Two Brothers, One Death (1968) User Reviews (4)

Acceptable Paella/Spaghetti Western about a band of Bushwackers led by Bill Anderson who commit robberies and killings

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 21 December 2013]

Spanish/Italian co-production about some ex-Confederate soldiers form a bloody band led by Bill Anderson (Armando Calvo) and his bandits (familiar faces from Chorizo Western as Luis Barboo, Jose Jaspe , Frank Braña , Alfonso De La Vega) , they have frightened the region of Springfield with continuous robberies . They are a little-known band of Civil War fighters known as Bushwhackers . They skirmish then spend long hours hiding . Therefore the authorities (Angel Menendez , Jesus Puente, Miguel Del Castillo) and Sheriff (Antonio Pica) decide to seek help from the Pinkerton detective agency . Besides, on the little town appears Ringo (usual Spaghetti hero Peter Martell), an ex-captain in the army of the north , who also goes behind the band . But Ringo receives unexpected help from rogue Dan Samuelson (habitual nasty , though here playing an agreeable character , Piero Lulli) to achieve their goal , which is simply to try to stop the band before they are caught and hanged by the law, as Allan wants to achieve especially apprehend Kidd (Paolo Hertz), the youngest member of the outlaws , so both join forces, the trouble is that maybe he is found that can end badly . Exciting film based on historical events set during post American Civil War (1861-1865) in which the Bushwhackers use guerrilla warfare to destroy Yankee targets and led by men set on revenge, they made a violent raid into Kansas , taking place the famous Lawrence Massacre , carried out by Bill Anderson and Quantrill .

This meaty Western contains an interesting but twisted plot , thrills , action , double-crosses , violence , shoot'em up and results to be quite entertaining . But overall Ringo the Lone Rider" or "Two Brothers, One Death" is entertaining to watch , with some good moments, and against the backdrop of aftermath American Civil War that gives more firmness to the story . The movie deals with historical events and characters such as the Bushwhackers who are irregulars loyal to the South led by Bill Anderson and also appears the notorious Pinkerton Agency . It is also remarkable violence executed by band Bill , who doesn't care to kill some poor and peaceful Mormons to achieve their goals . The picture efficiently describes the atmosphere of violence in which was set the post Civil War dealing with fights between Bushwhackers versus Jayhawkers . It's a moving western with breathtaking confrontation between the protagonist , Peter Martell and Piero Lulli against Anderson band formed by customary Spanish secondaries such as Armando Calvo , Jose Jaspe , Alfonso De La Vega and Frank Braña . Nice production design creating an evocative scenario with luminous outdoors , mountains , rocky grounds under a shinning sun and fine sets by Cubero and Galicia from Colmenar Viejo , Madrid, La Pedriza , and Hoyo de Manzanares's Western-film town . Atmospheric and thrilling musical score in Spaghetti style by Manuel Parada , including a catching leitmotif .

The motion picture was well written and produced by ordinary Eduardo Manzanos Brochero ; being professionally directed and in his own personal style by Rafael Romero Marchent . Rafael Romero Marchent was born on May 3, 1926 in Madrid, Spain. He is a director and actor, known for Garringo, Un Dolar de Recompensa , or Manos Torpes . Rafael Romero Marchent was brother of Joaquin Luis Romero , who was the first to shoot Westerns in Spain . At first, Rafael Romero began in films as an actor, but when his career began to wane, he preferred to spend time behind the camera . Rafael is an expert writer and director of Spaghetti Western as proved in ¨Two crosses on Danger Pass¨, Cry for revenge¨, ¨Two guns for two twins¨ and ¨Sartana Kills Them All¨ or ¨Un par Asesinos¨. While his brother Joaquin Marchent is deemed the Paella Western's best director , his first film was ¨El Coyote¨ and the sequel titled ¨Revenge of Coyote¨ shot in Mexico ; after that , he filmed ¨The shadow of Zorro¨ and ¨Revenge of Zorro¨, he went go directing Western as ¨ Riding to death ¨ , ¨Adventures in the West¨ , ¨Three good men¨, ¨Sabor Venganza ¨ and the most popular and violent ¨Condenados a Vivir¨ . Plus , he wrote for his brother Rafael Romero Marchent the followings Western : ¨Manos Torpes¨, ¨Ocaso Un Pistolero¨ , ¨Garringo¨ , ¨Dos Cruces en Danger Pass¨ and ¨Sartana Kills Them All¨. Rating : Passable and decent S.W. , though contains some flaws and gaps ; however , it results to be entertaining .

An Above-Average Spaghetti Western with Complex Villains

[zardoz-13 · 7/10 · 30 July 2018]

