The Stranger Returns (1967) User Reviews

Average effort, superior sequel.

[iaido · 5/10 · 31 August 2001]

This second installment of the Stranger series is significantly better than the first film, and is a pretty average/middling entry to the Spaghetti Western genre. Its an amazing testament to the popularity of the Spaghetti Western that the first bland Stranger film was able to spawn any sequels at all. .As the Stranger appears, riding a black horse under a tattered umbrella, my first thoughts were of El Topo, but this isn't an Existentialist Western. This sequel is much more lighthearted a more easygoing tone than the first film, with some bits of humor (like his horse named `Pussy') and a more upbeat score. This time the Stranger is a bit more like Trinity than the Man with No Name, but the film still suffers from overall clumsiness and Anthony's lack of presence (and bad hair).

Once again the Stranger tangles with a group of bandits after gold, their leader being a good cold-hearted villain, who is known for never missing a shot. The bandits and the Stranger are after not a wagon carrying a load of gold, but one actually made out of it. In this and the first Stranger film (Stranger in Town), they borrow the Fistful of Dollars/Django device where the Stranger is caught by the bad guys and beaten badly only to escape and exact his revenge, but it doesn't work in the same way. When Eastwood or Nero is captured and beaten, its like they have taken down an unstoppable giant, whereas with Anthony's Stranger he just comes off like a luckless weakling. To his credit, Anthony did co-write The Stranger Returns and it is a pretty good Spaghetti story, but why he allowed the pink shirt I'll never know.

The finale is, once again, rather clumsy in its execution, with some badly composed action- for instance, a man follows the Stranger into a room only to quickly give up looking for him and start goofing off in front of a mirror, or the Stranger disguising some water barrels that a villain cant tell are water barrels even though he is only about two inches away, and an awkward face off at a table full of food that is supposed to be humorous. Overall though, it is better in style, story, and characters than the first Stranger film, and gets a 6/10 for the genre. Nothing special but well worth a look for the Spaghetti fan.

Offbeat and entertaining Spaghetti Western about a stranger taking on a nasty gang

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 23 March 2022]

A fun Western with breathtaking duels , thrills , horse pursuits , twists and turns . A tough , cynical stranger , Tony Anthony , takes the identity of a postal inspector and along with a preacher become involved into a confrontation with an ominous gang commanded by En Plein: Dan Vadis and his henchmen : Raf Baldassarre , Mario Novelli or Anthony Freeman, all of them want to rob a valuable stagecoach . The stranger rides with a queer name and carries a Pink parasol. He's after a solid stagecoach made in solid gold and a band of cutthroats .Trap him ! Tease him ! Throw him in a coffin..but don't get the stanger mad !. It is the living and dying-end in excitement ! Can he roll a cigarette ? No is he interested in women ? When he has time ! Can he kill ? Only when necessary.. and it's always necessary when the stranger returns !

Nice Spaghetti Western packing shootouts , violence , high body-count , fast moving, ironical touches and entertainment enough . There is plenty of action in the film , guaranteeing crossfire or stunts every few minutes . Made on a fairly middling scale with acceptable set design , colorful cinematograpy by cameraman Marcello Masciocchi and stunning musical score in Spaghetti style by Stelvio Cipriani . Stars Tony Anthony , he's very fine , giving even comical and ironical touches here and there . Tony Anthony starred some Westerns mostly directed by Luigi Vanci and Ferdinando Baldi, playing similar role as a cynical antihero, such as : A dollar between the teeth 1967 by Luigi Vanci, The Stranger in Japan 1968 by Luigi Vanci, The Blindman 1971 by Ferdinando Baldi , Get Mean 1975 by Ferdinando Baldi , Comin' at Ya ! 1981 by Ferdinando Baldi . Here Tony Anthony is well accompanied by various Italian familiar faces such as Daniele Vargas, Ettore Manni, Raf Baldassarre, Mario Novelli or Anthony Freeman , Luciano Catenacci, Fortunato Arena, Giuseppe Addobbati or John Mac Douglas and the American Dan Vadis who starred several Peplums and Jill Banner who played the cult movie Spider Baby but she died early due to a road accident.

The motion picture was competently directed by Luigi Vanzi who directed a few movies in all kinds of genres, such as : 1931 once upon a time in New York, East Connection, America paese di Dio, Sette a Tebe . Rating : 6,5/10 , riotous Western in which there's much action and violence and excitement enough .

Vastly superior to it's predecessor with a "killer" score ......

