I fratelli di Arizona – Italian title
The Arizona Kid – English title
A 1971 Italian, Fillipino co-production [Ciro H Santiago Productions (Manila)]
Producer: Cirio H. Santiago
Director: Luciano B. Carlos
Story: Luciano B. Carlos
Screenplay: Lino Brooks (Lino Brocka), Luciano B. Carlos
Cinematography: Felipe Sacdalan [color]
Music: Restie Umali
Song: "Cucurucucu" sung by Chiquito (Augusto Pangan)
Song: "San Francisco" sung by Mamie van Doren (Joan Olander)
Running time: 111 minutes
Cast:
Ambo/Arizona Kid - Chiquito (Augusto Pangan)
Sharon Miller - Mamie Van Doren (Joan Olander)
Coyote - Gordon Mitchell (Charles Pendleton)
Ramona - Mariela Branger
Leonardo - Bernard Bonnin (Herman Bonnin)
with: Cass Martin, Dan van Husen (Daniel van Husen), Victor Israel (Victor Vilanova), John Mark, Felipe Silano, Gene Reyes, Tony Brandt (Antonio Brandt), Vigente Poja, Ramón Serrano, Zalba Moreno, M. Restilla (Mariciato Revilla), Ángel Aranda, Pilar Vela (Maria del Pilar Velázquez Llorente), Modesto Dajarado (Modesto Cuadra), Pilar Velázquez (María Llorente)
"A Filipino immigrant begins a search for his relatives in the Old West. In the process, he goes through a number of comedic sequences involving language problems between himself (speaking Tagalog, the Philippine national language) and Chinese immigrants ... not to mention everyday garden variety cowboys. Through a number of misunderstandings, flattery, and outright deception by people in a small town, he finds himself their sheriff - not knowing that, before his arrival, the town was besieged by a band of cutthroat outlaws who vow to return. This is a problem for Chiquito since, by nature, his character is a coward. But, on the search to find a family, he ends up finding something more ... love and courage. The acting by Mamie van Doren and others is a bit cheesy ... but it only adds to the comedic flavor. P.S. Bagoong is a salted-fish dish that many Filipinos love, similar in consistency to sardines. However, bagoong has (to non-Filipinos) an intense, overpowering, and terrible smell (think soiled baby diapers). The funniest scene in this film is the stagecoach scene where Chiquito is trying to enjoy his bagoong without spilling it or getting it on any of the other passengers.” - Sukip
You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA9dbS_Xn7M
"Atomic Blonde" by Barry Lowe has some more info:
ReplyDeletePaquito's character is called "Ambo", and Mamie is "Sharon Miller"; the last actor in line is missing his final "p":-))
As a song there's "San Francisco" given, and cryptical note "Jazz band on soundtrack" added.
Plot tells in addition to the one yet given, that Ambo is arriving in the early 1900s in the West searching for his uncle (to bring him a jar of that bagoong thing). He later finds a corpse on his way, taking the clothes and therefore is seen as the Arizona Kid by the villagers.
No Italian involvement is noted (apart from the title).
Forgot: Running time is said to be 111 minutes. And it's "Chiquito", of course, not "Paquito".
ReplyDeleteThanks, as always Fatman. If there was no Italian involvement and you are probably correct there must have been Spanish because there are some Spanish actors in the cast and Gordon Mitchell told me there was Italian backing. Also note the poster says filmed in Arizona (I doubt that).
ReplyDeleteWithout a doubt it's filmed in Spain, explaining the spanish (or working in Spain) names in the cast list. http://www.cultsirens.com/vandoren/vandoren.htm calls it "Spanish-Filipino".
ReplyDeleteAlso found that Mariela Branger (or Angela Pérez Branger) was Miss Venezuela 1966 or 1967 and second placed Miss Universe that later year.
Thanks again Fatman, made suggested changes.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was aware that Branger was Miss Venezuela 1967 and runner-up in the Miss Universe contest. She later became a model and is still associated with the Miss Venezuela Pageant.
Meanwhile comedian Chiquito became a politician and was a city councilor and vice mayor of Makti City in the Philippines before dying of liver cancer on July 3, 1997.
ReplyDeleteHere's info from the film's opening & closing credits about production:
ReplyDelete(opening credits):
"Premiere Produtions, Inc. presents"
"A Cirio H. Santiago Production"
"Producer: Cirio H. Santiago"
(closing credit):
"ARIZONA KID
Produced and disptributed by
Premiere Productions, Inc.
Manila, Philippines"
Cirio H. Santiago, of couse, was a well-known producer-director of trashy Philippino films and a President of Film Development Fund of Philippines. So, at least according to credits there's no Italian or Spanish involvement.
Running time of my PAL DVD-R is 1.51.43
Biltmore: The italian title is a fake. It smells of a Weisserism.
ReplyDeleteThat would explain a lot.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Fatman, he states that "He later finds a corpse on his way, taking the clothes and therefore is seen as the Arizona Kid by the villagers." Uhh no, after the Arizona Kid gets killed by some bandits, the Mamie Van Doren character insists that Ambo wear it because he gets killed the night they get attacked by the native Indians.
ReplyDeleteCorrection: I meant that he gets cold not killed the night they get attacked by the native Indians.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anonymous. Any movie made in a foreign country no matter who the production company usually hires local crew members, actors etc. Therefore since the film was made in Spain they used Spanish crew and actors in supporting roles.
ReplyDelete