This Italian/Spanish co-production concerns upon a mestizo , Chino Valdez (Bronson at fifty-one years of age) , the Halfbreed , he's a horse breeder rancher who fights to maintain his way of life by facing off foes . 'The Valdez Horses' refers to Chino's equine herd . The half-Indian man lives solitary until the arrival a young (Vincent Van Patten) . Chino decides to take him in and teach him the art of rodeo , raising , breeding and round-up horses . The movie follows the Bronson's adventures and his imposing black stallion that represents the freedom and proud what the white men impede him to enjoy . Meanwhile , Chino has a sensitive romance , as he falls in love with the sister (Jill Ireland) of a wealthy owner (Marcel Bozzuffi) who doesn't approve the relationship and taking the subsequent vengeance.
It is a Spaghetti Western shot in Almeria (Spain) where by that time lots of Maccaroni/Paella Westerns were shot , and its source 'The Valdez Horses' , a novel written by Lee Hoffman (published in 1967) ; but being a little bit boring and slow-moving , although there are some shootouts , action , and emotion . Interesting storyline though monotonous and tiring by Clair Huffaker , he was a prestigious screenwriter who wrote several notorious westerns . Clair Huffaker is credited as the sole writer on American prints , though in the Italian ones is also signed by Massimo De Rita and Arduino Maiuri . There's a brief exploring about Native American Indians and dream sequences that tend to undermine the easy action . As always , Charles Bronson performs a tough and silent man in lame manner , he plays as Chino Valdez , he is mixed Native American Indian/white European genealogy , he's a horse breeder who breeds , tames , and trains ; while Jill Ireland (Bronson's real wife) , as his sweetheart , is enjoyable and enticing . This film is one of Charles Bronson's 70s westerns , his westerns made during the seventies include Red sun (1971) by Terence Young , Chato (1972) by Michael Winner , From noon till three (1976) by Frank D Gilroy , Nevada Express (1975) by Tom Gries and White Buffalo (1977) by J. Lee Thompson , being most of them produced by Dino De Laurentiis . Spectacular outdoors well shown by cameramen Armando Nannuzzi and Godofredo Pacheco , but the film-copy is a little worn-out . Set in New Mexico , USA , this movie was actually filmed in Almería , desert of Tabernas , Andalucía , Spain . Musical score by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis is effective and evocative , they are composers of numerous spaghetti western soundtracks .
Weak though slick direction by John Sturges, , he previously made classic westerns as ¨Gunfight OK Corral¨, ¨Last train from Gun Hill¨ and ¨The magnificent seven¨ and his former Western film had been ¨Joe Kidd¨ with Clint Eastwood . Being fifth and ending film that filmmaker Sturges made with star Charles Bronson . This Italian/Spanish/USA co-production was premiered in Europe in 1973 but didn't open in the USA until 1976. In the Italian version appears credited as co-director Duilio Coletti . Duilio was a good craftsman who mainly filmed adventure genre such as ¨Captain Fracassa¨, ¨Il Fornaretto Di Venezia¨, The Mask of Cesare Borgia" , "Merchant of Slaves" and wartime genre , such as ¨Anzio¨ co-directed by Edward Dymitryck , ¨Divisione Folgore¨, "The Earth Cries Out" , "Hell Raiders of the Deep" , and ¨Under ten flags¨ . The motion picture is a Charles Bronson vehicle along with his wife, Jill Ireland , both of whom sadly deceased . Rating : Acceptable and passable.
