Glenn Ford plays Sam Dent, a cowpoke who takes three prized Brahma bulls to Brazil, South America, where he can sell them for $25,000, money he plans to use to start a ranch of his own back in the states with his brother.
Besides the uncommon perils of South America, he finds himself in the middle of a good old-fashioned range war.
On one side is Bento Hermany, the man to whom he’s supposed to sell the bulls.
On the other is a lady rancher named Marianna, who’s trying desperately to cling to her piece of land, and nesters who have taken over small parts of the range.
First allied with Hermany, Dent soon learns all is not as the rich rancher would like him to believe.
Glenn Ford as Sam Dent, planning a trip to Brazil to sell three prized Burma bulls in The Americano (1955)
Ursula Thiess as Marianna, the lady ranch owner at odds with Hermany in The Americano (1955)
Review:
The unusual locations and hazards — like flesh-eating fish, crocodiles and large snakes — do little to enhance this humdrum tale. Mortal enemies come face to face on a number of occasions over the course of the film, but do little but spit words at one another.
Then there’s a silly scene in which Abbe Lane does a sensuous dance, prompting Marianna and Sam to forget their differences with a passionate kiss. Cesar Romero plays the bandit Manuel Silvera.
Lane, by the way, wasn’t originally cast in that role. Spanish actress Sara Montiel was supposed to play Teresa, but production was interrupted by a cash shortage and, by the time it resumed, she was involved in another project.
Abbe Lane as Teresa, Hermany’s housekeeper and Silvera’s longtime friend in The Americano (1955)
Cesar Romero as Manuel Silvera, trying to convince Sam Dent that Hermany isn’t what he seems in The Americano (1955)
Directed by:
William Castle
Cast:
Glenn Ford … Sam Dent
Frank Lovejoy … Bento Hermany
Cesar Romero … Manuel Silvera
Ursula Thiess … Marianna
Abbe Lane … Teresa
Rodolfo Hoyos Jr. … Cristino
Salvador Baguez … Capt. Gonzelez
Tom Powers … Jim Rogers
Dan White … Barney Dent
Frank Marlowe … Ship captain
George Navarro … Tuba Masero
Nyra Monsour … Tuba’s sister
Runtime: 85 min.
Frank Lovejoy as Bento Hermany, offering Sam Dent an ownership stake in his ranch in The Americano (1955)
Rodolfo Hoyos Jr. as Cristino, the man who does Hermany’s dirty deeds, pleading ignorance in The Americano (1955)
Memorable lines:
Sam Dent, to Marianna, as Abbe shakes her stuff in a sensuous dance that has all the men salivating: “Hey, you know what? We’re the only two people here arguing. Now, look over there, everybody being so nice and friendly.”
Abbe dances some more.
Sam: “You said you were going to be friendly, didn’t you?”
Marianna, smiling: “I’m sorry.”
And then the enemies embrace and kiss.
When the sun comes up the next morning, Marianna is smiling contentedly.
Marianna: “Where’s Sam?”
Manuel Silvera: “He go. Leave early.”
Marianna: “Where’d he go?”
Manuel: “No say. Back to Bento Hermany, maybe.”
Marianna: “No, he couldn’t. Last night, I thought he was our friend.”
Manuel: “Ah, he’s a North Americano. It’s most difficult to tell what they do next.”
Salvador Baguez as Capt. Gonzelez, investigating a murder in The Americano (1955)
Cesar Romero as Manuel Silvera and Glenn Ford as Sam Dent searching for a guilty man in The Americano (1955)
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