Four Bullets for Joe (1964)

movie

(59)

Country: Italy, Spain
Genres: Drama, Western
Release: 1964-08-21
Director: Agustín Navarro
Writers: Fernando Galiana , Mario Guerra , José Mallorquí , Julio Porter
Language: Spanish
Stars: Paul Piaget , Fernando Casanova , Liz Poitel , Barbara Nelli , Angela Cavo , Paco Morán , Tullio Altamura , Rafael Bardem , Juan Cazalilla , Juan Cortés
Runtime: 75 min
Awards: N/A
AKA: Quatre balles pour Joë (Canada) , Four Bullets for Joe (United States of America) , Si udirono quattro colpi di fucile (Italy) , 4 balles pour Joë (France, French Republic) , Der Rächer von Golden Hill , Lännen kostaja (Finland) , Sonaron cuatro balazos (Spain) , Sonaron cuatro balazos (Argentina) , Cuatro balazos , Cuatro balazos (Spain) , Sonaron cuatro balazos (Mexico) , Quatre balles pour Joë (France, French Republic) , Shots Ring Out! (United States of America) , Il vendicatore di Kansas City (Italy)
Plot: Paella/Chilli/Pasta Western co-produced by Spain/Mexico/Italy about an intrigue that involves several killings . A woman is accused for murder and a court presided by a stiff judge (Rafael Bardem) and a jury (Tito Garcia as Blacksmith , Francisco Sanz , Miguel Del Castillo) condemn her to 15 years prison . She escapes and is run over by a carriage . A young gunfighter called Frank Dalton (Paul Piaget) -from ¨Dalton Brothers¨- returns to the little town , Abilene . Fast-draw Frank results to be brother of the dead accused , who is actually innocent , and Dalton attempts to find out the real culprit . While the handsome , husky leading man , Paul (Fernando Casanova) , is appointed Sheriff . There takes place a murder and there isn't a clue . Paul decides to investigate the identity of a mysterious murderous . The prime suspect turns out to be Dalton , but the sheriff incarcerates the brother of his girlfriend Margaret (Barbara Nelli). Things go wrong when an anonymous letter threaten Margaret , Sheriff's sweetheart, . Then , occurs a string of killings : the inn keeper , the public prosecutor and other people , and without tracks . There are various suspicious but who's the killer ? .This is a murder mystery Western in which a murderer strangles and slashes his victims and a sheriff along with a gunslinger to discover the true killer . It is an exciting western that packs a story full of violence , fights , killings and subsequent suspense , dramatic pace , plot twists , slick direction and mediocre interpretations abound . It contains an intriguing premise to investigate and to discover a killer , including red herrings , and results to be moderately entertaining , though drags at times , balancing in ups and downs . So-so Chorizo-Spaghetti Western mostly produced by Spain and important Italian/Mexican participation , being rightly shot but with no originality ; and being proceeded in American style more than Spaghetti . Acceptable action sequences with rousing crossfire , spectacular shootouts and glimmer go riding throughout mountains and cliffs . Charismatic performance for the whole casting . It stars Fernando Casanova , he stand out chiefly in westerns and "comedias Rancheras", Casanova appeared as an extra as early as 1946 . His break-through came in 1953 : after playing alongside star María Félix in ¨Camelia¨ (1954), and appearing in Luis Buñuel's ¨Él¨ (1952) and ¨Emilio Fernández''s Reportaje¨ (1953), Casanova was offered the leading role in a popular serial directed by Ramón Peón, ¨Águila Negra¨ (1953), a hero of the Zorro/Lone Ranger type . After those films, he became a regular leading man in romantic comedies and action films . And played some Chilli/Spaghetti Westerns as ¨El Vengador De California¨ , ¨Duelo De Pistoleros¨ , ¨Sheriffs De la Frontera¨ , ¨Dos Cuatreros¨ . He made fun of his own early film persona in ¨Mecánica Nacional¨ (1972), and continued to work into the 1990s , still in action films but now playing character roles . Co-stars the notorious Spaghetti actor , Paul Piaget , father of model/actress Cristina Piaget , he is good in his usual tough role as a Pistolero who seeks vengeance against sheriff and townspeople . Piaget had a brief career , he dearly died by heart broke , he performed a few films , all of them Chorizo Westerns as ¨Seventh cavalry¨ , ¨Welcome Father Murray¨, ¨Three good men¨, ¨Hour of death¨ ¨El Zorro¨ and ¨L'Ombra Di Zorro¨ .Colorful and evocative cinematography by Ricardo Torres in Eastmancolor and Panoramic , filmed on location in Barranco de la Hoz, Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha, and at a Western little town in Hoyo De Manzanares (Madrid) called ¨Golden City¨ with sets by Jaime Perez Cubero and Jose Luis Galicia . Atmospheric and evocative musical score, but inappropriate , by Manuel Parada , including catching song ¨Cuatro Balazos¨ sung by Espinosa and Fierrungolla . The motion picture titled ¨Il Vendicatore Di Kansas City¨, or ¨Cuatro Balazos para Joe¨ or ¨Cuatre Balles Por Joe¨ or Four bullets for Joe¨ was well produced by Fernando Fuentes Jr and regularly directed by Agustin Navarro who directed some passable comedies as ¨Enseñar a Un Sinvergüenza¨, ¨Cuidado Con Las Personas Formales¨, ¨Cerro De Locos¨, ¨Casa De Los Martínez¨ and ¨De Profesión Sospechosos¨.
IMDB:tt0057981