Gunfighters of Casa Grande
Encyclopedia
Gunfighters of Casa Grande () is a 1964
Eurowestern film
, co-produced by the United States
and Spain
. Based on a story by Borden
and Patricia Chase, it was later developed into a screenplay with the assistance of screenwriter Clark Reynolds and directed by Roy Rowland
, one of the last films he directed for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
.
The film starred Alex Nicol
, Jorge Mistral
, Dick Bentley
, Steve Rowland
, Phil Posner, Mercedes Alonso, Diana Lorys, Maria Granada, Roberto Rey and Aldo Sambrell
. Antonio Mayans and José Manuel Martín both had minor appearances in the film, Martin having an uncredited role.
The film's trailer was originally narrated by voice actor Don LaFontaine
in his first credited role. He had been working as recording engineer and copy writer when, after the original announcer failed to appear for the scheduled recording, LaFontaine agreed to record the trailer.
. The gang had agreed to meet up later to divide up the money, however Daylight instead uses the money to buy a ranch, the Casa Grande. Although several of them protest, the gang agrees to follow Daylight to the ranch. They are soon joined by The Traveler, who has recently joined the gang, and leads them to the ranch.
Daylight plans to use the ranch as a cover to rustle cattle from his neighbors and sell them at inflated prices across the border. However, his comrades soon adapt to life on the ranch. The Traveler and The Kid meet two women named Dona Maria de Castellar and Pacesita, with whom they eventually fall in love.
Daylight's plans are temporarily threatened by another bandit gang led by Rojo, who begins stealing cattle from numerous ranches in the area including his own. Organizing the local ranchers against the bandits, they succeed in chasing off Rojo. This has an unintended consequence however as Daylight's men have decided to remain at Casa Grande. He and his men begin to argue and, during the course of events, shoots and kills Doc causing The Traveler to kill Daylight in turn. With their former leader dead, the men stay on the ranch and The Traveller and Maria begin a new life on the Casa Grande.
-area as a double feature
along with She
.
The film was aired on television in the United States during the late 1960s until the mid-1970s and again during the early-to-mid-1990s. The film was released on DVD
during the early 2000s, although this was on a limited scale and consequently remains one of the more obscure and hard-to-find westerns.
1964 in film
The year 1964 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 29 - The film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is released....
Eurowestern film
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, co-produced by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Based on a story by Borden
Borden Chase
Borden Chase was an American writer.Born Frank Fowler, he went through an assortment of jobs, including driving for gangster Frankie Yale and working as a sandhog on the construction of New York's Holland Tunnel, before turning to writing, first short stories and novels, and later, screenplays...
and Patricia Chase, it was later developed into a screenplay with the assistance of screenwriter Clark Reynolds and directed by Roy Rowland
Roy Rowland (film director)
Roy Rowland was a film director. The New York-born director helmed a number of films in the 1950s and 60s including Our Vines Have Tender Grapes, Meet Me in Las Vegas, Rogue Cop, The 5000 Fingers of Doctor T and The Girl Hunters. Rowland married Ruth Cummings, the niece of Louis B...
, one of the last films he directed for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
.
The film starred Alex Nicol
Alex Nicol
For the Distinguished Service Cross recipient, see Alexander Nicol.Alex Nicol was an American actor and director. Nicol appeared in many Westerns including The Man from Laramie...
, Jorge Mistral
Jorge Mistral
Jorge Mistral born Modesto Llosas Rosell was a Spanish film actor. His father was from Puerto Rico and his mother from Catalonia. During the 40s, he became a star in films produced by CIFESA. In the 50s, he lived and worked in México and appeared in Luis Buñuel's Abismos de pasión...
, Dick Bentley
Dick Bentley
Charles Walter "Dick" Bentley , born in Melbourne, Australia, was a comedian and actor. He starred with Jimmy Edwards in Take It From Here for BBC Radio....
, Steve Rowland
Steve Rowland
Steve Rowland may refer to:*Steve Rowland *Steve Rowland *Steve Rowland , Welsh soccer player*XIII...
, Phil Posner, Mercedes Alonso, Diana Lorys, Maria Granada, Roberto Rey and Aldo Sambrell
Aldo Sambrell
Alfredo Sanchez Brell , known as Aldo Sambrell, was a Spanish film actor, director and producer who made over 150 appearances in film between 1961 and 1996....
. Antonio Mayans and José Manuel Martín both had minor appearances in the film, Martin having an uncredited role.
The film's trailer was originally narrated by voice actor Don LaFontaine
Don LaFontaine
Donald Leroy "Don" LaFontaine was an American voiceover artist famous for recording more than 5,000 film trailers and hundreds of thousands of television advertisements, network promotions, and video game trailers. His nicknames included "Thunder Throat" and "The Voice of God"...
in his first credited role. He had been working as recording engineer and copy writer when, after the original announcer failed to appear for the scheduled recording, LaFontaine agreed to record the trailer.
