Apache chief Winnetou in sixties films.

American depiction of Native Americans in cinema of the first half of the twentieth century was abysmal and lying. Indians were showing as wild people who attack peaceful settlers and mercilessly kill everybody. That situation became to change in sixties. Meantime in West Germany, producer Horst Wendlandt could convince Preben Philipsen, who owned a major share of Rialto Film, and Waldfried Bartel, a CEO of Constantin Film, on beginning production of adaptation of Karl May’s novels about Apache chief Winnetou by fact of popularity of a writer. It was existing every time watch an appearing logo “Constantin Film bringt” (it means “Constantin Film brings”) under knocking drums turning into solemn melody.

The Treasure of Silver Lake (1962)

I love such movies when I see cheerful and honorable people everywhere. It is pleasant to watch on men whose muscles are natural and I was excited by actors who perform breathtaking stunts. The Treasure of Silver Lake has many imposing personages and I had sympathy to Sam Hawkens who once lost scalp, Gunstick Uncle who speaks only in fascinating poems and Lord Castlepool with a great story line, which is looking for a rare butterfly. All cast is incredible. Herbert Lom does a monumental performance of self-proclaimed or nicknamed or it actually is a name or he is a real colonel. I was astonished by landscapes as I will know they were filmed in Plitvice Lakes National Park. I was hyped by kind atmosphere, grandiose music, gripping fighting confrontations and adventure itself by not taking to soul that personages have almost zero cover in burnt Indian village when have a confrontation with an attacking tribe who aren’t accurate in shooting; one character is neutralized while he was supposed to be killed; Old Shatterhand could explain and stop conflict before instead keep a prolong misunderstanding.

Winnetou. Part 1 (1963)

Prequel, which tells about origin and meetings of lead characters. It’s screenplay with amazing twists and it’s wonderfully intricate. Thrilling stunts and music is splendid by it’s tenderness. Lex Barker whose Old Shatterhand became a total adoration for me by personality and actor’s physical incredible abilities. A monumental choice with a main villain again. Mario Adorf is imposing in performance of Santer. He radiates filth. There were moments such line with a tooth hasn’t sense; chaos in fighting with Indians is an excellent idea and it was implemented. However, there has a careless thing: Sam Hawkens confronts with Native Americans, he does same but from the other camera in the next scene; obvious mistakes as when Old Shatterhand grew beard in hours and you see that a boat was filled of water and it’s not then. But I don’t care. These movies have a magic charm and make to ignore technical flaws.

Old Shatterhand (1964)

Action is incredible again. A final epic battle, as usual, is monumental. I got a disgust with death of every Indian and I was joyful to every casualty in soldiers. I became an excited by Old Shatterhand. Winnetou, whose acted person is a French actor Pierre Brice, is memorable by impressive picking up of tomahawk. Sam Hawkens played by Ralf Wolter is the biggest reason for getting fun by flick. A magic charm was with me after watching, but some time later I regretfully couldn’t accept recklessness in a screenplay. Some outlaws frame Apaches in killing family. A boy hides from massacre. Bandits ride away and then he takes a horse and moves from a farm under uplifting music playing after a little kid lost his parents. Later we see that he is in a house of half-breed Paloma and it will unknown how he reached her and, maybe, she knew his relatives. A boy’s testimony could stop conflict, but what are good characters waiting for? They didn’t use that opportunity and the boy will be killed after long time. In that setup a chief of Comanche was involved. Solution in conflict between Comanche and Apache tribes was simplified by death confrontations of their chiefs, which was in fantasized horse attack with spears which gives an association a medieval knight fights with lances. A negotiation between Winnetou and General Taylor keeps track “you stop to kill – no, you stop to kill”. Participating in peace talk Old Shatterhand enters with telling of messy Indian lore and says on having proof, which he can’t present while he has no point not to do that. General agrees to halt in a war intention. I don’t get an explanation how Old Shatterhand knew on a man who gave horses. Maybe, answers in full version, which on five minutes more in a German release, which is genuine, while an Italian variant contains on thirteen minutes more with that what I saw. Old Shatterhand is only in Winnetou films whose original version I didn’t watch though I’m not wishful in that. After variable events, Old Shatterhand does sneaking in fort at night while it switches with a daylight. He wants to rescue an adopted Winnetou’s son but fails in that and Apache chief attacks the fort. Everything could evade with the boy and a testimony of the horse rancher if the last would escorted instead get his signature on a paper, which will be wasted by blackmailing while a witness will be shot. General Taylor could be warned before and he would prevent a battle. A testimony of Dixon who was severely shot and was dying for hours and it seemed that he uttered the last words when good personages met him, but he survived after next many hours of dying for say what’s actually going on. That part takes only characters from Karl May’s novels.

