The Jackals (1967) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

Robert Gunner is Roger “Stretch” Hawkins, leader of a gang that is forced to escape across barren land after robbing a bank in South Africa.

They make it to a near ghost town called Yellow Rock, where the only inhabitants are an old man (Vincent Price) and his granddaughter “Willie” Decker (Diana Ivarson).

“Willie” and her swaying hips become the focus of attention for most of the gang members. But not Dandy (Bob Courtney), who’s spending more time wondering why the old timer continues to live in these here parts.

Soon enough, he discovers the answer: The old man and his daughter have been working a gold mine.

And, naturally, men who would rob a bank won’t hesitate to covet an old man’s gold.

Nor will they hesitate to break Stretch’s word after he agrees to let the old man keep half if he’ll tell where the gold is hidden.

But Stretch plans to keep his promise, and that leads to new friction among the bank robbers.

Vincent Price as Oupa Decker, the man with the granddaughter and the gold in The Jackals (1967)

Diana Ivarson as fiesty Willie Decker in The Jackals (1967)

Review:

The setting — South Africa — is the only original thing about this film.

And that merely means Zulu warriors replace Indians and we’re treated to occasional stock footage of jungle creatures.

Otherwise, this is a scene by scene remake of the superb 1948 film “Yellow Sky,” starring Gregory Peck and Anne Baxter and actually set in the American West.Here, those parts are played by Robert Gunner and Diana Ivarson. Let’s just say they’re no match for Peck and Baxter and their love scenes are awkward.

This marked the final feature film for Robert Webb. In the 1950s, he brought us such Westerns as “White Feather” (1954), “Love Me Tender” (1956 and Elvis Presley’s film debut) and “The Proud Ones” (1956).

Robert Gunner as Stretch Hawkins, leader of the gang in The Jackals (1967)

Bob Courtney as Dandy, the greedy ex-gambler, in The Jackals (1967)

Directed by:
Robert D. Webb

Cast:
Vincent Price … Oupa Decker
Diana Ivarson … Wilhemina Adelaide “Willie” Decker
Robert Gunner … Roger “Stretch” Hawkins
Bob Courtney … Dandy
Patrick Mynhardt … Gotz
Bill Brewer … Stoffel
John Whiteley … Marico
Pieter Haupfleisch … Dirk
Hal Orlandini … Bartender

Runtime: 96 min.

Patrick Mynhardt as Gotz, one of the gang members, in The Jackals (1967)

John Whiteley as Marico, the youngest gang member in The Jackals (1967)

Memorable lines:

“Stretch” Hawkins, as the gang heads into the desert: “It’s just a place. And a place can be crossed.”

“Stretch” Hawkins, watering the horse of a gang member who filled his canteen with whiskey instead of water: “A horse is a useful animal. No reason to let him suffer because he belongs to a jackass.”

“Stretch” Hawkins: “Look, lady, I don’t know why I’m standing here talking to you. There are five of us. And we usually take what we want.”
“Willie” Decker: “Not from around here.”

Bill Brewer as Stoffel, one of the gang in The Jackals (1967)

Vincent Price as Oupa Decker, negotiating with greedy bandits in The Jackals (1967)

“Stretch” Hawkins: “I wish you would stop pointing that gun at me. Women don’t have any business with guns. They might wind up shooting someone they don’t mean to.”
“Willie” Decker: “Not me.”

Dandy, when “Stretch” announces his plans to sleep by the water hole: “What about (wild) animals?”
“Stretch”: “I’ll risk it.”
Dandy: “They’re probably no more dangerous than some women anyway.”

“Stretch” to Willie after a fight breaks out at the water hole: “From now on, you stay away from my men. And quit swinging your hips all over the place.”