Winnetou und sein Freund Old Firehand (1966)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

Alfred Vohrer

Writers:

David DeReszke (writer)
Karl May (novel)

Release Date:

November 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Western | Adventure

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Rod Cameron	...	Old Firehand
Pierre Brice	...	Winnetou
Marie Versini	...	Nscho-tschi
Todd Armstrong	...	Tom
Harald Leipnitz	...	Silers
Viktor de Kowa	...	Robert Ravenhurst
Nadia Gray	...	Michèle Mercier
Rik Battaglia	...	Capt. Mendoza
Jörg Marquardt	...	Jace Mercier
Vladimir Medar	...	Caleb
Miha Baloh	...	Capt. Luis Sanchez Quilvera
Aleksandar Gavric	...	Derks
Emil Kutijaro	...	Puglia
Ilija Ivezic	...	Moses
Dusan Antonijevic	...	Leon Mercier

Also Known As:

Thunder at the Border (UK)
Winnetou: Thunder at the Border (USA)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

West Germany | Yugoslavia

Language:

German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:12 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

CCC-Atelier, Spandau, Berlin, Germany

Company:

Jadran Film

Movie Connections:

Follows Der Schatz im Silbersee (1962)

Worst Winnetou Movie of the 60's!

The Moviemaker tried to make a Combination of the Winnetou Movies and the successful Spaghetti-Western. It didn't work well and there are several reasons why. First the Story wasn't made for Winnetou. We will never find out what Winnetou and his sister are really doing in this Mexico. It's obvious that they wrote his part into the Movie. The same is with his sister Nscho-Tsi, played by the beautiful actress Marie Versini. To give her some reason to be in the movie, the scriptwriter developed a Love Story. But the Love Story also doesn't work. After Lex Barker as Old Shatterhand and Stewart Granger as Old Surehand, you find a new hero next to Winnetou: Old Firehand. Old Firehand is played by Rod Cameron. There is no good Chemistry between Winnetou and Old Firehand. Maybe his second name is Old Sweathead because he is wearing a fur cap which he never takes off in hot sunny Mexico. Some elements seem to be taken from the magnificent 7. Old Firehand, Winnetou and others protects a Mexican Village from a gang of bandits. The public never really find out why, because there is also an Officer from the Army in the town. So why they just don't ask the army for help? There are many plot holes in this movie and you'll find bad scripted characters. One guy is an Englishman (or Scottish) Gentleman, and there you can find a good example of bad overacting on a bad scripted figure.

There are many things which a viewer can complain on this movie, but the only good about it: watching Marie Versini as Winnetou's sister and Winnetou himself Pierre Price. In my opinion it is the worst Winnetou Western and maybe the worst Karl May Movie ever.