Winnetou. Part 2 (1964)

Romantization of Wild West takes a higher stage in this part, which all right perception could be only in childhood. I never liked in films series that I see an actor who previously appeared, but in role of another personage in that time. Karin Dor was in The Treasure of Silver Lake and performed white character Ellen Patterson whereas she plays Native American Ribanna in Winnetou. Part 2. I didn’t recognize her from a first sight, but, anyway, filmmakers could find an other actress. I’m happy to see same actors returned in roles of spectacular and lovable Gunstick Uncle by Mirko Boman and Lord Castlepool by Eddi Arent. Such disappointment that a script isn’t equal with them. It’s about a historical mistake in Lincoln’s portrait, which I saw in Old Shatterhand at first time. There I could imagine logical, but not in a cabinet of army colonel where it hangs in Winnetou. Part 2. If that occurs in time of presidency of Abraham Lincoln, it mostly was a civil war. March and April of 1861 were peaceful, but setting doesn’t hint on conflict with Confederacy. Army in blue uniforms concerned about peace with Indians as that shows in Old Shatterhand and Winnetou. Part 2. Events happening after civil war, because no sign of people in white uniforms and mentioned city in Texas makes to understand that state isn’t under control of Confederacy. Film’s screenplay of Winnetou. Part 2 is frivolous. An army colonel holds negotiation with chiefs of tribes who agree on peace by short “yes” until arrival of representer of antagonistic tribe who says on war and all other tribes support it without saying much words – there is no an individual opinion. Unimpressive speech of Lieutenant Merril (whom played Mario Girotti who will be known as Terence Hill in future and he will appear in Amongst Vultures and The Oil Prince in different roles.) about equity of all people changes mind of chiefs. His father, the army colonel, is against said and threats a discharge after his son reached peace with tribes. Lieutenant Merril’s condition becomes soap opera, because he wants to marry on a daughter of chief’s of antagonistic tribe, which he loves while she loves only Winnetou who loves her too. Instead overall argue, they should have unite and deal with an oil richman Forrester who created strife between sides. Later Castlepool becomes a hostage of villainous guys. Lord will grow a beard, which can achieve in weeks, but he supposedly stays less twenty-four hours by being tied to a wood column. Action will astonish, but degrades in this part of flicks. Winnetou cuts some ropes of Castlepool and runs away due coming of guard. Lord in tied state, but becomes free, because he can pull out a thick tree from a ground and neutralize the guard. Old Shatterhand shoots through wood barriers, which will appeared suddenly in that part of a story. No explanation on how bandits knew about cave. I only could amaze in nature beauty of these places, because a plot reached an unbearable point. I read that Postojna cave, which used for filming, became a rollercoaster in present days what frustrates me. Romantization pick will in Indians and soldiers union attack of Forrester group. Winnetou. Part 2 ends on far-fetched forced marriage line between Ribanna and Lieutenant Merril that wasn’t in novels when from there took a conception of love line between Winnetou and Ribanna.

Amongst Vultures (1964)

This part introduces Old Surehand played by Stewart Granger who instantly appeals. He demonstrates more fighting technique, precise shooting, less recklessness in acts, knowledge of Indian sounds and Surehand is open-hearted persona with a smile, which is pleasant. I love his self-confidence and cheerfulness. His friend Old Wabble acted by Milan Srdoc (Paddy Fox in credits) is a sweet soul and he appeals equally. Initially, Lex Barker was supposed to reprise role of Old Shatterhand. A producer of film series Horst Wendlandt could attract Stewart Granger who was in fifties a Hollywood star and after divorce with Jean Simmons in 1960 he relocated to Europe. Wendlandt didn’t take to attention that Old Surehand has a different age and stature in books. Amongst Vultures keeps to installed flick series formula by having all elements: a large group of outlaws (even though it’s imposing Vultures in this movie.), an evil gang creates a strife between sides, an Indian trial, a love line between everything happening, a spectacular epic shootout, the rest of bandits with it’s leader take hostage and, finally, all of them there will be killed. Nevertheless, a screenplay of Amongst Vultures is intriguing. A lovable conclusion in standoff between Old Surehand and three gangs including a main villain Preston. Amongst Vultures has a little chaos in a script, which is forgettable. A reverend was exposed in front of judge and his amoral record could be revealed at all, but he continues to do evil things and the judge will surprise again about that personage. And I wouldn’t stage as it was in discovery of a corpse of an Indian which sets on sadness while suddenly Wabble makes an accidental gunshot intended to laugh an audience. Grandiose and epic with action; impressive stunts by actors themselves and that pressures me to learn jumping so high through a hedge and picking up a thing in horse riding in alongside with leaping out in little moving of four-legged animal; a soultaking score gives a feel of Frontier in this part; and I always pleasant by joyful people.

