Watch Out Gringo! Sabata Will Return (1972)

Daniel Martin is Luke Morton, who masterminds the theft of $150,000 in gold while wearing a lieutenant’s uniform and also makes off with a pretty stage passenger (Rosalba Neri).

Of course, his gang soon starts fighting over the loot.

And while they’re doing so, Morton’s partner Carrancha (Fernando Sancho) makes off with the chest of gold, burying it in a nearby cemetery.

Soon, the search for the gold and the outlaws also includes a mysterious stranger named Rayo (George Martin) and a bounty hunter named Sabata (Vittorio Richelmy).

As for Carrancha, he keeps switching sides, both in the interest of self-preservation and the hope that he’ll still wind up with some of the gold.

After all, he’s the only one who knows where the chest of treasure is located.

Review:

A so-so Spaghetti that’s at its best when Fernando Sancho is on screen, providing comic relief as Carrancha, either talking to himself or warning his horse to move faster as they flee, dragging behind a chest full of gold.

At one point, when he returns to retrieve his chest of gold, he discovers a Mormon has just been buried in the same cemetery. And his four wives have vowed to provide a 24-hour watch over his body.

Unfortunately, the film also suffers from a sloppy script and/or direction. At one point, Luke Morton proclaims there’s no one left to share the gold with. He’s killed all his accomplices. Moments later, more henchmen can be seen in the background.

And Rosalba Neri’s character isn’t even given a name. Or a purpose for being in the film, at least not in the 82-minute version I watched. Somehow, she’s in cahoots with Rayo, though it’s unclear how he benefits. And our lead characters are clearly motivated by greed, not a desire to rescue a damsel in distress.

Directed by:
Alfonso Balcazer
Pedro Luis Ramirez

Cast:
George Martin … Rayo
Fernando Sancho … Carrancho
Vittorio Richelmy … Sabata
Rosalba Neri … Stage passenger
Daniel Martin … Luke Morton
Manuel Gas .. Saloon owner
Manuel Muniz … Undertaker
as Pajarito
Luciano Rossi … Morton henchman

Also with: Osvaldo Genazzani, Cesar Ojinaga, Juan Fairen Ferre as Johnny Fairen and Manuel Bronchud

Runtime: 87 min.

aka …
Attento gringo, è tornato Sabata
Luck Morgan, You Won’t Get That Gold

Score: Piero Piccioni

Memorable lines:

Lt. Luke Morgan: “You know, it was in Tuscon that we last saw one another. And now we’re even more attractive.”
Female stage passenger: “Think so, lieutenant?”
Lt. Luke Morgan: “Not me alone — the whole garrison.”

Smith, one of the outlaws: “Luke, why don’t you forget the girl. Let’s talk about the gold.”
Luke: “We’ll palaver when I say so.”

Carrancho, to himself: “Watchi it, Carrancho. There’s going to be bullets in the air.”

Luke, preparing for a gunfight with a fellow outlaw: “Smith, they’re soon going to call you Lead Belly.”

Carrancho to Sabata: “Listen, senor, have you no pity for your friend Carrancho? I didn’t think you were so damn diabolical.”

Rayo: “You’re a bounty hunter then?”
Sabata: “I prefer to call it reward hunting.”

Rayo: “When he (Luke Morton) gets through with him (Carrancho), he won’t be worth a plug nickle.”
Sabata: “What do you think is the value of a plugged Morton?”

Luke to Rayo, threatening torture to his captive, who’s hanging upside down: “Guess we’re going to have to roast your face. Clean your skin. Cook the grease out. Naturally, it’s a little rough on the eyesight. But it’s great for the money.”

Stage passenger (Rosalda Neri) to Rayo: “As a man, you’re a bit strange. But I love your style.”

Triva:

There were only three official Sabata films, but this was one of several others to try to capitalize on the name after the original, starring Lee Van Cleef, became a hit. In this one, the dressed-in-black character is called Rayo. Vittorio Richelmy is Sabata, despite his less Sabata-looking duds.

According to IMDb, Vittorio Richelmy appeared in just six films, with his most promiment roles coming in war films.

Though they were both born in Spain, George Martin and Dan Martin were not related. George’s birth name is Francisco Martínez Celeiro. Dan’s birth name was José Martínez Martínez.