Amongst Vultures (1964)

Outlaws disguised as Indians commit crimes against settlers but Winnetou and Old Surehand are determined to unmask the bandits and keep the peace between settlers and Indians.

Director:

Alfred Vohrer

Writers:

Karl May (novel), Eberhard Keindorff (screenplay)

Stars:

Pierre Brice, Götz George, Elke Sommer

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pierre Brice	...	Winnetou
Götz George	...	Martin Bauman Jr.
Elke Sommer	...	Annie Dillman
Stewart Granger	...	Old Surehand
Sieghardt Rupp	...	Preston
Miha Baloh	...	'Reverend' Weller (as Mihail Baloh)
Walter Barnes	...	Martin Bauman Sr.
Renato Baldini	...	Judge George Leader
Terence Hill	...	Baker Jr. (as Mario Girotti)
Vojislav Miric	...	Stewart (as Voja Miric)
Louis Velle	...	Gordon
Stojan 'Stole' Arandjelovic	...	Milton (as Stole Arandjelovic)
Ilija Ivezic	...	Jackie
Dusan Bulajic	...	Bloomfield
Davor Antolic	...	Rod

Storyline

Old Surehand and Winnetou investigate the murders of a mother and daughter. The surviving husband believes that his wife and daughter were murdered by Indians, but Old Surehand suspects that it is the work of a gang of robbers and bandits known as The Vultures, who disguise themselves as Indians while committing their crimes.

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Plot Keywords:

buxom | apache indian | arizona territory | apache territory | bigotry | 

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Taglines:

The Indian ... the hunter ... and the girl !

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Genres:

Western | Adventure

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

West Germany Yugoslavia Italy France

Language:

German

Release Date:

November 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

Frontier Hellcat

Filming Locations:

CCC-Atelier, Spandau, Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rialto Film, Jadran, Société Nouvelle de Cinématographie (SNC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Not willing to cater to Pierre Brice's dead serious take on the material, Stewart Granger played his part with an outright tongue-in-cheek attitude.

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Goofs

The film depicted a Shoshone encampment in which a totem pole was prominently displayed amongst the tee-pees. The Shoshone, nomadic in nature, did not have totem poles as part of their tribal culture. The totem pole was found only in cultures of the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America (Washington State and British Columbia, Canada).

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Connections

Followed by The Oil Prince (1965)

User Reviews

New entry on the famous saga based on Karl May novel with the ordinary Pierre Brice and the likable Stewart Granger

¨Unter Geiern¨on ¨The vultures¨ is an exciting Western that contains adventures , action , crossfire and gorgeous Yugoslavian exteriors magnificently photographed and in which takes place the emotive meeting between and Winnetou (Pierre Brice) and Old Surehand (Stewart Granger) replacing to Old Shatterhand (Lex Barker) . This is a thrilling and stirring adventure based on Karl May novel with two agreeable characters as Old Surehand and Winnetou , being stunningly played by Stewart Granger as an expert scout and Pierre Brice as an Apache chief respectively . Old Surehand and Winnetou investigate the murders of a mother and daughter at Bouman's ranch . The surviving husband named Bouman (Walter Barnes) and his son (Gotz George) think that the family was killed by Soshons Indians, but Old Surehand suspects that it was carried out by a band of gold thieves known as The Vultures . Old Surehand (Stewart Granger) helped by Winnetou (Pierre Brice) set out on pursuit of the bandits who disguise themselves as Indians while committing their crimes and both of whom prepare them a trap , but they get escape . Meanwhile , the desperado outlaws attack an Indian cemetery located at Valley of Death . Later on , they besiege a wagon caravan . At the end takes place a moving epilogue by shooting and fighting with no much sense . In successive episodes Old Surehand and his faithful half-brother Winnetou are ready on the trail to undertake new and risked adventures.

This is an acceptable episode about one of the series of popular German made Western , featuring the intimate duo formed by valiant ¨Old Surehand¨ who agrees to guide the revolt against outlaws located at Indian territory and immortal ¨Winnetou¨ , both of them will repeat their same notorious roles as dignified as always . Highlights of the movie are the spectacular attack at Indian graveyard and the impressive bandit raid on the caravan . This enjoyable saga benefits from sensational adventures , shootouts , action , emotion , larger-than-life characters and spectacular scenarios shot in Roski falls, CCC-Atelier, Spandau, Berlin,Grobnicko Polje, Croatia , Krka Falls, Krka National Park, Paklenica Canyon, Paklenica National Park, Croatia , Perucko reservoir, Tolove Grede mountain, Vrlika, Yugoslavia . The immutable and incombustible Winnetou-Pierre Brice plays , as usual, his excellent and unforgettable role to be continued in a TV series. Lex Barker scored especially high marks , though he played as a serious and intelligent man who joins forces with Winnetou , while Stewart Granger as Old Surehand performs with humor and joy , he's the perfect counterpoint to Winnetou . Enjoyable relationship between Old Surehand/Stewart Granger and Winnetou/Pierre Brice is quite match . The highbrow Lex Barker played the most part of series : ¨Apache gold(1963)¨ by Harald Reinl, ¨Apaches last Battle(1964)¨ by Hugo Fregonese, ¨Last of renegades(1964)¨, ¨The desperate trail¨, being succeeded by Stewart Granger : ¨Old Surehand¨ (1965) directed by Alfred Vohrer, ¨Rampage at Apache Wells or ¨Der Olprinz¨ by Harald Philipp . Stewart Granger as Old Surehand took the role in three occasions ,he starred a diverse character but the role is pretty similar to Old Shatterland , he plays with mirth and liking manner but in ironic tone , almost parody style , as ¨Among vultures¨ and ¨Winnetou and Surehand¨ .Besides Rod Cameron starred only one : ¨Old Firehand¨ in which chemistry between stuffy Cameron and Brice is inexistent .

This time the support cast is excellent such as Götz George as Martin Baumann Jr. , the gorgeous Elke Sommer (The prize) as Annie Dillman , Sieghardt Rupp (For a fistful of dollars) as Preston , Walter Barnes (who worked in lots of Spaghetti) as Martin Baumann Sr. , the Italian Renato Baldini as Judge George Leader , Terence Hill (future Trinity) as Baker Jr and Gojko Mitic who was one of the most famous and most loved actors in East Germany and in the other countries in Eastern Europe , and starred several roles as an Indian rebel . The film displays a colorful cinematography and a catching , sensitive musical score by Martin Bottcher , series' ordinary , and achieved super-retails , being eventually replaced in some episode by Peter Thomas . The motion picture produced by Rialto Productions (by producer Wendlandt who was subsequently succeeded by Arthur Brauner) was professionally directed by Alfred Vohrer who directed various Karl May episodes and was a German thriller expert called Krimi - Edward Wallace adaptation . Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable . Worthwhile seeing for marvelous scenarios and breathtaking outdoors from Yugoslavia including rousing falls , canyon, rivers and mountains; all of them as spectacular as Almeria- Spain- outdoors where at the same time were shot numerous European Western .