50th Anniversary of the premier of “The Sheriff of Rock Springs”.

 Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the premier of “The Sheriff of Rock Springs” directed by Anthony Green ( Mario Sabatini) and starring Richard Harrison and Donal O’Brien. Basically a children’s film it tells the story of a bandit named Burt (O’Brien), who escapes from prison, and hides out near the town of Rockspring. There the custom of the election of the "little sheriff," is taking place. A child, a young boy or girl, will work for the sheriff for eight days. The state of relative tension that reigns in the town comes from the fact that it is inhabited mainly by Protestants and by a minority of Mormons, both groups aspire to appoint its own candidate: the Protestant nominate Stephy and the Mormons nominate Schelly: Stephy is elected. Meanwhile Burt, comes to the farm of Mormon Jones, to obtain weapons and, once he’s acquired a gun he resumes his journey taking with him Dania, the daughter of the poor man as a hostage. Schelly, has seen the robber who manages to get away with his ​​hostage. Schelly is unable to draw the attention of any of the adults, so he brings together some of his friends and they try to stop the outlaw. Burt easily gets rid of the boys but is subsequently arrested by the arrival of the adults who have been searching for him. The small sheriff Stephy, recognizing the courage and spirit of initiative by the sheriff, spontaneously offers him the star that symbolizes the office of Sheriff. The two religious communities celebrate together, in a spirit of renewed peace.

 

Lo sceriffo di Rockspring – Italian title

Sheriffen fra Rockspring – Danish title
Rockspringin lainvalvoja – Finnish title
Le shérif de Rockspring – French title
Sheriffen i Rock Springs – Norwegian title
O Xerife Indomável –Portuguese title
Sheriffen i Rock Spring – Swedish title
The Sheriff of Rock Springs – English title
 
A 1971 Italian film production [RAS Film (Rome)]
Producer: Luigi Gianni
Director: Anthony Green (Mario Sabatini)
Story: Elido Sorrentino, Luigi Gianni
Screenplay: Elido Sorrentino, Luigi Gianni
Cinematography: Gianni Raffaldi [Kodacolor, Superscope]
Music: Gianfranco di Stefano, Felice di Stefano
     Song: “La canzone del coyote” sung by Lorena Limoncelli
Running time: 85 minutes

Cast:
Sheriff – Richard Harrison
Burt Jones – Donald O’Brien (Donal O’Brien)
Julie – Marina Morgan (Marina Mencci)
Dania – Lorena Limoncelli
Judge – Celso Faria
Buck - Joseph Logan (Gianni Manera)
Ranger Captain - Mauro Mannatrizio
Saloon girl - Sofia Kammara (Sofia Roda)
Journalist - Orazio Stracuzzi
Saloon patron - Calogero Caruana, Luciano Conti, Mario Dardanelli, Marcello Meconizzi, Clemente Ukmar, Rinaldo Zamperla
Townsman – Lina Alberti, Jean Claude Jabes
With: Cosetta Greco (Cesarina Rossi), Teresa Franceschini, Agostino De Simone, Romano De Simone, May Doria (Maily Doria), Marino Sidri, Sergio Scarchilli, Alessandro Perrella, Maria D’Incoronato, Mimmo Bernardini, Pino Bernardi, Elsa Gianni, Sophia Mannatrizio, Carlo Romano