Strada per Fort Alamo, La

La strada per Fort Alamo (Italy, France 1964 / Director: Mario Bava (as John Old))

Contents:

Runtime: 79 min
Release Date: 24.10.1964

Also known as

Cast and crew

Cast: Ken Clark (Bill Mannerly/Bill/Bud Massadey)/Lieutenant John Smith/Arizona Bill), Jany Clair (Janet), Michel Lemoine (Little Kid Carson), Adreina Paul (Mrs. Collins), Alberto Cevenini (as Kirk Bert)(Sergeant Jim 'Slim' Kincaid), Antonio Gradoli (as Anthony Gradwell)(Captain Hull/Hollis), Gustavo De Nardo (as Dean Ardow)(Sergeant Warwick Carter), Gérard Herter (Mr. Silva/Silver), Claudio Ruffini (gambler), Pietro Tordi (bartender)

Story: Enzo Gicca Palli (as Vincent Thomas)
Screenplay: Livia Contardi (as Jane Brisbane), Enzo Gicca Palli (as Vincent Thomas), Franco Prosperi (as Charles Price)
Cinematography: Ubaldo Terzano (as Bud Third), Mario Bava [Eastmancolor, Totalscope 2,35:1]
Music: Piero Umiliani
Song: "The Road to Alamo" sung by Tony Wendall
Producer: Achille Piazzi, Pier Luigi Torri

Synopsis

Bud Massadey, returning from the civil war, comes across a slaughtered army troop carrying an order to the bank of Wagon City to hand over $150,000 for army wages. After running into trouble with the corrupt citizens of the town, Bud decides to take the money for himself. He joins with a local gang of outlaws, and dressed in the dead soldiers uniforms, they relieve the bank of its cash. Things go awry however, as Carson, the gang leader turns out to be a crazed killer and after being left beaten and unconscious by the gang, Bud and his new friend Slim are found by another passing army unit and taken in as one of their own. Now posing as soldiers, our heroes opportunities for escape become complicated by a voluptuous red head and the bad penny Carson, turning up again with the bank's money and a tribe of unhappy Indians on his tail. As danger builds, Bud feels an ever stronger inclination to stick around and do the honourable thing.

Comment

Mario Bava directed 3 Eurowesterns of which The Road to Fort Alamo is regarded as the best (see also Nebraska Jim, Roy Colt and Winchester Jack). The style of the famous cult director, normally known for his moody horror films, is only visible in the studio bound night scenes with their different way of lighting. Otherwise this naive action film, which is built around the usual cavalry versus Indians cliches, only shows Bava's disinterest in the western genre, but still is on a simple level entertaining.

by Stanton

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