Santee (1973)A bounty hunter takes in the son of a man he killed. Director:Gary NelsonWriter:Brand Bell |
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Santee (1973)A bounty hunter takes in the son of a man he killed. Director:Gary NelsonWriter:Brand Bell |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Glenn Ford | ... |
Santee
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Michael Burns | ... |
Jody
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| Dana Wynter | ... |
Valerie
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| Jay Silverheels | ... |
John Crow
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Harry Townes | ... |
Sheriff Carter
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John Larch | ... |
Banner
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| Robert J. Wilke | ... |
Deaks
(as Robert Wilke)
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| Robert Donner | ... |
J.C.
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Taylor Lacher | ... |
Lance
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John Bailey | ... |
Homesteader
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X Brands | ... |
Hook
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Caruth C. Byrd | ... |
Piano Player
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Chuck Courtney | ... |
Grayson
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Lindsay Crosby | ... |
Horn
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William Ford | ... |
Postmaster
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Jody Deakes joins up with his father after many years, only to discover that his dad is part of an outlaw gang on the run from a relentless bounty hunter named Santee. Jody is orphaned soon after Santee catches up to the gang, and follows Santee in hopes of taking vengeance for his father's death. Instead, however, Jody discovers that Santee is a good and loving man, tormented by the death of his young son at the hands of another outlaw gang. Santee and his wife take Jody in and a father-son relationship begins to grow. Then the gang that killed Santee's son shows up. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
The best features of this film are the scenery and Jay Silverheels in a part where he can show some emotions, compared with his stonefaced Tonto. In fact it's Ford who is bland for much of the film, despite the tragic loss of his son which is meant to have shaped his character; only in the very last scene does he convey real emotion - without saying a word.
The plot is unconvincing several times over. At the beginning one would have thought four tough guys could have stood and fought rather than flee from Santee, renowned bounty-hunter he may be. After a brief wish for revenge, the orphaned Jody seems to too readily accept Santee as a surrogate father, and in the version of the film I saw I never noticed any evidence that he had become a gunman competent enough to accompany Santee against six more tough guys.
A disappointment.