Army deserter Capt. Viktor Kaleb is offered a pardon and reinstatement in the cavalry if he agrees to lead a special forces group in a raid against an Apache stronghold into Mexico.
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Title: The Devil's Backbone (1970)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Bekim Fehmiu | ... | Capt. Victor Kaleb | |
| Richard Crenna | ... | Maj. Wade Brown | |
| Chuck Connors | ... | Reynolds | |
| Ricardo Montalban | ... | Natchai - Indian Scout | |
| Ian Bannen | ... | British Army Capt. Crawford | |
| Brandon De Wilde | ... | Lt. Ferguson | |
| Slim Pickens | ... | Tattinger - American Scout | |
| Woody Strode | ... | Jackson | |
| Albert Salmi | ... | Schmidt | |
| Patrick Wayne | ... | Capt. Bill Robinson | |
| Fausto Tozzi | ... | Orozco | |
| Mimmo Palmara | ... | Apache Chief Mangus Durango | |
 |
John Alderson | ... | O'Toole |
|
|
Doc Greaves | ... | Scott |
| Lucio Rosato | ... | Jed | |
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Storyline
Bitter over his wife's death due to what he believes was army negligence, Capt. Viktor Kaleb deserts the cavalry and disappears into the southwestern wasteland. But when marauding Apaches set up a stronghold just out of the cavalry's reach in Mexico, Kaleb is given amnesty in exchange for leading a small band of especially trained soldiers to wipe out the Indian stronghold. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
Plot Keywords:
arizona territory | apache indian | tomahawk | sierra madre mountains | fort bowie |Taglines:
A savage renegade and the chosen few... they followed him into Hell just for the chance to kill him! See more »Genres:
WesternParents Guide:
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Captain Viktor Kaleb: Get away from there!
Tattinger: Why, he was fixin' to eat that
[dead]
Tattinger: Indian!
Captain Viktor Kaleb: One tried to eat him once.
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Trivia
Body count: 95. See more »Goofs
At 38:50, the captain says to be there at daybreak. Yet the next scene when they are preparing to depart, the height of the sun is at least 10 am. See more »Quotes
Tattinger: What's that dog doing?Captain Viktor Kaleb: Get away from there!
Tattinger: Why, he was fixin' to eat that
[dead]
Tattinger: Indian!
Captain Viktor Kaleb: One tried to eat him once.
See more »
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Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
25 March 1971 (West Germany) See more »Also Known As:
The Devil's Backbone See more »Company Credits
Production Co:
Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, Jadran Film, Heritage Enterprises Inc. See more »
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Bekim Fehmiu had got a lot of exposure in _The Adventurers_, so here's Hollywood wondering if it should keep him around as a leading man. He gets a good director and a dream cast of character actors to support him. And there's a line in the script to identify him as a Serb in case you need an explanation of his accent, but the line isn't necessary; his English is fine.
Still, the burden is too much for Bekim. The film is a particularly dark Western. Writer/directory Kennedy, whose other films display a lot of warmth and humor, has given the star little to work with but grief and righteous resentment. You wish the hero well, but he doesn't engage you, and Bekim can't draw the missing sparkle forth from his own personality... not for an American audience, anyway.
We're left with a B movie, a movie that can command your attention but not your love.