La morte sull'alta collina (1969) Online

Being a huge fan of Spaghetti Westerns, I found this movie directed by Fred Ringold AKA Fernando Cerchio to be very fun to watch. However, there was one thing about the film that kinda ruin the movie, for me: the main character, Loring Vandervelt (Peter Lee Lawrence). Don't get me wrong, Peter Lee Lawrence isn't a bad actor. It sucks that he died really young at age 30, due to glioblastoma cancer, but his character in this film was very badly written. The stupid things, he does throughout this film, are irritating. Because of that, this film felt like a dumber and sillier Zapata version of 2007's 'No Country for Old Men' with Loring finding stolen money taken from Mexican banditos and unwisely using the money for selfish reasons, bringing unwatched attention to himself. While, Loring's actions does drive the plot, along, his bad decision making feels out of place and forced, even with the awful confusing twist toward the end. It doesn't add up, compare to the scenes, he makes very clever and smart decisions. Honestly, I can think of many other ways, the movie could had done this better, like having Loring's sister, Daphne (Agnès Spaak) find the money and spent it, without Loring or Mark Harrison (Louis Dawson AKA Luis Dávila)'s knowledge. It would give more reason for her character to be in this film, plus it would build more tension between the two gunslingers. Since the movie didn't do this, Daphne felt like a bothersome show stopper distraction. She really does slow the movie, down with the whole deeply religious father subplot. It goes nowhere. Despite that, I have to say, I kinda dig most of the supporting cast. Luis Dávila does wonder as the solo mysterious gruff type character. Even the out of the top, somewhat racism cartoony caricatured stereotype of Mexican bandits of General Valiente (Tano Cimarosa) & his assistant, Augustine (Jesus Guzmán) was fun to watch. The movie has some of the best scenes with them. Tons of great jokes are play out, with them, like General Valiente forcing a man to eat paper, ordering Augustine to get his sombrero, or tossing devotional scapular and rosaries, whenever he think a Saint has failed him. A part of me, really wanted, these guys to win. They were really fun to see! Another character that I like, was Nelo Pazzafini as a billiard player, yet, I do understand, he was a character that does not contribute anything to the main plot. However, he was so funny! That's one thing, the movie does so well. It has a very good sense of humor. Who knew, that a title like 'Death of High Mountain' with little to no mountain could be so hilarious? The writers, José Mallorquí, Lorenzo Gica Palli and Eduardo Manzanos Brochero, who also produced the film, must had been high, when writing this movie. It seems to me, that the writers of 1970's "They Call Me Trinity' could had been influence a little bit from this film with the oddball relationship between Mark and Loring. Who knows!? All I know, is this movie has one of the best saloon fist-fight scenes ever, with everybody going at it. Yes, it could be seem as cheesy & generic but it did put a smile in my face. Another great thing about this film is the music by Luis Enriquez. It really does bring the funny epic side of the film to life. It was very catchy. However, the movie is somewhat rare. Hard to find, due to the movie being often re-copy and dubbed in many languages. It doesn't help that the movie originally titled was call 'sin breathless', making it sound like a romantic erotic thriller. Another problem is how familiar the stolen loot plot is, to other films at the time. It really doesn't stand out, much, besides it humorous tone. It so plain, that the producers didn't even bother, renewing their copyright, and since then, the movie has fallen in public domain. So it's pretty easy to find, really bad transfer grainy/discolored DVD copies of this film on online. Overall: While, this movie is not very successful at the Italian box office, still overtime, this movie could earn a "cult" status, once enough people see it. In the end, I highly recommended watching. Just note, that is not great, but it's not too bad, as well. It just meh.

The movie opens with the familiar scene of Mexican highwaymen robbing an army wagon. These bandits have assistance though, as you then see them divide the loot between themselves and an American associate.

Meanwhile, in the nearby town of Two Arrows, a dastardly youth named Loring Vandervelt (Peter Lee Lawrence) is trying to find his way in life. All while a mysterious stranger, sporting a black hat, has just moved into town (Luis Dávila).

There is not as much violence or skullduggery as one might expect from a Spaghetti flick, despite a fair share of shootouts. Instead the tone of the movie is more akin to it's American contemporaries, rather than the purposely cynical Italian western's made around this time. The humor of the film varies in quality. Many jokes fall flat but a few (like the Mexican general drawing storyboards for his attack-plan) are genuinely funny.

The actors all do a fine, serviceable job. Lawrence depicts the naive, yet optimistic and charismatic role his character calls for, while Luis Dávila nails the part as a laconic loner.

The same can be said for the movies directing and cinematography. The plot moves along at a solid pace, sporting enough twists-and-turns to keep you interested, with a few genuinely surprising moments to stir things around a bit.

The English title, "Death on High Mountain", is completely nonsensical, and do not reflect the film at all.

Lastly, there are some rather undignifying portrayals of Mexicans in this movie, even by the standards of the day. The Hispanic gunmen are basically crude, jocular, caricatures.

Overall, it's a pretty average flick. 6/10

An great robbery goes awry , as two young men named Loring Vandervelt (Peter Lee Lawrence ) and a mysterious stranger Francis Parker ( Luis Davila) join forces themselves and find standing in the way of Mexican bandits led by General Valiente (Tanio Cimarosa) and his second-in-command called Agustin (Jesús Guzmán) and an evil corrupt as well as poweful owner Frank Braddock (Antonio Gradoli) wanting their stolen loot back . As the Mexican outlaws take the bank cash , but Parker and Loring steal it to them and , then , they hide it into the Vandervelt's farm where lives his sister Daphne Vandervelt (Agnès Spaak) .

