Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

While Johnny Ashley (Anthony Steffen) is off guiding a wagon train, bandits raid his home, killing his wife and kidnapping his infant son.

Johnny makes a single promise to himself. No matter how long it takes, he will find his son and kill those responsible for his wife’s death.

Jerry (Roberto Miala) winds up being raised in the home of El Cachal (Fernando Sancho), a ruthless outlaw who has no son
of his own. So he raises Jerry in his image.

That means the son is ruthless, too, and more than willing to help mastermind his father’s thievery, and kill in the most cold blooded fashion when necessary.

All three wind up in the town of Wishville, where the bank is brimming with money earned by miners who have struck a silver lode.

El Cachal wants the fortune in the bank. Jerry is distracted by a lovely saloon singer named Sybil.

An old flame of Johnny’s named Emily (Loredana Nusciak) works in the same saloon. She wants to see his settle down and stop wasting his life.

Anthony Steffen as Johnny Ashley, searching for his wife’s killer and a kidnapped son in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Roberto Miali (Jerry Wilson) as Jerry Ashley, about to show how mean he can be in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Review:

With Fernando Sancho hamming it up as the bandit leader and Anthony Steffen incapable of conveying the grief that would lead a man on a 15-year, seemingly futile mission, Roberto Miali winds up stealing the film.

If anything, he’s more self-absorbed and blood thirsty than his adoptive father, killing for sport when the mood strikes, caring not one iota about those who pay for his self-indulgence.

There’s a memorable scene in a cantina in which Jerry just assumes he’s going to seduce the pretty barmaid, regardless of the fact that she’s married.

Her husband turns to a whip-wielding Mexican for help. It winds up badly for everyone but Jerry, who nonchalantly flips a coin into a mug as he leaves, noting he always pays for his drinks.

Unfortunately, most of the film doesn’t work that well. For instance, the viewer blinks and 2-year-old Jerry is suddenly a fully grown young man, part of his “dad’s” bandit gang.

His co-stars haven’t aged. Okay, Johnny Ashley’s temples are a bit gray. But he also hasn’t changed his clothes in 15 years!

Fernando Sancho as El Chacal, the Mexican bandit who even steals a son in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Carla Calo (Caroll Brown) as Rosario, El Chacal’s woman, who raises his kidnapped son in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Directed by:
Alberto Cardone
as Albert Cardiff

Cast:
Anthony Steffen … Johnny Ashley
Fernando Sancho … El Chaca / Sancho
Loredana Nusciak … Emily
Roberto Miali … Jerry Ashley
as Jerry Wilson
Elisa Montes … Sybil
Alfredo Varelli … Sheriff
as Fred Warrell
Spartaco Conversi … Bill
as Spean Convery
Franco Fantasia … Wishville Sheriff
as Frank Ferrell
Jose Manuel Martin … El Gringo / Chulo
David Monconi … Jerry as a child
Annie Giss … Starlight / Julie
Franco Gula … Walt
Carla Calo … Rosario / Rosa
as Caroll Brown

Also with … Gino Marturano, Renato Terra, Miriam Salonicco, Nino Musco, Fortunato Arena, Silvana Bacci, Angelo Boscariol, Giglio Gigli, Mario Pennisi, Antonio Danesi, Ettore Arena, Alfonso Giganti, Angelo Casadei

Runtime: 100 min.

aka:
7 dollari sul rosso
Seven Dollars to Kill

Music: Francesco De Masi
Songs: “A Man Must Fight” by Peter Tevis
“Wishville” by July Ray

Elisa Montes as Sybil, a saloon singer day dreaming about a handsome young man named Jerry in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Loredana Nusciak as Emily, after quarreling with sister Sybil in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Memorable lines:

Rosa, when El Chaca shows up with a young boy: “I’m just about fed up with your stupid jokes.”
El Chaca: “You’ll raise him like you own son, since you can’t give me one.”
Rosa: “There isn’t a woman in the world who could give you a son.”

Jerry, slipping a coin into a cup for his beer after the barman’s wife has been killed because of his fliring and after he’s stabbed the bartender through his hand: “I always pay my debts.”

El Cachal, dispensing advice to Jerry: “Let me tell you about women: folk They’re like rattlesnakes. Give them a chance and they’ll ruin your life.”

Jerry, watching Sybil play solitaire: “You see, it’s easy. All you do is cheat a bit, and you win.”
Sybil: “But then you’re only fooling yourself.”
Jerry: “You’re a child. Cheating’s part of life.”
Sybil: “I’m sorry. I can’t agree with that.”
Jerry: “I’m beginning to find a lot of things pleasin’ about you.”

Spartaco Conversi (Spean Convery) as Bill, Jerry Ashley’s sidekick in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Franco Fantasia (Frank Farrell) as the sheriff of Wishville, trying to convince Johnny to become his deputy in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Trivia:

Anthony Steffen died on June 4, 2004, following a battle with cancer. He was 73. Among his favorite films of all time: “My Darling Clementine,” the John Ford classic.

This film started as a companion piece to “$1,000 on the Black,” aka “Blood at Sundown.” Both films were directed by Alberto Cardone, starred Steffen and featured Roberto Miali in a supporting role.

Loredana Nusciak had already appeared in one Spaghetti, 1965’s “Man from Canyon City.” She’d be best remembered for her next role as Maria, the whipped woman in need of a savoir in “Django” (1966).

Alfredo Varelli (Fred Warell] as a sheriff warning Johnny Ashley (Anthony Steffen) about taking the law into his own hands in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Anthony Steffen as Johnny Ashley catches up with El Gringo (Jose Manuel Martin), one of El Chacal’s men in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Roberto Miali (Jerry Wilson) as Jerry Ashley, as mean with a knife as a gun in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Loredana Nusciak as Emily and Anthony Steffen as Johnny Ashley talk about his long quest to find his son in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Roberto Miali (Jerry Wilson) as Jerry Ashley, charming his way into the heart of Sybil (Elisa Montes) in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)

Anthony Steffen as Johnny Ashley, a man who refuses to settle down until his quest is complete in Seven Dollars on the Red (1966)