Seven for Pancho Villa (1967)

Pancho Villa has been wounded in a raid on Columbus and he and his men have been forced to stash their stolen gold in a home in the town of Cerezo.

Now safe back at his hideout, Pancho sends for old friend Don Diego (John Ericson) — a man who can pass for a gringo — to retrieve that gold.

He sends along six of his revolutionaries, led by Gen. Urbina (Gustavo Rojo), to complete the seven for Pancho Villa of this film’s title.

But the seven soon becomes nine when Gen. Urbina picks up former revolutionary Manuel Sierra, who mistakenly thought Pancho was dead, and his pretty adopted daughter Maria (Nuria Torray).

Once back in Cerezo, Don Diego tracks down the gold at the home of Vera Stevens (Mara Cruz), who lost her husband in one of Pancho’s raid.

He’s to set off a bonfire to alert the rest of the band. Then he learns the truth about his own parents. They, too, were victims of Pancho’s revolutionaries, not the regular army as he’s always been led to believe.

And so he suddenly finds himself working with the pretty widow to keep the gold away from Urbina and his men.

Review:

Fairly well done mix of action and romance in which Nuria Torray, curiously, gets top billing.

She ignites sparks first with Don Diego before settling on Gen. Urbina and his promises of a new life, financed by part of Pancho’s gold.

Don Diego finds his own love in Vera Stevens, confessing his affection for her within minutes of stepping foot on the widow’s property.

James Philbrook has a small role as sheriff of Cerezo and doesn’t stand a chance against Gen. Urbina and his men, who are remarkably, amazingly bullet proof when facing anyone other than Don Diego.

Directed by:
Jose Maria Elorrieta
as Joe Lacy

Cast:
John Ericson … Don Diego Alvarado / Diego Owens
Mara Cruz … Vera Stevens
Nuria Torray … Maria
Gustavo Rojo … Gen. Urbina
Ricardo Palacios … Pancho Villa
James Philbrook … Sheriff of Cerezo
Pastor Serrador …. Manuel Sierra
Juan Antonio Peral … Juarez
as John Perel
Antonio Jimenez Escribano … Mayor of Cerezo
Guillermo Mendez … Salas
Jose Luis Lluch … Munoz

Runtime: 91 min.

aka:
Los siete de Pancho Villa
The Treasure of Pancho Villa
The Vengeance of Pancho Villa

Music: Federico Contreras

Memorable lines:

Manuel Sierra: “I wouldn’t mind being killed like a soldier. But I don’t want to be hanged like an ordinary bandit.”

Gen. Urbina: “I don’t understand you, Diego. The gold is there (in the house). Let’s get it out. You’ll get your share.”
Don Diego: “I don’t want it. It’s stolen.”
Gen. Urbina: “It’s still yellow, no.”

Trivia:

Western fans might remember Ericson from his role in 1950s westerns, like “The Return of Jack Slade” (1955) and Oregon Passage (1957). He appeared in just two Spaghettis, this film and 1969’s “Heads or Tails.”

Jose Maria Elorrieta directed 53 films. His other Euro Westerns included “Massacre at Fort Grant” and “Fury of the Apaches,” both 1964.

Nuria Torray appeared in five Spaghettis, including the same director’s “Fury of the Apaches” (1964) and a small role in “One Damned Day at Dawn … Django Meets Sartana (1970). She died of colon cancer at age 69 in 2004.