It is an exciting western that packs a story full of action , go riding , violence , fighting , shots and subsequent suspense , good dramatic pace , plot twists and slick direction , along with brief touches of humor , including saloon brawls in Terence Hill/Bud Spencer style . It contains an intriguing premise to investigate and to locate whereabouts a robbed loot , and results to be moderately entertaining , though drags at times , balancing in ups and downs . Agreeable Chorizo-Spaghetti Western mostly produced by Spain and important Italian participation , being rightly shot by the Italian profesional Fernando Cerchio as Fred Ringold . It follows the Sergio Leone wake , including close-up , zooms , choreographic duels and adding hilarious elements thanks to the couple played by Tano Cimarosa and his underling Jesús Guzmán . Passable action sequences with rousing crossfire and spectacularly bloody shootouts . Charismatic performance for the whole casting .The notorious Spaghetti actor , Peter Lee Lawrence is good in his usual tough role . Blond German youth Peter Lee Lawrence, who made his uncredited debut in Sergio Leone "For A Few Dollars More" (1965), was the hero in many Spaghetti Westerns. His short cinematographic history can be enclosed in nine years of Italo-Spain co-productions such as "More Dollars for the MacGregors" , ¨Winchester justice¨,"Pistol for a Hundred Coffins", ¨The man who killed Billy the Kid¨ , ¨Fury of Johnny Kid¨ and several others . And sympathetic acting by his colleague Luis Dávila as a strange gunslinger who decides that he wants to get justice for his friends and he has a secret identity , too . Dávila played several Euro Spy and thrillers as ¨Marc Mato¨, ¨Hello Glen Ward , house Dick¨ , ¨Razzia , ¨Paranoia¨ ; Adventure movie as ¨Normand sword¨, ¨The Sherwood archer¨, ¨Tigres Mompracen¨ and various Westerns as ¨Pancho Villa¨ , ¨Dinamite Jim¨, ¨Relevo para un pistolero¨, ¨Matalo¡¨. In the film appears ordinary Chorizo/Spaghetti Western as Spanish players as Jesús Guzmán , Frank Braña , José Marco , Ricardo Valle , Rafael Hernández , Antonio Pica as well as Italian ones as Nello Pazzafini , Barbara Carroll ,Romano Puppo and Tano Cimarosa in a similar role to Fernando Sancho , among others

Colorful and evocative cinematography in CinemaScope and Eastmancolor by Julio Ortas , filmed on location in Hoyo Manzanares del Real , Colmenar Viejo and La Pedriza , Madrid , Almeria and Rome . Pretty good musical score Luis Enriquez Bacalov , who many years later composed ¨Il Postino¨ that won a deserved Academy Award . The motion picture was well produced by Eduardo Manzanos Brochero who started producing ¨Il Coyote¨ and ¨The Jiusticia De Coyote¨ by Joaquin Romero Marchent with Abel Salazar and Gloria Marin . After that , he produced with his company Copercines ¨Vengeance of Zorro¨ and ¨L'Ombra Di Zorro¨ (1962) by Joaquin Marchent with Frank Latimore . Eduardo Manzanos built a Western little town in Hoyo De Manzanares (Madrid) called ¨Golden City¨ with sets by Jaime Perez Cubero and Jose Luis Galicia .This original initiative corresponded to this prestigious writer /producer/director Eduardo Brochero who saw the potential of European Westerns and commissioned to the production designers Jaime Pérez Cubero and José Luis Galicia (Construcine) the task of raising the set , as in 1962 the first ¨Paella¨ set in Spain was built . Then , the first filming there was made : ¨The terrible sheriff (62) . A year later , there came Sergio Leone to shoot the iconic ¨A fistful of Dollars¨ with which the boom of Spaghetti/Chorizo Western was burst . However , today sadly disappeared just like is well shown in ¨Winchester, Uno Entre Mil¨ or ¨Killer, Adios¨ . The motion picture was professionally directed by Fernando Cerchio (as Fred Ringold) . He written/directed several action/adventure/ mini-epics movies , such as : 1968 Los Cuatro Budas De Kriminal , 1967 Secretísimo , 1964 Totó against the Black Pirate ,1963 Totò and Cleopatra , 1962 The red mask , 1962 Daggers of blood , 1962 Totó versus Maciste , 1961 Queen of Nile , 1960 Il Sepolcro Dei Re , 1959 Giuditta and Oloferne , 1957 La Venere Di Cheronea , 1957 Desert lovers , 1957 Mysteries in Paris , 1955 I Quattro Del Getto Tonante , 1954 El Vizconde De Bragelonne , 1952 Il Bandolero Stanco and Son of Lagardere .

DEATH ON HIGH MOUNTAIN is a dullish Spanish-made spaghetti western with a leading role for genre star Peter Lee Lawrence. He plays the usual quick-triggered gunslinger who gets involved in the story when a group of Mexican bandits rob a gold shipment. The requisite shoot-outs, rivalries, and run-ins take place, but the tension flags in this old-fashioned movie which isn't a patch on the Italian-made spaghettis of the era. Instead, it feels more like an American programmer from the 1950s, lacking in the kind of tension and finesse that marks the best of this genre.