Review of Death on High Mountain

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.