Cast
- Alex NicolAlex NicolFor the Distinguished Service Cross recipient, see Alexander Nicol.Alex Nicol was an American actor and director. Nicol appeared in many Westerns including The Man from Laramie...
as Joe Daylight — an outlaw and professional gambler, he is the leader of a group of bandits rustling cattle across the US-Mexican border. - Jorge MistralJorge MistralJorge Mistral born Modesto Llosas Rosell was a Spanish film actor. His father was from Puerto Rico and his mother from Catalonia. During the 40s, he became a star in films produced by CIFESA. In the 50s, he lived and worked in México and appeared in Luis Buñuel's Abismos de pasión...
as The Traveler — a recent member of the gang, he is the most outspoken of the group questioning Daylight's leadership. - Steve RowlandSteve RowlandSteve Rowland may refer to:*Steve Rowland *Steve Rowland *Steve Rowland , Welsh soccer player*XIII...
as The Kid — the youngest member of the gang, he and The Traveler become friends. Although reluctantly supporting Daylight, he and The Traveler eventually side against him. - Dick BentleyDick BentleyCharles Walter "Dick" Bentley , born in Melbourne, Australia, was a comedian and actor. He starred with Jimmy Edwards in Take It From Here for BBC Radio....
as Doc — one Daylight's three partners, he is an elderly outlaw. Although less vocal, he wishes to retire in Mexico with the others. - Phil Posner as Henri — another of Daylight's partners.
- Mercedes Alonso as Dona Maria de Castellar — the daughter of a neighboring rancher, she falls in love with The Traveler.
- Diana Lorys as Gitana — the girlfriend of Joe Daylight.
- Maria Granada as Pacesita — the personal maid and confidant of Maria, she and The Kid also become involved romantically.
- Roberto Rey as Don Castellar de Verdugo — a neighboring rancher and landowner. He is the father of Maria de Castellar.
- Aldo SambrellAldo SambrellAlfredo Sanchez Brell , known as Aldo Sambrell, was a Spanish film actor, director and producer who made over 150 appearances in film between 1961 and 1996....
as Rojo — a rival bandit leader whose gang is threatening the ranchers in the area, including Joe Daylight's outfit.
- Toni Fuentes - Carlos
- Angel Solano - Don Ariola
- Jim Gillen - sheriff
- Mike Ekiss - deputy
- Fernando Villena - Mario
- Emilio RodriguezEmilio RodriguezEmilio Rodríguez Barros was a Spanish professional road bicycle racer from Ponteareas who won the King of the Mountains classification at Vuelta a España three times and captured the overall title at the 1950 Vuelta a España...
- Francisco - Ana Maria Custodio - Senora Durano
- Mario Barros - Rio
- Ivan Tubau - Pecos
- Jose Mayens - Manuel
- Miguel Brendel as Mike Brendel]] - bartender
- Simon Arriaga - Carvajal
- Jose Manuel Martin - Don Luis Ariola
Plot
Joe Daylight is on the run along with members of his outlaw gang, The Kid, Doc and Henri. After fleeing from a bank robbery, they manage to elude the posse chasing them after crossing into MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The gang had agreed to meet up later to divide up the money, however Daylight instead uses the money to buy a ranch, the Casa Grande. Although several of them protest, the gang agrees to follow Daylight to the ranch. They are soon joined by The Traveler, who has recently joined the gang, and leads them to the ranch.
Daylight plans to use the ranch as a cover to rustle cattle from his neighbors and sell them at inflated prices across the border. However, his comrades soon adapt to life on the ranch. The Traveler and The Kid meet two women named Dona Maria de Castellar and Pacesita, with whom they eventually fall in love.
Daylight's plans are temporarily threatened by another bandit gang led by Rojo, who begins stealing cattle from numerous ranches in the area including his own. Organizing the local ranchers against the bandits, they succeed in chasing off Rojo. This has an unintended consequence however as Daylight's men have decided to remain at Casa Grande. He and his men begin to argue and, during the course of events, shoots and kills Doc causing The Traveler to kill Daylight in turn. With their former leader dead, the men stay on the ranch and The Traveller and Maria begin a new life on the Casa Grande.
Reaction
Gunfight at Casa Grande was released in Spain during early 1964 and premiered in the United States on April 1, 1964; it was later released in Europe between May 1964 and September 1965. Moderately successful, the film earned 19,939,562 ₧ (US: $189,608) during its initial run in Spain. As of September 1, 1965, the film was still running in American theaters and appeared in the New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
-area as a double feature
Double feature
The double feature, also known as a double bill, was a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatre managers would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown.The double feature, also known as...
along with She
She (1965 film)
She is a 1965 film made by Hammer Film Productions, based on the novel by H. Rider Haggard. It was directed by Robert Day and stars Ursula Andress, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.-Plot synopsis:...
.
The film was aired on television in the United States during the late 1960s until the mid-1970s and again during the early-to-mid-1990s. The film was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
during the early 2000s, although this was on a limited scale and consequently remains one of the more obscure and hard-to-find westerns.
External links
- Gunfighters of Casa Grande at the British Film InstituteBritish Film InstituteThe British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
- Gunfighters of Casa Grande at the Spaghetti Western Database