White Comanche (1968)

Director: Jose Briz Mendez

Starring: Joseph Cotten, William Shatner

More Info: IMDB

Plot Outline: Shatner plays two roles: cowboy Johnny Moon and his ruthless Indian half-brother, Notah. Notah likes peyote and gets the crazy idea that he's the Comanche messiah sent to lead the Comanche nation against the white man but more specifically the dusty town of Rio Hondo. Moon, estranged from his brother, decides to stop Notah either by words or by bullets.

Here's the first 1:21 with that groovy music...




My Rating: 4/10

Would I watch it again? Only if a widescreen print were made available

NOTE: The pictures you see are taken from the widescreen trailer (under the alternate title of RIO HONDO) that is only available on the OUTSTANDING Wild East DVD, FOR A FEW PREVIEWS MORE. Their source (believe it or not) is considerably better than the one I watched.

Woof. Where to start...well, it's a Shatner movie from 1968, made when he was on hiatus from STAR TREK. Spaghetti Westerns (in this case a better term would be Euro-Westerns since it's a Spanish production) were riding higher than ever at that point and many up-and-coming stars as well as 0n-the-way-down stars were in them. It was a paid trip to Spain and an opportunity to play Cowboys & Indians for money. Why not?

This film is why not. Joseph Cotten is great (as ALWAYS) but Shatner...I mean Shatner as an Indian? W...T...F? If you're familiar with his acting style (especially from back then) then you know how he is in this. He hits the same rhythmic dialogue patterns regardless of...what...he...does.



The budget is obviously hurtin', continuity errors abound (like in the final duel with the mysterious brown/black switching horses), the script is pretty poor considering THE MAJOR TALENT (hahahaha) and then there's the music. It's a jazzy score (doesn't fit) with a walking bass line for way too much of the movie. It gets old REAL fast. Even at 93 minutes it's about 45 too much. Snoozefest. The print I saw was a shit pan & scan, faded color copy I bought for a buck. I have been searching for years looking for a widescreen print of this in any language. If anyone has one or knows where I can get one PLEASE let me know. It'll be the only way I'd ever watch this one again.

How about this choice bit of dialogue near the end (hear Shatner's delivery as you read these)...

Johnny Moon: (to Notah) You are as the wild duck that sits on the pond.



and then there's...

Johnny Moon: Notah is well-named... his liver is white, like his Yankee father... his heart burns blacker than the skin of his Comanche mother. He's white-bellied, like his name..."The Snake."
Notah: Notah's brother talks like the white man he thinks he is. He's afraid... to be Comanche.

I can't tell anyone not to watch it 'cause I wouldn't listen. I mean, shit. It's Shatner as an Indian. How could anyone NOT be tempted?

Don't let the following tantalizing titles cards (from the trailer) deceive you:










Notice the spelling of Bill's name in the last one to make it more European, maybe?