- Chato's Land
-
Chato's Land 
Theatrical release posterDirected by Michael Winner Produced by Michael Winner Written by Gerry Wilson Starring Charles Bronson
Jack PalanceMusic by Jerry Fielding Cinematography Robert Paynter Editing by Michael Winner Distributed by United Artists Release date(s) May 25, 1972 (United States) Running time 110 minutes Country United States Language English Chato's Land is a 1972 American western film directed by Michael Winner, starring Charles Bronson and Jack Palance. It falls more closely into the revisionist Western genre, which was at its height at the time. The original screenplay was written by Gerry Wilson.[1]
Contents
Plot
When Chato, who is half Apache, kills the local sheriff, in self-defense, a former Confederate officer gathers a posse to hunt him down. It includes a number of local ranchers and townspeople, as well as a Mexican who is used as a scout and tracker.
The posse pursues Chato into the wilderness, deliberately led into Apache country by him. Chato sabotages their water supply and puts several of their horses to flight.
In retaliation, some members of the posse brutally assault Chato's woman, raping her and murdering his friend. Disagreements flare while Chato picks them off one by one. It gradually begins to dawn on the remainder of the posse that they are the ones being hunted.
Cast
- Charles Bronson as Pardon Chato
- Jack Palance as Capt. Quincey Whitmore
- James Whitmore as Joshua Everette
- Simon Oakland as Jubal Hooker
- Richard Basehart as Nye Buell
- Ralph Waite as Elias Hooker
- Richard Jordan as Earl Hooker
- Victor French as Martin Hall
- Sonia Rangan as Chato's wife
- William Watson as Harvey Lansing
- Roddy McMillan as Gavin Malechie
- Paul Young as Brady Logan
- Lee Patterson as George Dunn
- Peter Dyneley as Ezra Meade
- Hugh McDermott as Bartender
- Raúl Castro as Mexican scout (as Raul Castro)
- Verna Harvey as Shelby Hooker
Reception
Critical response
When released Vincent Canby panned the film calling it a "...long, idiotic revenge Western...It was directed by Michael Winner in some lovely landscapes near Almeria, Spain. Just about everybody gets shot or knifed, and one man dies after Chato lassos him with a live rattlesnake."[2]
TV Guide, echoing Canby, wrote, "A great cast is primarily wasted in this gory, below-average, and overlong film. The script could have been written for a silent film to fit with Bronson's traditional man-of-few-words image (in fact, more grunts and squint than words)...As usual Bronson must rely upon the conviction that there are viewers who find silence eloquent."[3]
A more recent Film4 review was more positive observing that Chato's Land "...though no masterpiece, is an effective and frequently disturbing piece of filmmaking...A tough, cynical western with well-paced direction and a fine performance from Charles Bronson and the cast of vagabonds out to get him. A quality film from Michael Winner.."[4]
1970s political overtones
Film critic Graeme Clark discussed an often discussed contemporary political theme of the film when it was released in the early 1970s, writing, "There are those who view this film as an allegory of the United States' presence in Vietnam, which was contemporary to this storyline, but perhaps that is giving the filmmakers too much credit. Granted, there is the theme of the white men intruding on a land where they are frequently under fire, and ending up humiliated as a result, but when this was made it was not entirely clear that America would be on the losing side as the conflict may have been winding down, but was by no means over."[5]
Film4, is more assertive in their review, "The cruelty of the posse is well conveyed by an able (and supremely ugly) group of actors headed up by Jack Palance and Simon Oakland. Some of their acts, such as the brutal rape of Chato's squaw and the burning of an Indian village, have an unpleasant edge which Winner does not shy away from. Parallels with the contemporary situation in Vietnam can't have been lost on the original audience.[6]
Media Releases
It was released on Region One DVD in 2001[7] and on Region Two in 2004.[8]
Soundtrack
A CD of the film's soundtrack was released on January 15, 2008 by Intrada Records (Intrada Special Collection Vol. 58).[9]
Track listing
- 1. Titles - 4:41
- 2. Peeping Tom In The Bushes - 0:44
- 3. Mind Your Ma; Whiskey And Hot Sun - 1:29
- 4. Coop Falls - 1:24
- 5. Pain In The Water Bags; Burning Rancheros - 1 & 2 4:47
- 6. Peeping Tom On The Ridge; First Stampede - 3:04
- 7. Indian Convention - 1:35
- 8. The Snake Bite - 1:21
- 9. Chato Comes Home - 1:52
- 10. Indian Rodeo; Chato Bags Horse - 2:21
- 11. Junior Blows The Whistle - 0:42
- 12. Fire And Stampede; Joan Of Arc At Stake - 3:54
- 13. Mr. & Mrs. Chato Split; Massas In The Cold Cold Ground - 1:26
- 14. Hot Pants - 2:46
- 15. Rainbow On The Range - 0:58
- 16. Ride Like Hell - 0:50
- 17. Big Stare Job; Here-There-Everywhere - 2:19
- 18. Attack In Gorge - 1:53
- 19. One Big Pain In The Neck - 2:35
- 20. Lansing Scalped - 1:46
- 21. Elias Gets The Snake; Malechie Gets Shot; Finis - 5:06
References
- ^ Chato's Land at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Canby, Vincent. The New York Times, film review, June 8, 1972. Last accessed: May 3, 2011.
- ^ TV Guide, film review. Last accessed: May 3, 2011.
- ^ Film4 web site. Last accessed: May 3, 2011.
- ^ Graeme Clark. The Spinning Image, film review. Last accessed: May 3, 2011.
- ^ Film4 web site. Last accessed: May 3, 2011.
- ^ Chato's Land at Amazon.com.
- ^ Chato's Land at Amazon.com.
- ^ SoundtrackNet web site. Last accessed: February 17, 2011.
External links
- Chato's Land at the Internet Movie Database
- Chato's Land film trailer at Rotten Tomatoes
- Chato's Land at The Spaghetti Western Database
Films directed by Michael Winner 1960s Some Like It Cool (1961) · Old Mac (1961) · Out of the Shadow (1961) · Play It Cool (1962) · The Cool Mikado (1963) · West 11 (1963) · The System (1964) · You Must Be Joking! (1965) · The Jokers (1967) · I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967) · Hannibal Brooks (1969)1970s The Games (1970) · Lawman (1971) · The Nightcomers (1972) · Chato's Land (1972) · The Mechanic (1972) · Scorpio (1973) · The Stone Killer (1973) · Death Wish (1974) · Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) · The Sentinel (1977) · The Big Sleep (1978) · Firepower (1979)1980s Death Wish II (1982) · The Wicked Lady (1983) · Scream for Help (1984) · Death Wish 3 (1985) · A Chorus of Disapproval (1988) · Appointment With Death (1988)1990s Bullseye! (1990) · Dirty Weekend (1993) · Parting Shots (1998)
Categories:- 1972 films
- English-language films
- 1970s Western films
- American films
- Films directed by Michael Winner
- Films shot in Spain
- Native American film
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
