Two Violent Men (1964)

George Martin is Sgt. Matt Logan of the Texas Rangers, who has just tracked down one fugitive when he’s given another assignment.

He accepts this one reluctantly, because the man he’s supposed to bring back is Joe Cassidy (Alan Scott), a friend who’s been accused of murder and escaped prison.

The friendship is just the reason he’s been chosen for the job, his commander explains. Sgt. Logan knows Cassidy’s tricks and habits better than anyone on the force.

The logic works. Logan has Cassidy in custody in rather short order. Keeping him in custody might be a bit more difficult, especially since Cassidy insists he’s been framed and is determined to prove his innocence.

Then the two friends step smack dab into a range war and find themselves defending the ranch of pretty Mary Sheridan (Susy Andersen) against rustlers.

Seems rustlers have been hounding most of the small ranchers, prompting many of them to decide to sell out to The Diamond Ranch, run by Linda Radisson (Silvia Solar) and her brothers Amos and Buck.

The Diamond Ranch has’t been bothered by the rustlers, and that immediately arouses the suspicion of Sgt. Logan.

Linda has a simple explanation though. She and her brothers are wealthy enough to hire protection; the smaller ranchers aren’t.

The folks in town, not to mention Mary Sheridan, have their suspicions too.

But the law and the men in town cower to the power of the Radisson clan and their hired gunmen.

George Martin as Texas Ranger Sgt. Matt Logan, on the trail of a friend in Two Violent Men (1964)

Alan Scott as Joe Cassidy, the escapee with a friend on his trail in Two Violent Men (1964)

Review:

An early Spaghetti with a plot that would fit right in with a Saturday afternoon Western lineup featuring films starring Kirk Douglas, James Stewart and John Wayne.

In fact, one can almost picture Douglas in the Alan Scott role of Cassidy, a rather likeable rascal who just can’t help hanging around and bailing his buddy out of trouble time and again.

The presence of plenty of pretty ladies helps too. In addition to Susy Anderson as George Martin’s love interest and Silvia Solar as the conniving beauty behind all the trouble, there’s Maria Badmajew as Annie McGregor.

She plays a storekeeper’s daughter who’s quickly smitten with Sgt. Logan as well. Her mother (Paola Barbara as Betty) is particularly feisty, more eager to stand up to the Radisson clan than most of the men in town.

This film does follow Spaghetti tradition in that it’s more violent than American Westerns of the period. Martin nearly has his face scarred with a broken bottle, Scott nearly suffers the same fate with a spur pushed into his face and it all leads up to a lively, large-scale gun battle in the middle of town.

Susy Andersen as Mary Sheridan, a ranch owner under siege in Two Violent Men (1964)

Silvia Solar as Linda Radisson, the mastermind behind the success of the Diamond Ranch in Two Violent Men (1964)

Directed by:
Primo Zeglio
as Anthony Greepy

Cast:
Alan Scott … Joe Cassidy
Jorge Martin … Sgt. Matt Logan
as George Martin
Susy Andersen … Mary Sheridan
as Sussie Anderson
Silvia Solar … Linda Radisson
as Sylvie Solar
Luis Induni … Bates / Barnes
Paola Barbara … Betty McGregor
as Pauline Baards
Ignasio de Paul … Amos Radisson
Antonio Gandria … Kirby
Maria Badmajew … Annie McGregor
as Mary A. Badmayev
Jose Jaspe … Mortimer
Hugo Pimentel … Deputy Garfield
Francisco Brana … Perkins
Cris Huerta … Buck Radisson

Also with: Andrea Scotti, Andrew Scott, Giovanni Petti , Aldo Sambrell, Ángel Menéndez, Francisco Diaz Puente, Antonio Molino Rojo, Luis Vilar, Miguel Brendel, Mike Brendell, Fernando Sánchez Polack, Juan Antonio Peral, Alfonso de la Vega, Luis de Loque, Julio Pimentel, Joaquín Parra, Jorge Ochando, José Nieto

Runtime: 94 min.

aka:
I due violenti
Los Rurales de Texas
Texas Ranger

Music: Francesco De Masi

Cris Huerta as Buck Radisson, happy taking orders from his sister on Diamond Ranch in Two Violent Men (1964)

Ignasio de Paul as Amos Radisson, Linda’s more sophisticated brother on Diamond Ranch in Two Violent Men (1964)

Trivia:

Director Primo Zeglio’s other credited Westerns include “The Relentless Four” (1965), starring Adam West of “Batman” fame, and “Killer Goodbye” (1968), starring Peter Lee Lawrence. The latter was his last film. Zeglio was married to Paola Barbara, who plays Betty McGregor here.

Beauties Maria Badmajew and Susy Andersen each appeared in just one other Spaghetti Western. Maria played a much older woman in 1964’s “Fistful of Knuckles.” Susy appeared in 1968’s “Fifteen Scaffolds for a Killer,” which also featured George Martin.

This film marked the Spaghetti Western debut for Cris Huerta, who found larger roles as a comic fatman / strongman in the post “They Call Me Trinity” (1970) period.

Alan Scott as Joe Cassidy about to be jailed again by Sgt. Matt Logan (George Martin) in Two Violent Men (1964)

Susy Andersen as Mary Sheridan, Paola Barbara as Betty McGregor and Maria Badmajew as her daughter Annie, ready to testify in Two Violent Men (1964)

The barfly who fills Sgt. Logan in on the trouble in town in Two Violent Men (1964). Does anyone know who plays this part?

Luis Induni as Barnes, a Radisson henchman hoping for a future with Linda in Two Violent Men (1964)

Jose Jaspe as Mortimer, irate over being jailed and flanked by Amos Radisson (Ignasio de Paul) and Perkins (Frank Brana) in Two Violent Men (1964)

Paola Barbara (Pauline Baards) as Betty McGregor, ready to stand up to Radisson’s henchmen in Two Violent Men (1964)

Maria Badmajew as Annie McGregor, sharing a drink with a male suitor in Two Violent Men (1964)

Silvia Solar as Linda Radisson, turning on the charm when she meets Sgt. Logan in Two Violent Men (1964)

Alan Scott as Joe Cassidy, determined to prove his innocence to the court and a friend in Two Violent Men (1964)

George Martin as Sgt. Matt Logan, taking aim during the climatic gun battle with the Radisson riders in Two Violent Men (1964)