The Americano (1955)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

William Castle

Writers:

Leslie T. White (story)
Guy Trosper (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 June 1955 (Belgium)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

An American working on a ranch in the Amazon comes up against a gang of Brazilian bandits.

Plot Keywords:

Brazil | Bandit | Rustler | Beautiful Woman | Dance

Cast

Glenn Ford	...	Sam Dent
Frank Lovejoy	...	Bento Hermany
Cesar Romero	...	Manuel Silvera / 'El Gato' / Barbossa
Ursula Thiess	...	Marianna
Abbe Lane	...	Teresa
Rodolfo Hoyos Jr.	...	Cristino
Salvador Baguez	...	Captain Gonzalez
Tom Powers	...	Jim Rogers
Dan White	...	Barney Dent
Frank Marlowe	...	Captain of Ship
George Navarro	...	Tuba Masero
Nira Monsour	...	Tuba's Sister (as Nyra Monsour)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:PG | West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:13 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Brazil

Company:

Robert Stillman Productions

Trivia:

Sara Montiel was originally cast for the role of Teresa and filmed some sequences in the Matto Grosso jungle. There are stills where she is seen handling a big snake, possibly an anaconda, along with Glenn Ford, Cesar Romero and others in the cast. In her 2000 autobiography Sara relates how the production ran out of money in Brazil and everybody was sent back to Hollywood with canceled contracts. Months later she was called to resume filming but by then she had signed with Warner Bros. and could not finish "El Americano." She was replaced by Abbe Lane and her scenes were re-shot.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Silvera's gang stops Sam and Bento in the jungle, Sam says he'll go along with them because "it's hard to argue with four guns." There are five men holding five guns on the pair.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Stevie: Pa, how far is Brazil?
Barney Dent: That's a long way away, Stevie - clear across the world.
Daughter: Is it as far as Amarillo?
Barney Dent: Yeah, farther!
Stevie: Why are our bulls going to Brazil?
Barney Dent: Because we sold 'em to a rancher down there.

Average western in Brazil, don't miss Abbe Lane's dance.

The Americano is an entertaining film which has an interesting story, but which could have been much better. It is hard to understand why after getting known actors like Glenn Ford, Cesar Romero, Abbe Lane and Ursula Thiess, the production seems so poor like it was done on a very small budget. Mato Grosso, in Brazil where the action occurs is an impressive place, and the cinematography does no justice to it. To enjoy the film you also have to overlook the fact that Ford as a Texan coming to a remote place in Brazil has no problems with the language because they all speak English, and instead of Portuguese, Spanish seems to be their native language!!! Abbe Lane does a spectacular dance number and just that is worth the film, it does not matter that the music is by Xavier Cugat and has nothing to do with Brazil. Ford brings bulls from Texas and after he delivers them and gets 25000 dollars, what does he do? He goes and sleeps in the jungle with the money. Guess what happens!!! The idea of making a western that takes place in Brazil was excellent and with all its defects "The Americano" is a film that once you start seeing you don't want to stop till the end.