Review of In a Colt's Shadow

Writer & director Giovanni Grimaldi was certainly no Sergio Leone, but his first Spaghetti western "In A Colt's Shadow" amounts to an entertaining shoot'em up that takes place amid scenic, sun-drenched Spanish vistas, with a flavorful Nico Fidenco score, and a cast of familiar faces. Mind you, you won't find any marquee stars in the leading roles; Stephen Forsyth gave up acting after making then European films that did little to bolster his career, while Conrado San Martín kept on making films. Nevertheless, if you've seen enough European westerns, you will recognize the faces of Spaghetti stalwarts Aldo Sambrell, Franco Ressel, Tito García, and José Calvo in supporting roles. Basically, this above-average, but low-budget, 79-minute horse opera recycles the traditional themes of American westerns from the 1950s about reformed gunslingers who sought to forsake their six-guns, settle down with their sweethearts, and turn to either ranching or farming. Stephen Forsyth and Conrado San Martín are the virtuous protagonists, while Franco Ressel and Franco Lantieri are the conniving dastards that want our heroes dead. The gunfight in the confines of Providence that caps this western makes it worthwhile. The title sequence differs from the usual Spaghetti fireworks; watercolor style prints accompany a song with a man who utters the lyrics as if he were reciting them. If you enjoy austere Spaghetti westerns, you should relish "In A Colt's Shadow." Steve Blaine (Stephen Forsyth of "Fury in Marrakesh") and Duke Buchanan (Conrado San Martín of "Legions of the Nile") are riding their horses through a rock-strewn wilderness discussing their future. Duke assures Steve the life of a gunslinger is no life for a married man. "A life like ours is tied to a pistol," Duke reminds him. "Grab one in your fist once and you've got to keep on using it forever. Killing so as not to be killed. And then sooner or later some young pistolero will come along and he'll flush you out from wherever you go to bury your past, and then he will be able to boast that he gunned down the famous Steve Blaine." Duke hopes Steve will be successful, but he doesn't want him to embark such a life with his daughter Susan. It seems that Duke lost his wife when a gunman shot her instead of him. Our heroes ride into an apparently deserted Mexican village. As it turns out, they have been paid to eliminate a bandit gang led by Ramirez (Aldo Sambrell) who arrive to die in the first of several action-packed shoot-outs. The interesting thing about this Mexican village scene is that our heroes take an additional precaution to protect the villagers from the wrath of the gang that they are supposed to eliminate. Duke tells them that in case Steve and he bite the dust, they are going to tie them up so that it will appear to all intensive purposes that they robbed the villagers. Of course, our sharp-shooting gunmen wipe out the gang. One survivor wounds Duke before Steve polishes him off. The sequence is naturally a homage to John Sturges' "The Magnificent Seven." Anyway, a veterenairn has to treat Duke's wounds, while Steve rides off to rendezvous with Duke's daughter and marry her against Duke's wishes. Eventually, Duke and Steve reunite for the big gundown in Providence. Interestingly enough, this duel on main street anticipates similar gunfights, such as the opening and concluding scenes in Sergio Corbucci's "The Mercenary" as well as Giulio Petroni's 1966 the final showdown in the revenge-themed sagebrusher "Death Rides A Horse."