1971 - CATLOW

101 min

Producer: Euan Lloyd
Dir: Sam Wanamaker
Novel: Louis L'Amour

Catlow: Yul Brinner
Cowan: Richard Crenna
Miller: Leonard Nimoy
Rosita: Daliah Lavi
Reacalde: Julian Mateos

In Texas a gang of cowboys headed by Catlow is rounding up gone astray cattle and sell them as their own in post – civil war times. The owners are not too fond of that and hire a bounty killer, Orville Miller, who’s pursuing Catlow even more for personal reasons. They seem to be old enemies and all of Miller’s mind seems to be solemnly fixed on getting Catlow. As the gang is surrounded resting in a small valley by Miller and the farmers they only can escape because Catlow requests to die in his boots. Putting on the second boot catlow uses a rifle covered by the boot and shoots through it. Marshal Ben Cowan is after Catlow too. They have been friends in former times fighting on the same side. 

In his pursue the Marshal is attacked by Apaches and escapes with a wounded leg. He’s helplessly hanging down at a side of his horse when Orville Miller crosses his path in the desert kind of stripe of land. Miller listens to his pleading and responds by shooting at the horse which speeds up jeopardizing Cowan’s life by dragging him slightly above the stones and bushes of the harsh land. When Catlow’s gang see the speeding horse and Cowan’s situation, they come for the rescue. Cowan does not enjoy having to arrest Catlow and is taken by surprise when his friend surrenders laughing. He knows that he’s got friends all over the place and escapes later with the help of an elderly Lady. The gang swops their profession for robbery as they hear about a gold transport belonging to the Mexican army worth $ 2,000,000. 

Any place the gang goes to, a persistent and determined bounty killer is close by. Chasing after Catlow the marshal encounters a man, Recalde, serving in the Mexican army who’s been wounded by the Apaches. He saves his life and Recalde assist him in finding Catlow. Cowan meets Recalde’s cousin, Christina, and falls in love with her. He finds out that the gold is actually U.S. property stolen during the war and informs the Mexican General about it. 

A lonesome rider arrives at a hotel. Fully concentrating on the chase, he's only interested in polishing his rifle, but decides to take a bath in his room. Miller is not aware that Catlow uses the room right beside him. Always in a laughing mood and in close contact to women, Catlow sends in Sarah to bring in a container with more hot water, entering directly behind her. He's making fun of Miller and Miller quickly reaches for his rifle hidden behind a towel. As he shoots the bullet hits the water container and Miller gets out of the bath. Catlow approaches him and they fight all across the room. The water container brakes and when Miller is hit hard, he goes down falling into the splinters, a big splinter cutting deep into his throat. Catlow leaves laughing leaving the unconscious and bleeding Miller lying on the floor. Catlow leaves his girl friend in the hotel, he and his gang steal the gold and they head for Mexico. Furious about Catlow having left her Roswita gathers group of men and takes after Catlow and takes to gold from him. 

Both groups are captured by the Mexican army and Catlow is turned over to the marshal. The prisoners are just about to enter a coach when Miller shows up. He’s showing the deep wound in his neck and his voice reveals that the voice cords have been cut. He opens fire and a shoot out with the Ben Cowan and others begin. Ben is hit in the shoulder and Catlow grabs a gun to shoot Miller, who is slowly dying while Catlow watches laughing. Then Catlow pins the marshal’s badge smilingly onto himself and promises to bring the prisoners back to the U.S. Ben contentedly stays back in Christina’s care.