50th anniversary of the premier of “Too Much Gold for One Gringo”

 

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the release of “Too Much Gold for One Gringo” directed by Juan Bosch and starring Anthony Steffen, Fernando Sancho and Daniel Martin. The story is about Jonathan Carver (Manuel Guitián), a former transporter for a mining company, who took advantage of his profession by one day stealing 28 bags of gold. Sitting in the County Prison for 20 years he has jealously guarded the secret of the hiding place and now, at the end of his sentence, he is awaited by the gunman Trash Benson (Anthony Steffen), Mr. Trevers company, and four other greedy bandits. Aided by Trash and the Mexican Paco (Daniel Martin), his cellmate, old Carver (Manny Gel) manages to elude the bandits and dies of heart failure. Led by a clue found by Molly (Irene D’Astrea), the temporary allies, Trash and Paco, cross the border into Mexico and travel to San Fermin, the village where the statue of the saint of the same name, is fervently worshiped by the people. Carver has hidden the gold in the statue. However, they have been preceded by the revolutionary bandit Firmin Rojas (Fernando Sancho) and they themselves are promptly followed by the bandits. When the battle grows fierce, Trash and Paco risk their lives over and over again. When all the outlaws are killed and many of the villagers needlessly sacrificed, Paco deserts Trash; leaves a portion of the gold to the villagers and runs away from his friend.

The film grossed 230,088 lire during its initial release.

 

La caza del oro – Spanish title

Lo credevano uno stinco de santo – Italian title

Il n’y a plus se saints au Texas – French title

Zwei ausgekochte Halunken – German title

Ena liontari pou to legane Gringo – Greek title

Ton fonazan Ouranokatevato – Greek title

Pistevan oti itan agios – Greek title

Gulljakten – Norwegian title

They Believed He was a Saint – English title

Too Much Gold for One Gringo – English title

 

A 1972 Spanish, Italian film co-production [Cine XX (Madrid), P.E.A. (Rome)]

Producer: Alberto De Stefanis

Director: Juan Bosch (Juan Palau)

Story: Sergio Donai, Juan Bosch (Juan Palau)

Screenplay: Juan Bosch (Juan Palau), Fabio Piccioni

Cinematography: Julio Pérez de Rozas [Eastmancolor, widescreen]

Music: Marcello Giombini

Running time: 96 minutes

 

Cast:

Trash Benson – Anthony Steffen (Antonio de Teffe)

Fermin Rojas – Fernando Sancho (Fernando Les)

Paco/Cato – Daniel Martín (José Martínez)

Travers – Luis Induni (Luigi Radici)

María – Tania Alvarado

Jonathan Carver – Manuel Guitián

Dean Carver – Manny Gel (Manuel Salgado)

Preacher – Gaspar ‘Indio’ Gonzales

Padre Javier - Gustavo Re

Molly – Irene D’Astrea

Apache Joe – Juan M. Solano (Juan Miguel Solano)

Silvertop - Antonio Ponciano

Jed Spotless - Ricardo Moyán

Gunman – Juan Antonio Rubio

Prison warden - Raf Baldassarre (Raffaelle Baldassarre)

Sheriff – Jarque Zurbano

Melquiades - Ángel Lombarte

Villager – Juan Torres

Molly’s friend – Carmen Roger

Rojas henchman – Ivan Patiño (Juan Patiño)

Travers’ henchman - Esteban Dalmases