Spanish director Rafael Romero Marchent's "Ringo, The Lone Rider" ranks as an above-average oater. Initially, the title for this Spanish/Italian western made greater sense: "Two Brothers, One Death." If you've seen this movie, you'll know why title is more suitable. Whereas "Ringo, The Lone Rider" is somewhat inappropriate since our hero works alongside another hero. Of course, it matters little that nobody in the film is named Ringo. Presumably, the producers used "Ringo" in the title because Ringo was a popular Spaghetti western protagonist. Similarly, many European westerns were retitled "Django" because of the success of Sergio Corbucci's masterpiece. Basically, in this law and order horse opera, scenarists Eduardo Manzanos of "Pistol for a Hundred Coffins" and Mario Caiano of "Seven Pistols for a Massacre" have our heroes tracking down and shooting it out with an unscrupulous gang of murderers. Meantime, the villains constitute a rather ruthless bunch, but this shouldn't come as a surprise since it chronicles the depredations of Bloody Bill Anderson's Confederate renegades. In real life, notorious 'Bloody Bill' died during the American Civil War. Nevertheless, he is the leader of a vicious, cutthroat gang of killers in Missouri that terrorize the small town of Springfield. Spaghetti western stalwart Peter Martell plays a former Union Army officer from Tennessee who now works for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. It seems the infamous outlaw 'Bloody Bill' (Armando Calvo of "Duel at the Rio Grande") has been marauding in the state of Missouri, specifically the town of Springfield. The city fathers hire the Pinkerton Detective Agency to dispatch an undercover operative into to thwart these outlaws. Known variously as either Captain Bly or Don Blake, our hero is a swift-shooting, hard-riding protagonist. The Anderson gang outnumbers our valiant hero, until Ringo crosses trails with Daniel G. Samuelson (Piero Lulli of "My Name Is Nobody"), and the two form an alliance. Samuelson has no qualms of shooting unarmed men. He is a duplicitous character as he explains at one point to Blake. During the American Civil War, he sold horses to the Union and information to the Confederacy. About half-way through this 80-minute oater, the bad guys decide to hightail it out of Missouri. They fall in with a wagon train of Mormons made up of strictly guys without any women. They tell 'Bloody Bill' about a tract of land and a ranch that they have bought. The catch is nobody knows what these Mormons look like, so 'Bloody Bill' and his bunch wipe them out, including a child, too. Interestingly enough, "Ringo, The Lone Rider" came out in general release before "Once Upon a Time in the West," where Henry Fonda murdered a child. Fonda committed the killing because one of his henchman had called him by name and the teenage boy had to die since he knew his identity. Here, the Mormon kid dies because Anderson's gang cannot afford to leave any witness behind who might testify against them in court. One of the gang, however, refuses to participate in this mass execution. Earlier, before the outlaws left Missouri, Blake shot one of them when they tried to hang two members of a Springfield posse. 'Bloody Bill's' men captured Blake, but 'Kid' Michael (Paolo Herzl of "The Stranger") insists that 'Bloody Bill' cannot kill Blake, because Blake saved the Kid's life during the Civil War and he is indebted to him. They turn Blake loose, and the Kid fakes the deaths of the two posse riders. Similarly, the Kid refuses to participate in the mass murder of the Mormons, and 'Bloody Bill' allows him to sit out the mass execution. Later, Bill and his brigands ride to the ranch and claim it. This indicates how difficult it was to determine the basis for an individual's identity in the Old West as well as how easy it was for somebody to steal identities. 'Bloody Bill's' elaborate plan is to raid by night as outlaws and farm the property by day as Mormons. Our heroes pursue the Anderson gang, and a huge showdown ensues. The villains here are interesting because they are ambitious. The complexity of the villainy in "Two Brothers, One Death" is reflected in a secondary villain, Judge Grant (Ángel Menéndez of "Night of the Walking Dead"), who is conspiring with 'Bloody Bill.' Judge Grant takes Bill's loot that he has stolen and launders it by sending it across the Mexican border in the hands of Gonzalez. Our heroes kill not only Gonzalez but also the treacherous Judge. Eventually, Blake and the Kid square off against each other in a showdown. The major surprise of the film occurs during this confrontation because Samuelson makes the mistake of trying to intervene. You'll have to see this movie to learn what is so surprising about this showdown. The depth of the villainy sets "Two Brothers, One Death" apart from most westerns. The orchestral soundtrack by Manuel Parada and Francesco De Masi adds to the grandeur of this sagebrusher.

Okay Italian Quickie

[FightingWesterner · 7/10 · 8 March 2010]

Mystery man Peter Martell teams up with a salty old bounty hunter to take down Bloody Bill Anderson and his band of ex-Confederate cutthroats, who've gotten away with terrorizing a small Missouri town for way too long.

Another low-budget spaghetti western, this is neither the best nor worst the genre has to offer, trying a little harder than usual to be like an American western.

The plot's pretty simple and straight-forward, with the eighty or so minutes going by pretty fast, making it a decent enough flick.

An interesting final act finds Anderson and his gang killing a group of Mormon settlers and stealing their identities. The climax should have generated more sparks though.

The murderous seven (plus one)

[Chip_douglas · 3/10 · 15 January 2005]

Yet another European Cowboy flick set after the end of the American civil War. This time the makers tried a bit too hard to make the film as American as possible, producing a rather routine Western (though some of the fist fights are shot with a spaghetti flavour). Eight ex soldiers feel the war has ended too soon, so they start robbing banks in order to stay together. Actually, more time is waisted on shots of them riding their horses than on the actual robbery. They never seem to be sure which leader to follow, but one of them is a disgusting Jack Elam kind of guy while the other is a sensitive blond sissy boy. This is because he has a girl waiting for him in a Jefferson city barn. Unfortunately for him, she keeps yapping about that famous outlaw Ringo.

This Ringo (at least in some countries he's the title character) makes a late entrance. He is one of those strong silent types who observes from a far with the sun in his back instead of getting involved. For some reason he does team up with a man in black (devinately not Johnny Cash), after they help each other escape from jail. Still full of themselves, they spy on the secret barn lovers for a bit and decide to take on the entire gang just for the fun of it. The Elmer Bernstein inspired riding theme returns as the chase/ shootout/ ambush starts. One things for sure: the director of photography really enjoyed the sight of galloping horses.

The robbers are getting more scrupulous: they massacre a two part wagon train so they can put on their nice black suits and go live in their wooden house. Like a group of twisted Clark Kents, they rob the (same) bank in their own clothes, but change back into a suit and tie when they are done. Who do they think they are kidding? El Dos hombres easily track the red scarf gang back to their log cabin and take them on one by one, leaving the confrontation between Ringo and Blondie for last. By that time this reviewer had lost track of whom to root for. Ringo and his trigger-happy pal never come over any better than the outlaw band, and despite his misgivings, neither does barn rendezvous lover boy.

3 out of 10