Navajo Joe

Navajo Joe (1966) is an Italian Spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Corbucci.

The film stars a young Burt Reynolds, whose father was half-Cherokee, as the titular character, a Navajo indian opposing a group of bandits responsible for killing his tribe. Reynolds himself reportedly wasn't altogether happy with how the film turned out, commenting that it was so bad it was only shown in prisons and airplanes, to stop people from leaving during it [1]. It was Reynolds's first film (after debuting as a 'Playgirl' centrefold) - he called NAVAJO JOE "the worst experience of my life."

The film's score was composed by Ennio Morricone and one of the tracks was later featured in Election and Kill Bill.

NAVAJO JOE (1966) Italian title UN DOLLAR A TESTA It/Sp

Director SERGIO CORBUCCI Producers ERMANNO DONATI, LUIGI CARPENTIERI Script MARIO PIEROTTI, FERNANDO DI LEO Story UGO PIRRO Cinematographer SILVANO IPPOLITI Art Director AURELIO CRUGNOLA Music ENNIO MORRICONE C BURT REYNOLDS (Joe), ALDO SAMBRELL (Mervin 'Vee' Duncan), NICOLETTA MACHIAVELLI (Estella), TANYA LOPERT (Maria), FERNANDO REY (Rattigan), FRANCA POLESELLO (Barbara), LUCIA MODUGNO (Geraldine), PIERRE CRESSOY (Dr Chester Lynne), NINO IMPARATO (Chuck Holloway) ALVARO DE LUNA (Sancho), VALERIA SABEL (Honor), MARIO LANFRANCHI (Clay) LUCIO ROSATO (Jeffrey), SIMON ARRIAGA (Monkey), CHRIS HUERTA (El Gordo), ANGEL ORTIZ (El Cojo), GIANNI DI STOLFO (Reagan), ANGEL ALVAREZ (Blackwood), RAFAEL ALBAICIN (Bandit)

Having massacred an Indian 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, but they reject him on racist grounds ("We 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 & Honor are killed. Rescued by the funny old man from the saloon, Joe again steals the train and eradicates Duncan's gang. Showdown in an Indian cemetery, where Joe reclaims the pendant Duncan stole from his wife, when he murdered her. Both expire.

Monthly Film Bulletin - 'commendable...photography by Ippoliti, who shows a fine feeling for landscape in some exciting long shots... any pathos which might have been generated by the idea of enduring marital fidelity (which also features in the sub-plot) is cancelled out by the repeated acts of lip-smacking violence.'

From Vincenzoni's script:

DUNCAN: Nobody ever had mercy on me. When I was a boy they beat me. Even called me... bastard! I didn't cry & I couldn't fight back. So that began my revenge to get back at them. Brought out my hatred for the Indians, like my mother, & to kill white people like my father. My father was a preacher like you, a minister. Bred by mercy. But I got a bad break when somebody killed him and beat me to the punch!

RATTIGAN: Thank you, Duncan... for mercy and sparing our lives.

DUNCAN: Their lives. Not yours.

BANG!

There is incidental silliness (which mars most of Corbucci's films) in an improbable sub-plot involving familiar cardboard bourgeois. But Corbucci's contempt for his townspeople is boundless and some of the grotesquerie (One of Duncan's men using a mirror to shoot random citizens behind his back) is great.

The best scene, from an acting standpoint, is the first featuring Fernando Rey as Pastor Rattigan, introducing all the local dignitaries to us at a ceremony at the railroad station. Rey was Luis Buñuel's favourite actor, and his work in NAVAJO JOE is very funny, in a DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE manner.

Despite the MFB's review, the photography is not good - zooms are diabolical, uncertain, jerky. Some cumulus clouds help the day-for-night scenes but there are far too many of the latter.

Various Corbucci themes: racist villain, whores with hearts of gold, dead bodies (zoomed in on), lavishly-overdressed bandidos, the shooting of a religious figure, showdown in the graveyard, threat to massacre civilians, death of hero.

Oddly, the town of Esperanza is without guns. Rattigan says, "We here in Esperanza, thank God, are a peaceful community. There isn't a gun in town." In an Italian Western, this is odd, and as political a statement, as no one showing up to help [Gary Cooper] in HIGH NOON.

--Alexcox 05:04, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

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