A Bullet for Sandoval (1969)
"Los desesperados" (original title)

A soldier deserts his outfit the night before a major battle, after receiving an urgent message. He heads across the border to Mexico to marry his pregnant girlfriend before she gives birth... See full summary »

Director:

Julio Buchs

Writers:

Julio Buchs (screenplay), Julio Buchs (story),

Stars:

Ernest Borgnine, George Hilton, Annabella Incontrera

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ernest Borgnine	...	Don Pedro Sandoval
George Hilton	...	John Warner
Annabella Incontrera	...	Rosa
Alberto de Mendoza	...	Lucky
Leo Anchóriz	...	Monk
Gustavo Rojo	...	Guadalupano
Manuel de Blas
Manuel Miranda	...	Francisco
José Manuel Martín	...	Cross-Eyed Guy
Antonio Pica	...	Sam
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrea Aureli	...	Morton
Luis Barboo
Charly Bravo
José Guardiola
Andrés Mejuto

Storyline

A soldier deserts his outfit the night before a major battle, after receiving an urgent message. He heads across the border to Mexico to marry his pregnant girlfriend before she gives birth. Her father had forbidden their marriage, but the soldier is determined. Circumstances turn the soldier into an outlaw who vows vengeance on everyone involved.

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Plot Keywords:

spaghetti western | deserter | mexican border | hired killer | bullring | 

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Taglines:

A gritty story of seething hatred and thrilling adventure.

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Genres:

Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for western violence

Details

Country:

Spain Italy

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

May 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Those Desperate Men Who Smell of Dirt and Death

Filming Locations:

Lucainena de Las Torres, Andalucia, Spain

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 35,610,393 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Atlántida Films, Daiano Film, Leone Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 89 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sometimes it is falsely claimed the movie was co-directed by Lucio Fulci, but this is not true. Actor George Hilton has stated so in many interviews.

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Connections

References The Wild Bunch (1969)

User Reviews

Well Told Revenge Story

Confederate soldier George Hilton abandons his post in order to go and marry the expectant mother of his child, the daughter of wealthy Spanish landowner Don Pedro Sandoval (Ernest Borgnine), before it's too late. Captured, he escapes and arrives in time to find the baby's mother having already died in child-birth.

Her angry father sends the wanted Hilton and the baby out into the darkness where he gathers together a group of misfits to wreak vengeance on all who refused to help his son, especially Sandoval.

One memorable scene has Hilton attacking a petty fearful man who previously denied the starving infant milk, drowning him in a bucket of it.

A good Spanish/Italian co-production, the first half of A Bullet For Sandoval is so strong in terms of character development and emotions that the rest of the movie suffers by comparison.

Still, it's definitely worth watching and one of the best European westerns, with good performances by Hilton and Borgnine and a great climax in a bullfighting arena.