Watabanga! (La carga de la policía montada) (1964)

[titoli]

A plot as hackneyed as can be, with the only originality of soldiers uniforms being the red ones of canadian mounted police. Some rifles and whisky traders kill 3 Indians to rape a (pretty) indian girl. The tribe tries for revenge and attacks the outpost. The hero sorts things out. The added minus is the 100' running time. Frank Brana is said at IMDB to be there but I didn't spot him (maybe I was too sleepy). 2\10

[Dust Devil]

Was this added to one of the indexes?

[O'Cangaceiro]

I would give this movie a 6/10. The battle scenes are quite good, albeit not as spectacular as in Mestizo (Django does not forgive) and the acting is also pretty good. The plot is nothing outstanding, and it could have been written for an American Western. This says a lot about a Spanish western that was made during the early 60s (pre-Leone era) and had a modest budget. The costumes used in the movie are also quite good, but the mounties' uniforms are not worn properly. One of the most significant mistakes is that the white lanyard to which a mountie's revolver is attached should be worn on a loop around the neck instead of bandoleer style. However, that same mistake is also made in a couple of well-known Hollywood westerns: Cecil B. De Mille's "Northwest Mounted Police" and in Alan Ladd's "Saskatchewan". The same mistake is also made in Mestizo, but at least in La Carga de la Policia Montada the lanyard is attached to the gun, while in Mestizo it is attached to the holster's belt (what were the movie military advisors thinking about??). Another thing that caught my attention is that, while Canadian "Indians" did not dress like their American counterparts in the Southern States, the movie seems to ignore that fact.

But if we forget many of the above details, I think the movie provides for 1 hour and 38 minutes of good entertainment if one does not have high expectations.

Again, 6/10

[titoli]

Did you spot Brana?

[O'Cangaceiro]

Did you spot Brana?

Yup. I think he is this one.





It may be a bit difficult to recognize him with the makeup, but compare with this one:

[titoli]

Judging from the still I wouldn't say it's him, but I ought to watch the movie again. THX anyway.

[O'Cangaceiro]

Judging from the still I wouldn't say it's him, but I ought to watch the movie again. THX anyway.

It could also be Frank's twin brother, but who cares?