classicsoncall I've seen literally hundreds of Westerns, and for the longest time I never saw a woman actually shot dead on purpose until I ran across 1948's "The Hawk of Powder River" with Eddie Dean in the lead role. That whole concept gets blown to smithereens here when half of Domingo's (Lloyd Battista) gang recklessly shoots away at a couple wagon loads of scantily clad women as they run for cover, while the other half chases them down for a little you know what. It's one of the more surreal scenes you'll see in a spaghetti Western, a genre that's known to have it's share of them.What you have to do though, is suspend major disbelief when it comes to the title character portrayed by Tony Anthony. I can grant some semblance of marksmanship to a shooter who can't see based on a compensating factor like acute hearing, but all Blindman needed was for someone to point out the general direction of a target or an enemy. Like the bell in the steeple tower he managed to gong about a half dozen times while moving around. Really? But if you like your Westerns with a heaping dose of marinara topped with Parmesan, this might just be the way to go. There's a whole host of colorful characters here with names like Skunk, Dude and Sweet Mama, and if your eyes don't deceive you, yes, that's Ringo Starr in one of the leads up until about the sixty minute mark as a Mexican outlaw named Candy. Quite honestly, I thought he really filled the bill as a bearded thug, he played the part well until he got shot in the back by Blindman. He really should have been allowed to make it to the end of the picture.The whole story is filled with double crosses by various characters to thwart Blindman from his original mission, that of delivering fifty mail order brides to miners in Lost Creek, Texas. Those were no ordinary mail order brides either, every one was most certainly cast for their eye candy appeal, with generous assets prominently displayed throughout the story.If the concept of a blind man in a Western intrigues you, another flick you might want to catch with a bit more credibility is 1964's "Minnesota Clay" with Cameron Mitchell in the title role. In that one, Clay loses his vision gradually and begins to rely on his hearing to compensate for the loss, which comes in handy for his final showdown. The film also uses shooting locations in Spain and Italy, pretty handy when it comes to ordering all that linguini.

info-627-664439 "Blind Man" (1971) is an enjoyable spaghetti western, more in the comic book style, especially as played by Tony Anthony in the lead role. Although he does well, I think the director (Ferdinando Baldi), who has a great visual eye, could not get a better, more believable and affecting performance from him. I think it was a good idea as produced by Allen Klein for ABKCO Films and it was a good idea for Ringo Starr to appear, as he once again proves, here probably more so than just "A Hard Day's Night" that he had some quality as an actor. There is a lot of gratuitous nudity of the 50 women being delivered as wives for a mining camp in Texas as they are sidetracked from their rightful contract holder, Blind Man, by a band of long-haired outlaws who sell them to the Mexican army. Agneta Eckemyr has the role of the blonde "Pilar" on who pivots the smitten Candy (Starr) in the Blind Man's attempts to re-claim the girls. Kudos to Riccardo Pallottini for his beautiful photography and editing by Roberto Perpignani. They, at least, must have had fun during the filming. The end result is a bit unclear, story-wise and not particularly endearing. Perhaps rightly in the Top 20 spaghetti westerns, but definitely not the Top 10.

JohnWelles "Blindman" (1971) is a Spaghetti Western directed by Ferdinando Baldi.The plot is simple, almost a mere showcase for the highlights that are contain in this film: a blind, if deadly, gunfighter played by the great Tony Anthony, is hired to escort 50 mail order brides to their miner husbands. But he's double-crossed by his associates who sell them to the dangerous Mexican bandit (Lloyd Battista) Domingo. Blindman tracks down the bandit to get his brides...This is more bizarre Spaghetti than usual as it has Ringo Starr of The Beatles fame playing a Mex outlaw and, surprisingly, equips himself well and is much better than one has any right to expect. Tony Anthony is the best actor in the movie, playing Blindman excellently and makes us believe he can kill five Mexican crooks, who all of weapons, with his rifle. There are some rather mean jokes played at his expense (i. e. knocking over pots, breaking mirrors), but these thankfully stop after the beginning. The rest of the cast are good, if not exactly memorable and the music by Stelvio Cipriani is pleasant enough. The cinematography by Riccardo Pallottini just does the job of telling the story, but then, that is the first priority for photography. Baldi's direction is very good, even if the cruelty to women is overdone. There is also more nudity in this Spaghetti Western than in any other I have seen.So, the action and shootouts are well done, there is at least one great performance and the direction couldn't be more spirited. What more could you ask from from a Spaghetti Western?

Cristi_Ciopron "Blindman" is a bizarre piece of fantasy,and a fine work in its kind. Baldi fumbled in his pocket for a lay-out of slum burlesque and sombre surreal,where he could unfold his ghosts and intuitions.Of course,there is a certain amount of coarseness and rudeness,compensated by the excellent sense of the waggish narrative cartoon and peculiar aquaforte. Baldi knows and does well his job,in spite of the sometimes quite poor quality of the material.The movie manages to be interesting and so agreeable.Any psychology or human truth are entirely absent,as it must be with this kind of movie.The characters are mere puppets,the humor is thickened,cruel and disrespectful,sometimes out of tune,and in a way unworthy of Baldi.Of course,the whole scheme is unbelievable and absurd.With this movie,by this movie,we see what were able to do some talented directors with a western script,in the 60s and 70s.Such movies give the impression of being totally free of commercial compulsions and humdrum drawings,and show a remarkable skill for ranging a stock of epic elements.If the coarseness I've been mentioning does not lack at least sometimes,there are,in exchange,great amounts of humor,charm, resourcefulness,quickness,a powerful and vivid drawing,fancy,even some impudence,craft,merriment,striking beautiful music.Very often,the actors are outstanding and skillful (and so is T. Anthony too,to be sure).All these things place the European westerns together with the great Italian opera and the surrealist prose:the bread of the fanciful.A form of art unconventional and popular, intelligent and light.(there are,in "Blindman",some things insipid, clumsy and boorish,some bad taste,but also some unsurpassedly accomplished.)"Blindman" is a good sample for the genre's fine qualities.Anthony looks now petulant and now mild,now serene and now sanguinary,now sinister and now nice,adamant and cunning.His sniggers fit well.He is as great an western actor as Nero,Kinski,Volonte,Gemma and Eastwood are.His acting is liquid,elastic and sober,real and manly;a great actor.Anthony acts with a visible relish and delight,obviously enjoying.I greet all those who already like "Blindman" and the European westerns;and also all those who will.