The Spikes Gang (1974)

Three farm boys in the Old West help a wounded bank robber, who teaches them the trade.

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Irving Ravetch (screenplay), Harriet Frank Jr. (screenplay)

Stars:

Lee Marvin, Gary Grimes, Ron Howard

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lee Marvin	...	Harry Spikes
Gary Grimes	...	Will
Ron Howard	...	Les
Charles Martin Smith	...	Tod (as Charlie Martin Smith)
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	Kid White
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Basset (as Noah Beery)
Marc Smith	...	Abel Young
Don Fellows	...	Cowboy
Elliott Sullivan	...	Billy
Robert Beatty	...	Sheriff (credit only)
Ralph Brown	...	Posse Leader
Bill Curran	...	Gillis
Ricardo Palacios	...	Doctor
David Thomson	...	Sheriff of Carrizo Springs
Bert Conway	...	Bank Teller

Storyline

In the Old West, impressionable teenagers Will, Les and Tod find an injured bank-robber who asks for their help. At first, the boys are scared and reluctant to help. They're afraid of getting into trouble with the law and their parents. Moved by the wounded man's pleas, they finally agree to hide the robber in Will's barn and clean his wounds. Over the next few days, they bring food, drink and clean clothes to the outlaw whose name is Harry Spikes. When the sheriff and his posse come by and ask questions, Will hides the fact the robber is concealed in his family's barn. After he sufficiently recovers, Harry Spikes thanks the boys for their help and vows to help them in return if they ever need his aid. He takes Will's horse and leaves the county, heading for the Mexican border. Later, Will's parents discover their son's little mischievous secret and administer Will a severe beating to teach him to never lie. Fed up with his father's frequent physical punishments, Will runs away from ...

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Plot Keywords:

teenage boy | spaghetti western | street shootout | murder | thief | 

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Taglines:

Three boys wanted to be like their hero. Harry Spikes. They got their wish. Soon they were worth a fortune. DEAD or ALIVE.

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Beatty, despite being credited as The Sheriff, is nowhere to be seen.

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Quotes

[Spikes gets ready to leave Tod, who has been severely wounded]
Harry Spikes: I'd stay by his side if I thought it would do him any good and me no harm. But that ain't the way it lies.
Will Young: Don't you care nothing for him? You just said you did!
Harry Spikes: I've left men dead behind me. I've left men dying behind me. And I've left 'em calling my name. What you do is shut your ears and close your eyes and run like hell. If you boys were older and been in it longer, you'd know that's the only way to live.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood Remembers Lee Marvin (2000)

User Reviews

Good and unknown western shot in Almeria , Spain , with a great cast by young man actors and a sensational Lee Marvin

After escape home , three young man friends (Gary Grimes , Charles Martin Smith , Ron Howard) form a strong alliance , a dynamic trio combining raw untamed youth . Later on , they meet an old man named Spikes (Lee Marvin) with the experience only a master gunfighter can offer . As three boys wanted to be like their hero and they got their wish . They create his own band and carry out a great number of bank robberies and murders and soon they were worth a fortune . They are become as outlaws with a price on their heads . But they are trapped in Mexico , and while awaiting a trial they are released on bail by the bandit Spikes . The three young men accompanied by the veteran crook on the raid bank again , in which two of them are severely wounded . Then , the lawmen form a posse and engage to hunt down the gang.

This exciting film packs Western action , rider-pursuits , thrills, emotion , shootouts and results to be quite entertaining . Besides , it contains good feeling , such as friendship , faithfulness and companionship although it was betrayed by one of them at the end . The young players who wear extremely low holsters are phenomenal , they will have too much successes in their future , especially Ron Howard (American Graffiti) with a successful career as a nice director (Beautiful mind , Cinderella man , Da Vinci Code) , Charles Martin Smith as a prestigious secondary (Starman, Untouchables) , and Gary Grimes (Summer of 42, Class of 44) as a Western starring in similar role as a naive cowboy (Cahill US Marshal , CulpepperCattle) , though he is nowadays retreated . And , of course , the great Lee Marvin , he gives a terrific acting as a tough gunslinger . Furthermore , there also appears two notorious secondary actors from numerous Westerns : Noah Beery Jr and Arthur Hunnicut . Robert Beatty , despite being credited as The Sheriff , is nowhere to be seen . And some Spanish secondary actors , usual in Pasta/Chorizo Western , such as : Ricardo Palacios , Adolfo Thous and Rafael Albaicín . The film was shot in Tabernas , Almeria (Spain) , a location where was filmed hundreds of Spaghetti/Paella Westerns during the 60s and 70s . The motion picture was well directed by Richard Fleischer . The movie will appeal to Lee Marvin fans and twilight Western enthusiasts.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 April 1974 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

The Spikes Gang

Filming Locations:

Tabernas, Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Mirisch Corporation, Duo Productions, Sanford Productions (III)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1