Il pistolero dell'Ave Maria (1969)

Director:

Ferdinando Baldi

Writers:

Pier Giovanni Anchisi (screenplay)
Pier Giovanni Anchisi (story)

Release Date:

17 October 1969 (Italy)

Genre:

Western

Plot Keywords:

Gunfighter | Beautiful Woman | Spaghetti Western

Cast

Leonard Mann	...	Sebastian Carrasco
Luciana Paluzzi	...	Anna Carrasco
Pietro Martellanza	...	Rafael Garcia (as Peter Martell)
Alberto de Mendoza	...	Tomas
Pilar Velázquez	...	Isabella Carrasco
Piero Lulli	...	Francisco
Luciano Rossi	...	Juanito
José Suárez	...	Genaral Juan Carrasco
Barbara Nelli	...	Conchita (as Barbara Nelly)
Franco Pesce	...	Tequila
Mirella Pamphili	...	Inez (as Mirella Pompili)
Enzo Fiermonte	...	Friar
Silvana Bacci	...	Maria - 'La Bruja'
Franco Gulà	...	The old man in the prairie (as Francesco Gula)
José Manuel Martín	...	Miguel

Also Known As:

Forgotten Pistolero (USA)
Gunman of Ave Maria (USA)
Tierra de gigantes (Spain)

Runtime:

Italy:88 min | Spain:83 min | Argentina:88 min

Country:

Spain | Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:18 (nf) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

B.R.C. Produzione S.r.l.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Red Dead Revolver (2004) (VG)

Much heard soundtrack to little known western

As soon as the Forgotten Pistolero starts, the theme tune is instantly familiar - with the whistled score probably surpassed only by Morricone's Dollars trilogy soundtracks, or maybe the Magnificent Seven, when it comes to being used as the backdrop to western sketches everywhere. It is made all the more beautiful by the mountainous Almeria backdrop.

The film itself is equally impressive. Directed by the prolific Ferdinando Baldi, it begins with Rafael (Pietro Martellanza) being pursued by a gang of Mexicans. Surviving the ambush (to the sound of that glorious theme), he finds himself finally locating child-hood friend Sebastian (Leonard Mann).

Sebastian is informed that the woman he believed to be his mother, and who had raised him since a child, had in fact rescued him as an infant from the brutal attack and mass murder that had cost his father his life. Rafael tells him that this attack had been arranged by his real mother (Paluzzi) and her lover.

Sebastian's sister, who had witnessed the massacre all those years ago, had since fallen in love with Rafael (for which he had been severely punished and hounded). The extent of this punishment becomes clear later in the movie when, whilst captive, he is forced to lie next to a beautiful lady, and taunted that he now only has his muscles to prove his manhood.

This revenge story follows a different path to the majority of Euro-westerns, with emphasis on the tale rather than action (that said, there are some great action scenes). It is a highly captivating and atmospheric movie, gripping from start to finish. Well worth the watch but - warning - you'll be whistling the music for days!