Navajo Joe
Encyclopedia
Navajo Joe is a 1966
Italian
/Spanish
Spaghetti Western
, directed by Sergio Corbucci
. It was filmed in Spain.
Navajo Joe stars Burt Reynolds
in his second leading role in a feature film, as the titular character, a Navajo Indian
opposing a group of bandits responsible for killing his tribe.
The film's score was composed by Ennio Morricone
(credited as Leo Nichols).
village, outlaw Duncan finds his men falling victim to a solitary rider, Navajo Joe. Joe saves two prostitutes who have overheard Duncan plot with Lynne, the town doctor, to steal a train full of money belonging to the bank. Joe steals the train back from Duncan's gang. He asks the townspeople of Esperanza to pay him to protect them from Duncan, making an offer of "I want a dollar a head from every man in this town for every bandit I kill". The townspeople reject him, as they "don't make bargains with Indians." Lynne's wife Honor persuades them otherwise. Joe sets a trap for Duncan but is caught and tortured; Lynne and Honor are killed. Rescued by an old man from the saloon, Joe again steals the train and eradicates Duncan's gang. There is then a showdown in an Indian cemetery, where Joe reclaims the pendant which Duncan stole from his wife when he murdered her. As Joe turns, Duncan shoots Joe with a hidden gun. Injured, Joe grabs a tomahawk and throws it, hitting Duncan square in the forehead. With Duncan dead, Joe sends his horse back to town, probably for the reward.
for the movie has been composed by Ennio Morricone
(credited as Leo Nichols) and contains the following tracks :
1966 in film
The year 1966 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Animation legend Walter Disney, well known for his creation of Mickey Mouse, died in 15 December 1966 of acute circulatory collapse following a diagnosis of, and surgery for, lung cancer...
Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
/Spanish
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...
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
, directed by Sergio Corbucci
Sergio Corbucci
Sergio Corbucci was an Italian film director. He is best known for his very violent yet intelligent spaghetti westerns...
. It was filmed in Spain.
Navajo Joe stars Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
in his second leading role in a feature film, as the titular character, a Navajo Indian
Navajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
opposing a group of bandits responsible for killing his tribe.
The film's score was composed by Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
(credited as Leo Nichols).
Plot
Having massacred an IndianNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
village, outlaw Duncan finds his men falling victim to a solitary rider, Navajo Joe. Joe saves two prostitutes who have overheard Duncan plot with Lynne, the town doctor, to steal a train full of money belonging to the bank. Joe steals the train back from Duncan's gang. He asks the townspeople of Esperanza to pay him to protect them from Duncan, making an offer of "I want a dollar a head from every man in this town for every bandit I kill". The townspeople reject him, as they "don't make bargains with Indians." Lynne's wife Honor persuades them otherwise. Joe sets a trap for Duncan but is caught and tortured; Lynne and Honor are killed. Rescued by an old man from the saloon, Joe again steals the train and eradicates Duncan's gang. There is then a showdown in an Indian cemetery, where Joe reclaims the pendant which Duncan stole from his wife when he murdered her. As Joe turns, Duncan shoots Joe with a hidden gun. Injured, Joe grabs a tomahawk and throws it, hitting Duncan square in the forehead. With Duncan dead, Joe sends his horse back to town, probably for the reward.
Music
The original soundtrackSoundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for the movie has been composed by Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
(credited as Leo Nichols) and contains the following tracks :
- Titoli Di Testa-Navajo Joe (Main Title)
- Pelli Conciate E Pelli Morte (Raw Hides and Dead Hides)
- Profilo del Destino (A Silhouette of Doom)
- Saloon Pyote (The Pyote Saloon)
- Storia Indiana (An Indian Story)
- Verso Esperanza (To Esperanza)
- Bandito Prende Il Treno (The Bandit Gets the Train)
- Ma Joe Dice No (But Joe Says No)
- Fine Di Barbara, E Il Ritornio Di Joe (The Demise of Barbara and the Return of Joe)
- Paura E Silenzio (Fear and Silence)
- Navajo E Prigioniero (The Navajo and the Prisoner)
- Guarendo le Ferite (Healing the Wound)
- Addio a Fratello Jeffrey (Goodbye to Brother Jeffrey)
- Navajo Joe
- Dopo la Fine (After the End)
- Titoli Di Coda-Navajo Joe (End Title)
Credits notes
- The lead female vocalist heard in the main title and in most of the tracks is Gianna Spagnulo, who also participated to the soundtrack Once Upon a Time in the WestOnce Upon a Time in the West (soundtrack)Once Upon a Time in the West is a soundtrack composed by Ennio Morricone, from the Once Upon a Time in the West western film of the same name directed by Sergio Leone, released in 1968...
.
Song notes
- The track "A Silhouette of Doom" has been used for The Bride's introductory speech and for her duel with Elle Driver in the second volume of the two-part Quentin Tarantino film, Kill BillKill BillKill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
. - The track "The Demise of Barbara and the Return of Joe" has been used for Bill's death in the second volume of the two-part Quentin Tarantino film, Kill BillKill BillKill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
. This track has also been used when Tracy rips up the posters of Paul in the movie ElectionElection (1999 film)Election is a 1999 American comedy film adapted from a 1998 novel of the same title by Tom Perrotta. The plot revolves around a three-way election race in high school, and satirizes both suburban high school life and politics...
.
Trivia
- Burt Reynolds is not Navajo, he is partially of CherokeeCherokeeThe Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
descent. - Sergio Corbucci claimed the plot of the film was based on historical accuracy; the U.S. Government paying scalp bounties.
- The original title of the film was to have been A Dollar a Head
- Burt Reynolds only agreed to make ‘Navajo Joe’ as he was under the impression Sergio Leone would be directing. When he found out it was Sergio Corbucci, it was too late for him to pull out of the film. He would continually joke "wrong Sergio" when talking about the film.
- Tracks from the film's score were later featured in ElectionElection (1999 film)Election is a 1999 American comedy film adapted from a 1998 novel of the same title by Tom Perrotta. The plot revolves around a three-way election race in high school, and satirizes both suburban high school life and politics...
and Kill BillKill BillKill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
. - Joe's horse was a dapple gray painted to look like a pinto.
External links
- Navajo Joe at the Spaghetti Western Database
- http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/34667/Navajo-Joe/overview Short review by Bosley Crowther at nytimes.com, originally published on December 7, 1967