50th Anniversary of “Dead Men Ride”

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the premier of “Dead Men Ride” directed by Aldo Florio and staring Fabio Testi, Massimo Serato, Eduardo Fajardo and Jose Calvo. This may be Fabio Testi’s best western. It tells the story of Roy Greenford (Testi) escapes from prison and is aided by a Mexican peasant named Pedro Cosorito )(José Calvo) who works in the gold mines. Roy learns that the peasants are used as pawns for Redfield (Fajardo) and his two evil partners, Newman (Romano Puppo) and Lawrence (Ben Carra) to mine the gold. When the workers attempt to sell their gold for cash, they are cheated by Redfield's bankers. Some of the peasants try to escape to Tucson to sell their gold there, but are killed by bandits lurking in the mountains. These bandits are also under the employ of Redfield. Roy, who hides a mysterious agenda, eventually goes to the town run by the unscrupulous trio to settle accounts in regards to his friend, Emiliano (Serato). Emiliano was the former mine owner and was a man of some repute. Pedro lived on the grounds of his mansion as did Jessica, his daughter. Jessica (Charo Lopez) is now used for sex by Lawrence and Newman, Redfield's henchmen. Redfield had somehow destroyed Emiliano's reputation and had him framed for an unnamed crime which led to his prison sentence chained to Roy's leg.

     The film features a memorable score by Bruno Nicolai and some nice camerawork by veteran  cinematographer Emilio Foriscot.

Anda muchacho, spara! – Italian title

Il sole sotto la terra – Italian title

El sol bajo la tierra – Spanish title

O Pistoleiro do Inferno – Brazilian title

A Volta de Sartana – Brazilian title

A Volta do Pistoleiro – Brazilian title

Mrtví jezdci – Czechoslovakian title

El sol bajo la tierra - Chilean title

Ma derniere balle sera pour toi – French title

Knie nieder und friß Staub – German title

Arany a prérin - Hungarian title

Ike, yarô, ute! – Japanese title

Ele aí está - Portuguese title

At the End of the Rainbow – U.K. title

Dead Men Ride – English title

 

A 1971 Italian, Spanish film co-production [Italian International Film, Transeuropea

     Film, Roberto Cinematografica (Rome), Copercines (Madrid)]

Producers: Eduardo Manzanos Brochero, Fulvio Lucisano, Alfredo Nicolai

Director: Aldo Florio

Story: E.M. Brochero (Eduardo Manzanos Brochero), Bruno Di Geronimo, Aldo Florio

Screenplay: E.M. Brochero (Eduardo Manzanos Brochero), Bruno di Geronimo, Aldo

     Florio

Cinematography: Emilio Foriscot [Telecolor, Cinemascope]

Music: Bruno Nicolai

Running time: 105 minutes

 

Cast:

Roy Greenford - Fabio Testi

Emiliano - Massimo Serato (Giuseppe Segato)

Redfield - Eduardo Fajardo

Jessica - Charo Lopez (Maria Piñuelas)

Pedro/Joselito Cosorito - José Calvo (José Selgado)

Newman - Roman Barrett (Romano Puppo)

Lawrence/Jose Tito - Ben Carra (Ben Carrà)

Francisco - Fabián Conde

Burt – Joaquin Parra

Mexican miners - Daniel Martin (José Martinez), Tomas Pico

Manolo - Allan Collins (Luciano Pigozzi)

Miguel – Mario Morales

Chris - Goffredo Unger

Shaffer - Miguel del Castillo

Sheriff Mortimer - José Nieto

Saloon proprietor - Rufino Ingles (Rufino Garcia)

Judge – Antonio Orengo

Allan - Mario Novelli

Bob - Joaquin Parra

Telegrapher - Francisco Sanz

Whore - Barbara Pignaton

Redfield henchmen - Riccardo Petrazi, Renzo Pevarello, José Luis Lluch, Antonio Basile, Gonzalo Esquiroz, Oscar Giustini

With: Fabián Conde