on the other hand, the other is blind, but both complement each other's disabilities. Screenplay with interesting premise about a 'blind gunfighter', though its origin results to be a Japanese series starred by ¨Zaitochi¨, a blind swordsman from the 60s and being subsequently remade by Takeshi Kitano . This interesting theme about a blind gunslinger is also treated in other films such as ¨The Blindman¨ by Ferdinando Baldi with Tony Anthony and Ringo Starr , ¨Blind Justice¨ by Richard Spence with Armand Assante and ¨Minessota Clay¨ by Sergio Corbucci with Cameron Mitchell. An agreeable secondary casting with full of western familiar faces, such as: Slim Pickens, Gloria Talbott , Paul Fix, Jerry Gatlin . Special mention for Strother Martin in his ordinary role as a treacherous and cunning baddie, he is terrific, and bears a hysterical and mocking aspect , subsequently he would play similar characters . And brief appearances from Rance Howard and his son, Clint Howard (Ron Howard's brother) who later developed a long career as a supporting role in films of all kinds of genres.

Notably photographed by the Lucien Ballard, a prestigious cameraman who photographed most of Sam Peckinpah's films . The motion picture was well directed by Michael D. Moore. He was a child actor of the silent screen (under contract to Famous Players-Lasky), who later became a noted second unit director. His most important credits include Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid (1969), Patton (1970) and the first three Indiana Jones movies. He was also an assistant director and actor, known for The War of the Worlds (1953), Never Say Never Again (1983) and Willow (1988). An Eye for an Eye(1966) rating: 6.5/10. Decent and acceptable Western, worthwhile watching.

This is a true unusual, surprising little western that you have to watch, enjoy - because you can only enjoy such a gem - and then talk about it to your movie buffs friends; don't keep it for you. Such a rare and terrific little movie, I repeat: so rare, deserves to be shared, discovered. The best example of what small productions can provide, because without any producers pressure. Yes, the best example, but every B movie is not the same. Beware. I saw this western in France, aired on a TV channel during the mid seventies and I never forgot it. Especially the second part. I guess Quentin Tarantino knows such a piece of jewel. How could it be else?

This summary is influenced somewhat because this reviewer has been a Robert Lansing fan as long as can be remembered. Every single time Lansing has acted in a production (TV, play, or movie), his performance has made me forget about the actor practicing a craft and to become engrossed in the role and the particular story. That is what makes a truly fine actor, in my opinion, and it is sad that Lansing had been unrecognized by the entertainment industry in general and not given more roles to portray during his career.

The story of Talion (aka An Eye For An Eye) is offbeat from the average western story, as it focuses on personal relationships between humans more than the shoot-'em-up aspects of the Old West. There is action in the gunfighting, a bit of history in Ben's background, the creativity used to surmount physical shortcomings in order to achieve a set goal, a view of family life in the hardscrabble wilderness of the 1800s, the dignity with which an aging ranch owner strives to raise his children to be honest, confidant,and respectable adults, and even some romance in the longing the early settlers must have experienced when living in a relatively lawless location and era, often far away from neighbors, family, and the diversions of city or even town life. And, it contains a lesson in morality and conscience in that the story shows even a mature adult can learn to see life from a different perspective, regardless of the events of the past.

The general production values were appropriate if not lavish, but with what appeared to be the use of genuine antiques for household props. The cinematography was outstanding, lending a real feel to what life on an isolated ranch must have been like. The ending was unusual as well, and not predictable. This is not a large production or epic western (such as THE BIG COUNTRY which was peppered with big name stars), but a lonely and tender but still a little gritty family-appropriate production.

Serve a batch of buttered popcorn, a bowl of chocolate and nuts to munch on, and your favorite beverage over ice. Curl up on the couch and turn the lights down low to enjoy this simple story of the Old West.

The one with lansing and wayne, from 1966. It looks like this one has been remade several times. When bad people do bad things on the frontier, bounty hunters are hot on the trail. Two bounties meet up, talion and wallace, and work together... sort of. They are frenemies, as they both want the reward for bringing in the bad guys. But when they start have medical issues, they will have to come to some agreement to collect that bounty! Can they stay friends long enough, and stay on the trail long enough to ever collect the payment? Keep an eye out for slim pickens! He's probably best known from doctor strangelove, or blazing saddles. And two of ron howard's family members are in here. It's pretty good. Beautiful scenery of alabama hills and owens valley, back in the day. Directed by michael moore. He started as an actor in the silents.