The Valdez Horses [Valdez, il mezzosangue] [Chino] *** (1973, Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Vincent Van Patten, Marcel Bozzuffi) – Classic Movie Review 7514

Screen tough-guy Charles Bronson and his wife Jill Ireland star in director John Sturges’s unusual, entertaining 1973 Spanish-shot Spaghetti Western about a loner mixed-race Indian American horse breeder rancher called Chino Valdez (Bronson) who defends his horse ranch, befriends a teenage boy Jamie Wagner (Vincent Van Patten) who turns up looking for work, and falls for Catherine (Jill Ireland), the sister of Maral (Marcel Bozzuffi), a neighbour who swears to kill him.

The Valdez Horses is efficiently directed by Western expert Sturges, although the film turns out not to be his best work, thanks mainly to some flaccid writing in the screenplay by Clair Huffaker, Dino Maiuri and Massimo De Rita, based on Lee Hoffman’s novel The Valdez Horses. Bronson has found himself a good role, though, that fits him like an old leather glove.

It also stars Fausto Tozzi as Cruz and Ettore Manni as the Sheriff. Also in the cast are Melissa Chimenti, Corrado Gaipa, José Nieto, Diana Lorys, Conchita Muñoz and Adolfo Thous.

An Italian-Spanish-French-American co- production, it was shot in Eastmancolor by Armando Nannuzzi at Almería, Andalucía, Spain.

The Valdez Horses is also known as Valdez, il mezzosangue and as Chino. Released in Europe on 14 September 1973, it did not open in the US until 1976.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7514

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