Sheriff with the Gold (1966)

Jacques Berthier is federal sheriff Jeff Randall, a lawman whose big reputation earns him a $6 raise after 10 years on the job.

He’d like to settle down and get married, if he could ever save the money to do so. Then he notices that the reward for outlaw Arizona Roy (Luigi Giuliani) just keeps going up.

Arizona just might be the ticket to a more comfortable life, Randall begins to believe. But when he’s asked to rescue Arizona from a death sentence so he can testify in a trial in Blackstone City, Randall hatches a far more lucrative plan.

He’s supposed to guard a $500,000 gold shipment. Suppose he set it up so that Arizona could rob that stage? They could split the $500,000 and both live happily ever after.

Arizona’s quick to agree to the plan. After all, Randall’s already worked out all the details, from hideout to escape route.

There are just two problems. A Mexican bandit named Vargas has his eyes on the same stage full of gold. And back at the tavern where Arizona’s supposed to hide out after the robbery, there’s a dark-haired beauty named Jane (Caterina Trentini) who isn’t bashful about using her feminine charms to get what she wants.

And what she wants is those saddlebags filled with gold.

Review:

Directing his first Western, Osvaldo Civirani sets the stage for an entertaining film with a clever opening scene. A gang of young ruffians have taken over a town and are tormenting its residents when a horse arrives, a lawman slung over the saddle.

When the baddies go to investigate, that lawman springs to life and eventually guns down the entire gang. It’s federal sheriff Jeff Randall, who puts his life on the line for $60 a month.

His partnership with handsome outlaw Arizona Roy is supposed to solve his money problems for good without tarnishing his good name too badly. What he hadn’t counted on is a conniving and very determined young beauty named Jane.

Caterina Trentini’s part is meatier than most female roles in Spaghetti Westerns and helps this film stand out from the pack.

Born in poverty and having been forced to live off men all her life, she dreams of buying a palatial home in Mexico City, owning the jewels and dresses she’s always dreamed of, sipping wine instead of tequila and finding herself a man who bathes every day.

And while Arizona Roy might not be that man — and her tavern owning current boyfriend certainly isn’t — those saddlebags full of gold could certainly help those dreams come true.

Jacques Berthier as Sheriff Jeff Randall in Sheriff with the Gold (1966)

Luigi Giuliani (Louis McJulian) as Arizona Roy in Sheriff with the Gold (1966)

Directed by:
Osvaldo Civirani
as Richard Kean

Cast:
Luigi Giuliani … Arizona Roy
as Louis McJulian
Caterina Trentini … Jane
as Kathleen Parker
Jacques Berthier … Sheriff Jeff Randall
Roberto Messina … Tavern owner
as Bob Messenger
Fortunato Arena … Vargas
as Ares Lucky
Luciano Rossi … Jack
Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia … Tiger
as Ivan Scratt
Franco Pesce … Bank manager

Runtime: 89 min.

aka …
Uno sceriffo tutto d’oro
A Golden Sheriff

Score: Nora Orlandi

Song: “The Gold Men”
performed by Dick Powell

Caterina Trentini (Kathleen Parker) as Jane in Sheriff with the Gold (1966)

Fortunato Arena (Ares Lucky) as Vargas with Jacques Berthier as Sheriff Jeff Randall in Sheriff with the Gold (1966)

Memorable lines:

Arizona Roy, after getting a kiss from his captive Mary: “Now quit that. You’re supposed to be here against your will.”

Sheriff Randall, walking in on the tavern owner and Jane scuffling: “Hope I ain’t butting in.”
Tavern owner: “No, sheriff, no. Just a friendly fight.”

Tavern owner: “There’s a lot of sense in that proverb the Chinese have — beat your woman at least once a day if you want to keep her in line.”

Jacques Berthier as Sheriff Jeff Randallin Sheriff with the Gold (1966)

Roberto Messina (Bob Messenger) as the tavern owner in Sheriff with the Gold (1966)

Arizona Roy, after Jane has complained about her alcoholic boyfriend: “You know, if I was your beau, Jane, I wouldn’t need to go anywhere near a bottle of alcohol.”
Jane: “That’s a nice thing to say.”
Arizona: “Yeah, that’s why I said it.”

Arizona to Jane, after she’s made off with the gold, only to lose it to Vargas: “The desert is just where you belong. In the brush, with the rest of the rattlesnakes.”

Jacques Berthier as Sheriff Jeff Randall with Luigi Giuliani (Louis McJulian) as Arizona Roy in Sheriff with th Gold (1966)

Caterina Trentini (Kathleen Parker) as Jane with Jacques Berthier as Sheriff Jeff Randall in Sheriff with the Gold (1966)