My latest Netflix movie, 1969's A Bullet for Sandoval, is one of hundreds of Italian westerns that is not hugely well known. It's a shame that the DVD has been cut from the original version of the movie by about 10 minutes. You can even see bits of the cut scenes in the trailer, link provided later. What makes it worse overall? The movie is pretty good in its cut form at 89 minutes, not 105 as Amazon says, so another 10 minutes or so could really flesh things out.
Anyhow, now to the actual movie. John Warner (George Hilton) is a Confederate soldier who on the eve of battle receives news that the mother of his son is dying. He deserts his post, only to be caught by Confederate cavalry. Because a firing squad would be too easy and quick a punishment, Warner is posted to a burial detail. Pushed to far, he escapes and heads home to hopefully see the woman he loves before she dies. He's too late though, and her father, Don Pedro Sandoval (Ernest Borgnine), a rich Mexican landowner, holds Warner responsible for killing his daughter and tearing the family apart.
Warner is sent on his way with his infant son in tow. But on the trail, no one will help them because they're coming from a town suffering through a cholera outbreak. The boy dies, and Warner has one thing on his mind; revenge on Sandoval. Picking up a gang of cutthroats and murderers along the way, Warner attacks all over the countryside hoping to bring Sandoval out to fight once and for all.
Compared to many other spaghettis, 'Bullet' doesn't stand out as doing anything particularly new. The revenge storyline had been used repeatedly and would be used many more times, but the hatred between Warner and Sandoval brings this one to life. The shootouts are strong, especially the finale as Warner and three of his gang find themselves cornered in a bullring. Gianni Ferrio's score doesn't have that memorable tune like many of Morricone's scores, but it fits well and I enjoyed it. And of course, it'd be hard to ruin this part, the filming locations in Almeria look great.
Hilton made a handful of spaghetti westerns in his career, but this was the first one I'd come across. His part as Warner is well done as a man who completes the transformation from a man trying to save his family to a hardened killer who seeks one thing and one thing only...REVENGE! Like many American actors that went to Europe for movies, Borgnine looks to be having a great time as Sandoval, a rich landowner trying to hold his family together amidst the Civil War. The supporting cast is dominated by the members of Warner's gang, led by Lucky (Alberto de Mendoza), a grave-robbing soldier who's quick with a gun, Father (Leo Anchoriz), a former monk who's good with gun or knife, Guadalupano (Gustavo Rojo), the pretty boy always looking for women and tequila, One-Eye (Jose Manuel Martin), the treacherous, convicted rapist, and Sam (Antonio Pica), an old friend of Warner's and fellow deserter. When I read a movie review and hear anything about a 'gang of cutthroats' or a 'misfit crew of specialists,' count me in.
So while nothing really sets 'Bullet' apart from other Italian westerns, I really enjoyed it even with the cuts. It's a pretty dark revenge tale that doesn't go for the typical happy ending. The DVD is a good buy at under $10 with a widescreen presentation that looks relatively clean, the trailer with cut scenes still there, and a trailer for another spaghetti, Any Gun Can Play. An unknown and underappreciated spaghetti western, give A Bullet for Sandoval a try!
A Bullet for Sandoval (1969): ***/****
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