Western Wednesdays: The Return of Ringo (1965)

     The Return of Ringo was released in 1965. It is directed by Duccio Tessari and stars Giuliano Gemma, Fernando Sancho, and Lorella De Luca. In it Union Captain Montgomery "Ringo" Brown (Gemma) returns home from war only to find that his home has been ravaged by Mexican bandits, lead by the Fuente brothers, and he must set things aright.

     Tessari drew inspiration from the final chapters of Homer's The Odyssey in writing the screenplay for this film. Like Odysseus, Brown returns home from war after many year only to find that it has been taken over by greedy opportunists. His wife Helen (Hally Hamond), like Odysseus', is engaged to marry one of them and he must determine if she has remained faithful. Disguising himself as a Mexican peasant and taking a job with the local florist, Morning Glory (Manuel Muñiz), he begins to investigate the Fuentes doings. He eventually discovers that his wife has borne him a daughter in his absence and that she is being used by Paco Fuentes to make Helen compliant.

     Giuliano Gemma gives perhaps his best performance as the tortured Montgomery Brown. He really conveys the character's despair when he learns of his wife's supposed treachery and the psychological trauma he goes through in trying to restrain himself from revealing his presence sooner is palpable. He is clearly pained by what his wife has been forced to do and deeply frustrated by his inability to stop it. The scene where he finally reveals himself to Helen is particularly effective. Antonio Casas is also effective as the cowardly Sheriff Carson, who eventually takes courage and comes to Captain Brown's aid, as is Rinaldo Zamperla as the Mexican prostitute whose loyalties are unclear.

     Tessari fills the movie with memorable imagery: Gemma emerging at the entrance of the church in the middle of a sandstorm, like a ghost returned from the grave; the "wedding" between Helen and Paco, surrounded by caskets which, unbeknownst to Paco, contain his men who Ringo has slain. The action is decent, though Tessari use quick cutting a little too much for my taste rather of letting the action play out in longer shots. The score, by the now legendary composer Ennio Morricone, really helps to bring out the sadness in Gemma's character and lends a melancholy air to the film.

     Though occasionally a little cheesy (the less said about Gemma's Mexican "disguise" the better) and somewhat lacking in the action department, The Return of Ringo is still a really solid Spaghetti Western, featuring a psychologically driven story, told chiefly through the visuals, and a great performance from Guilano Gemma.

Score: 8/10