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 20 May 2017]

"The Stranger Returns", is much better than the first "Stranger" movie, just as "For a Few Dollars More" eclipsed "A Fistful of Dollars". The score here is an absolute "killer" , and very Morricone like. I would say that Warner Brothers has done a great job with the Archive Collection transfer. Colors are sharp and the musical score is clearly a highlight. The story itself, has Tony Anthony playing the low key sly fox, taking a beating, but eventually outsmarting Dan Vadis and his gang. There are several chuckles that actually work, and the action, although predictable, moves along at a good pace. I consider this film to be one of the better non-Leone spaghetti westerns, and is recommended viewing, especially for "spaghetti" fans. - MERK

Crude spaghetti western

[Wizard-8 · 18 August 2016]

I'm usually up for a good spaghetti western, but I found "The Stranger's Return" for the most part to be a below average sampling of the genre. While most other spaghetti westerns were able to take low budgets and squeeze every last penny out of them to make solid production values, this time around the low budget really shows. That would be a minor quibble had the movie been given energy and speed, but the movie feels very, very tired. It moves really slowly, and there is no feeling of passion at any moment. Instead, there is a crude and clumsy feeling, like the filmmakers were making things up as they went along and didn't have the time or resources to think things over carefully before shooting. As for the title character, Tony Anthony has absolutely no charisma. Oddly, his facial expression for most of the movie makes it appear that he's about to burst into tears at any moment. There are a few good touches that manage to come out here and there - the musical score, for one thing, isn't bad at all - but the movie as a whole is a tough slog to sit through.

Nice-looking spagwest

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 4 June 2019]

THE STRANGER RETURNS is a minor but nice-looking spagwest featuring Tony Anthony as the usual gunslinger who finds himself up against a gang of bandits with superior numbers. This has some quirky elements including a stagecoach made of gold and an old preacher who aids our hero. Dan Vadis is on villain duties here while peplum stalwart Ettore Manni shows up too. The story is rather slight but moves along at a fair clip, while the cinematography is quite gorgeous and ably brings to life the sun-scorched locales.

A welcome and superior return by Tony Anthony's Stranger

[marc-366 · 8/10 · 23 September 2005]

Tony Anthony returns in his "Stranger" guise, in a film that totally eclipses the qualities of its predecessor, "A Stranger in Town".

To the sound of Cipriani's superb score, the Stranger rides horseback (astride the interestingly named "Pussy") through the desert, protecting himself from the sun's rays with a pink parasol, and greeting a passing traveller. The sound of gunfire alerts him to a nearby ranch, where he finds the traveller lying dead. A great gunfight scene ensues, and three dead bodies later he learns of a bandit gang's gold heist plot.

The gang, led by En Plein (Dan Vadis) are known as the Treasure of the Border, on account of the size of the bounties that rest on their heads (although quite how some of his goofy comrades manage to generate such a vast reward is beyond me). They successfully ambush a stagecoach, which is soon revealed to be made of solid gold. The Stranger tracks down the gang, in an effort to claim the bounty, assisted by a deranged local preacher with a pocketful of fireworks.

The story itself is very simple, but delivered in a great style. Like the other films in the Stranger series (well, those that I have seen), it combines the feel of the Leone films (in its poncho clad protagonist and its morricone-mimic soundtrack) but injects an extra dosage of humour. This humorous side is particularly well crafted (such as the enjoyable scene at the beginning of the movie, when the Stranger is forced at gunpoint to dig a grave both for the dead traveller and himself). "Returns" does not borrow so heavily from the Dollars trilogy as "A Stranger in Town", but still its clear where its influences lie. And why not - it does it very successfully and makes for great viewing.

Anthony is never going to exude the same level of cool as Eastwood's Man With No Name, and therefore deliberately plays the role in a more clumsy comical fashion. But there is still no denying his character's appeal - or his fast-draw and accurate gun-play. The supporting characters also really add to the enjoyment, with Vadis particularly well suited to the role of the merciless gang leader.

Perhaps the highlight of the film though is Cipriani's score which, as mentioned earlier, owes more than a passing nod to Ennio, but aptly captures the mood and feeling as the action unfurls. It's one of those soundtracks that could make even a bad film worth watching.

Anthony's Stranger series eventually collapsed into the medieval farce that is "Get Mean". But this particular episode of the Stranger's adventures is a truly enjoyable and highly watchable western. And one that nearly reaches the highlights of Anthony's finest hour - Blindman. "Returns" is the best of the Stranger films that I have seen, and one that I would definitely recommend.

Another Tony Anthony Film

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 28 June 2008]

Enjoyed the first film with Tony Anthony, "A Strange in Town" and this film is quite similar except there are women being raped and one shot dead while trying to hang out her laundry. There are a whole gang of laughing bandits who simply love to tease, torture and kill in cold blood. The Strange meets up with a rather crazy preacher who has all kinds of secrets to help the Stranger fight off this gang of bandits who are after a gold shipment and the Stranger assumes the identify of a murdered postal inspector. The Stranger is captured and given a good beating and was pulled by a rope behind a stagecoach and was then kicked and punched in the face constantly. The music in this picture added a great deal of sound effects throughout the entire film and I must say some of the gals in this picture were very good looking and sexy.

The simplicity that wins

[greenfield-574-576598 · 8/10 · 18 October 2020]

There is a certain simplicity and naive attitude in this movie but this was its strength, in my opinion. Doing the simple things in a good manner it is the recipe for success. I love the close-ups that show the dramatic expressions and focus on the characters (typical of movies from end of 60s and 70s). If we add a certain irony and drama to this film, it makes it a pleasant and must-see one to watch and to add in the spaghetti-western bucket list. Well done.