User Reviews

Passable Tortilla/Spaghetti Western co-produced between Balcázar Producciones Cinematográficas and Fida Cinematografica, including customary scenarios from Fraga , Huesca ; outdoors that bear remarkable resemblance to Almeria . Afonso Balcazar directs the Spanish Jorge Martin and two American actors in this tale of revenge about a gunfighter who sets out in pursuit some bandits and avenge death of his wife . As Sartana (George Martin) looks for the nasty Slim Kovacs (Jack Elam) and Jose (Alfio Caltabiano) . Meantime , Slim and a veteran gunslinger (Gilbert Roland)attempt to rob a gold shipment .

¨Sonora" is an exciting Chorizo western that contains a story full of violence and vengeance , good dramatic pace and slick direction . Agreeable Butifarra-Spaghetti Western mostly produced by Spain and Italian secondary participation ; it follows the Sergio Leone wake , including close-up , zooms , choreographic duels and no being proceeded in American style . All in all, this film is predominantly a Spanish film rather than an Italian one. It's a two country co-production but is clearly dominated by the Spanish contingent and the traditional leanings of the Spanish producers of the time have their stamp on the entire proceedings. The Spanish westerns of this era were far more likely to try and emulate their American source material than cultivate a distinctive style of their own the way the Italians were doing but their product, though here in ¨Sonora¨ is developed in violent Spaghetti wake . The film packs action , shootouts , drama , high body-count and it's fast moving , being quite entertaining and approaching increasingly Leone Italian style , but keeping some details that make it special in this particular genre . It's a thrilling western with spectacular scenes and breathtaking confrontation among heartless protagonists George Martin and Jack Elam . Charismatic performance for whole casting . The notorious Spaghetti actor , George or Jorge Martin is acceptable in his usual tough role . The film is well starred by Spaghetti star as the Spanish George Martin who worked much for Alfonso Balcazar's factory such as ¨Clint the strange¨, ¨The return the Clint¨, ¨Oeste Nevada Joe¨, Thompson 1880¨ , ¨Taste of killing¨, ¨A pistol for Ringo and ¨The return of Ringo¨ .Nice acting by Gilbert Roland as a cocky gunfighter ; he starred some Spaghettis such as this Sonora, Goldseekers , Johnny Hamlet and Any Gun Can Play and Between God, the Devil and a Winchester. And , of course , Jack Elam who steals the show as a relentless Pistolero ; he starred various American Westerns as a notorious secondary with special mention to Rio Lobo . In the film appears familiar faces from Tortilla or Spaghetti Western such as Gérard Tichy , Alfio Caltabiano , Rosalba Neri , Tomás Torres , Hugo Blanco , Gérard Tichy and Miguel De La Riva . Evocative cinematography by Jaume De Casas , but a correct remastering being necessary . Being mostly filmed in a Western village located in ¨Splugues De Llobregat¨ , it resulted to be the location where were shot lots of Western produced and directed by Catalan people as Alfonso Balcazar , J.J. Balcazar , Jose Antonio De La Loma , Juan Bosch, Ignacio F. Iquino and Julio Buchs , among others , because Almeria was too far and the landscapes bear remarkable resemblance . There are many fine technicians and nice assistant direction and excellent production design by the usual Juan Albert Soler , he creates a good scenario . Very enjoyable musical score by Francesco De Masi , including catching songs at the beginning and ending .

¨Sartana Does Not Forgive" or "Three Gun Showdown" or "Sartana no perdona¨ was professionally directed by Alfonso Balcazar , though with no originality ; he managed to make a fluid and passable SW , though mediocre . Alfonso alongside his brothers Juan Jose Balcazar and Francisco Balcázar produced and directed a lot of Chorizo or Butifarra Western , most of them starred by Jorge Martin or George Martin , Luis Davila , Daniel Martin or Robert Woods ; such as 1972 The return of Clint , 1972 Judas... ¡Toma Monedas! , 1968 Sartana no Perdone or Sonora , 1967 With Death on Your Back, 1966 Dinamita Jim , 1965 Doc , Manos De Plata , 1965 Viva Carrancho , 1965 Five Thousand Dollars on One Ace . Rating : 5'5/10 . Average though some moments acceptable . If you like traditional Spaghetti westerns remains watchable .

Slim (Jack Elam) kills the wife of Sartana (George Martin) at his ranch, and Sartana does not forgive (as the Italian title of the movie says, 'Sartana Non Perdona'). Slim is already chased by the bounty hunter Kirchner (Gilbert Roland) and Jose (Tony Norton), a former friend he cheated and tried to kill. Slim and his 3 enemies meet at a small town, but since the villain is accompanied by Reyes (Tomas Torres) and his Mexican bandits, he will be difficult to catch...

The story is well told, Jack Elam in a rare European western performance is a perfect villain, though the best role goes to Gilbert Roland who can play the most unpredictable character. Kirchner is tempted by the money Slim offers (most of it from a recent bank robbery) and might turn against Sartana. However, the whole movie is only mediocre. There are flaws in the continuity, for example Jack Elam is clean-shaven in the saloon and bearded in the next moment when he enters the street. The editing, for example in the flashback sequences, and some poor lights and camera work are indicating this is a cheap and quick production.

Gilbert Roland was perfectly suited to the spaghetti western; he seemed to GET it, the rituals, pauses, steely glances, the ambiguity of his characters. You're never quite sure of his motives; is he the hero or the villain, on the hero's side or against him? Already elderly when the Italian western made its debut, he was in remarkably good shape and looked a good decade younger than his actual age. He made several Italo-oaters including BETWEEN GOD, THE DEVIL, AND A WINCHESTER, GO KILL AND COME BACK, THE RUTHLESS FOUR, JOHNNY HAMLET,and this one, SARTANA DOES NOT FORGIVE, my favorite of these. He plays Kirchner, a veteran gunfighter who may or may not be an adversary of Uriah Sartana, (George Martin), who is searching for a man, Slim (Jack Elam) who raped and killed his fiancé. Standing between Uriah and his vengeance are the Mexican bandidos led by Reyes who are allies of Slim, and a Mexican rancher, Jose (Alfio Caltabiano) who wants vengeance against Slim for his own reasons. There is the usual maneuvering of gunfighters, a fun Laurel and Hardy-type routine between Kirchner and Uriah with cigarillos being put out in drinks, drinks poured into dishes of food, dishes of food spilt onto boots...they don't mix up their hats, thank goodness. Martin is good as the steely-eyed avenger who typically gets the snot beaten out of him without losing his good looks. Elam is slimier than ever as Slim, who doesn't regret the rape/murder of Uriah's fiancé and even taunts him about her. The lovely Rosalba Neri makes an appearance to get some of her clothes ripped off and instigate a gunfight, and a nicely set up duello at the end will keep you in suspense (even though you KNOW how it's going to come out) and this turns out to be an entirely satisfying entry in our favorite genre. And of course the music by de Masi is outstanding, as well. This cries out for some attention from Wild East or Franco Cleef. The version I saw was from SBS in Australia, nicely letterboxed (if not the O.A.R.) but dialog was in Spanish with English subtitles. Does an English track of this one exist? If not, too bad, because Elam's voice is definitely missed!