Review of Navajo Joe (1966) by Van R — 17 Aug 2009

This cynical Sergio Corbucci western about the eponymous hero wreaking vengeance on a murderous gang of cutthroat renegades for killing his woman and massacring his village is a good Spaghetti sagebrusher with nonstop action and excitement.

Burt Reynolds must have been in the best shape of his life to pull off some of his stunts. Trussed upside down by the evil villains, he gets a little help from a city slicker and performs a crunch up to untie his ankles.

Mind you, this is not one of those westerns where the Indians speak in fractured Tonto English, but in full sentences. NAVAJO JOE is one of a fistful of westerns were the only good Indian isn't a dead one.

Veteran Spaghetti western villain Aldo Sambrell is as treacherous as they come. So filled with hate is he that he kills without a qualm. No sooner has Duncan (rugged Aldo Sambrell of FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE) shot, killed, and scalped the Indian wife who loved Joe than Joe hits the trail in pursuit of Duncan.

Meanwhile, Duncan discovers that the authorities in a town where he once sold scalps now has a bounty of both himself and his stuck-up half-brother. A prominent doctor convinces Duncan to rob a train heading for the town of Esperanza.

He warns Duncan not to try and blow up the safe because the explosion will destroy the thousands of dollars in the safe. He knows the combination and they can split the loot. Predictably, Joe intervenes and steals the train from Duncan after he has massacred all the passengers, including a woman and her baby, along with the U.

S. Army escort. Joe takes the train to Esperanza and offers to liquidate the gang if they will pay him a dollar for each head. Eventually, Duncan captures Joe and tries to learn the whereabouts of the money, but Joe does not talk.

Duncan ranks as one of the most heartless outlaws. He shoots a preacher point blank in the belly with his six-gun after the minister thanks him for not wiping out their town! This trim 93-minute oater features a lean, mean Burt Reynolds wielding a Winchester like a demon and decimating the ranks of the bad guys.

Ennio Morricone's music is pretty wild and the Spanish scenery looks as untamed as the ruthless desperadoes that plunder one town after another.