The Oil Prince (1965)

First shots of The Oil Prince is shoddy reusing of footage from Winnetou. Part 2. However, it was only once and the sixth movie kept to be a breakthrough part in series for most time. Old Shatterhand is a lead personage in an original novel, but Lex Barker was involved in another German film Wild Kurdistan, an adaptation of another novel series by Karl May which about Middle East adventures of Kara Ben Nemsi and Hadsci Halef Omar. The Oil Prince was rewritten for Old Surehand with Stewart Granger. In this flick intended to make a unification of Winnetou, Old Surehand with Old Shatterhand and Sam Hawkens. The last two should have to appear in the end, but filmmakers didn’t want to pay big money for actors who will present for short time. The Oil Prince was intriguing and sophisticated in a plot, has memorable personalities in villains and Old Surehand is impressing more by his ability of precise shooting without aiming. I was fascinated by him and by Wabble who both are attractive for soul. Savviness of a script breaks on assassination of Indian chief’s son who just sneaked around stagecoaches without permission and it caused to confrontation with a priest by seeing that the last hides money. One of memorable villains kills an Indian’s son by throwing a knife. Everybody comes on crime place. A chief of tribe, which calling Mokashe, is already concludes that settlers and Winnetou for enemies instead figure out. No talk with the priest about what happened. Mokashe leader instantly makes a verdict that the priest killed him. That will cause to exaggerated tension of coming attack of Indians on settlers in the final, which, of course, willn’t occur. Dislike to plot enhances by that was being misled one side and framed another one were seen not one time before in the series. After breaking script’s point, I wasn’t happy on watching on creative stop of Oil Prince on a bridge and stunning and inventive till conclusion fight between Old Surehand and mute knifethrower. The Oil Prince has beautiful nature places and also waterfalls – and all of that you wish to see in real.

Winnetou. Part 3 (1965)

This part invigorates movie series by being outside of formula and introduces an inventive conception, which is that Apache chief is being chased. Winnetou takes a central place in narration what wasn’t before. He runs away and astonishingly kills among many divine green places, rivers with blue transparent water and amazing waterfalls under thrilling music. Startling shot of riding bandits and their reflection in water. Score comes to masterpiece – a main theme, which I hear in every part, would be all right for me if I watch movies in time of release and not every day. I was relaxed by that I don’t hear a familiar music and listen individual sounds in these scenes. Old known Sam Hawkens is fantastic as personality and acts again as alongside with him his love interest Ann. Also Abraham Lincoln in Texas governor’s office, underdeveloped scene where main characters save themselves from falling rocks caused by dynamite explosion, because one of them sees a fume and I don’t see a point to destroy own village – but these things don’t make a harm to masterpiece.

Old Surehand. Part 1 (1965)

It doesn’t strongly stick to formula and totally succeeds in being original there. An intricate and sophisticate part with multiple fantastic lines. One of them, which isn’t main, is Old Surehand searches a person who killed his brother. He and Wabble are imposing and charming together and separately as always. Bandits with own evil goal also will have an inside confrontation. How I love when General Jack O’Neal by attractive Larry Pennell tricks own gangs about treasure map! As can read a title and as well as it has in books of Karl May (though film series lost a firm connection with original materials.) that two more parts calling “Old Surehand” were supposed to be produced. Every previous movie had an atomic success from public, but Old Surehand. Part 1 didn’t bring a vast audience due to ending of a previous movie.

Adaptation to that moment is almost moved away from original books. It became the taking of personages and some story lines. The followed ninth part Winnetou and half-breed Apache (1966) uses only characters. I didn’t watch it due to it. That didn’t come to other next movies. Winnetou and his friend Old Firehand (1966) meticulously repeats formula as I read in describing. A negative reaction to the tenth flick had the audience whose dislike reason was in that Winnetou and his friend Old Firehand has nothing tying with Karl May’s novels. Wonderful time and place were! People wanted a strict adaptation. They required an original ending in Winnetou. Part 3. After Winnetou and his friend Old Firehand, producer Horst Wendlandt planned two more films in 1967. Pierre Brice wanted to have a significant influence on screenplays. It ended without deal, but that wasn’t the last movie. Producer Artur Brauner, who once had involvement in Old Shatterhand, could solve and bring to production a one more flick. I read describing of Winnetou and Shatterhand in the Valley of Death (1968) and concluded that troubles could be solved faster as similar I pointed in Old Shatterhand.