Wednesday, January 19, 2011

5 GIANTS FROM TEXAS

Los cinco de la venganza - Spanish title
I 5 della vendetta - Italian title
I cinque della vendetta - Italian title
5 gigantes do Texas - Brazilian title
Les 5 de la vendetta - French title
Die unerbittlichen Fünf - German title
Oi pente paranomoi tou Texas - Greek title
Fem för hämnden - Swedish title
The Five Adventurers - English title
No Drums No Trumpets - U.K. title
Five for Revenge - U.S.A. title
5 Giants from Texas - U.S.A. title

A 1966 Spanish, Italian co-production [Miro Cinematografica (Rome), Balcázar P.C. (Barcelona)]
Producers: Roberto Capitani, Aldo Ricci, Alfonso Balcázar
Director: Aldo Florio
Story: Alfonso Balcázar (Alfonso Granda), Aldo Florio
Screenplay: Alfonso Balcázar (Alfonso Granda), José Antonio de la Loma (José Hernandez)
Dialogue: Bernard C. Schoenfield, Dirk Wayne Summers [English],
Cinematography: Victor Menreal (Victor Sarto), Aristide Massaccesi [Eastmancolor, widescreen]
Music: Franco Solina
Running time: 103 minutes

Cast:
John Latimore/Tex - Guy Madison (Robert Moseley)
Rosaria Latimore - Mónica Randall (Aurora Sarasa)
El Matanza - Antonio Molino Rojo
Dan/Joshua - Vassili Karamesinis
Alan - Vidal Molina (Mariano Molina)
Jesus/Indios - Giovanni Cianfriglia
Ramon - José Manuel Martín (José Pérez)
Jim Latimore - Germano Longo
González - Gianni Solaro
González’s sister - Rosella Bergamonti
González’s brothers - Evar Maran (Evaristo Maran), Giovanni Petti (Giovanni Petrucci)
barber - Victo Israel (José Vilanova)
saloon girl - Mirella Pamphili (Azzurra Pamphilli)
Manolo - Gaspar Gonzales (Gaspar González)
with: Silla Bettini, Nando Poggi (Ferdinando Poggi), Manuel Bronchud, Luisa Compagnoni, Ivan Scratuglia


Brotherhood and freedom is brought by Jim Latimore, a "Yankee" and veteran of the Civil War, among the peons of  the frontier along the Rio Grande. This provokes resentment by the three Gonzales brothers, owners of the entire area that they govern with cruel power and fierce feuds. The hatred of Gonzales' is increased after their cousin Rosa is joined in marriage to Jim Latimore, in preference to one of them. Jim is killed, Rosaria cynically humiliated. They kidnap her son who is educated in the merciless teachings of the Gonzales'. Then five friends of Rosa show up to find she is now a cleaning woman in a "saloon". The five men promise to return her to Jim's home, and also return her kidnapped son and avenge the death of Jim. Along with Rosa, the five men leave for the Rio Grande de la Frontera, where they face a gang of outlaws in the service of the Gonzales'. After the gang is vanquished, the three brothers are dealt with and they are killed for their misdeeds. Rosaria, reunited with her son, thanks the five executioners, and conitnues the work of peaceful evolution initiated by Jim.

4 comments:

  1. One of my favorites. I think Florio is one of those underrated and overlooked directors of the genre.
    This and his ANDA MUCHACHO SPARA are both very well made and entertaining films!

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  2. I agree Chris, if you see the uncut version of 5 GIANTS FROM TEXAS it really comes together and is a small scale MAGNIFICENT 7 type film. The Gonzalez brothers are exceptionally evil, racist villains and the final showdown is well done. A seldom seen small gem of the genre.

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  3. An old dvd-r of "5 Giants.."was thrown in as a bonus in a trade that ended up being my fave from that swap over the wanted items.Was so glad when Franco Cleef did a better version of it!

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  4. Good for you Christopher. It's always a cool to discover an unknown film that turns out to be a real pleasure to watch.

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