Donna chiamata Apache, Una (1976)

Director:

Giorgio Mariuzzo

Writers:

Giorgio Mariuzzo (writer)
Antonio Racioppi (writer)

Release Date:

10 December 1976 (Italy)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Tommy is an innocent cavalry officer who falls in love with a beautiful Apache woman (Yara Kewa) after rescuing her from a nasty gun smuggler named Honest Jeremy. When Jeremy and his gang find Tommy, gruesome violence ensues. |

Plot Keywords:

Nudity | Nipples | Female Frontal Nudity | Female Nudity | Breasts

Cast

Al Cliver	...	Tommy
Clara Hopf	...	Sunsirahe (as Yara Kewa)
Federico Boido	...	Keith (as Rick Boyd)
Corrado Olmi	...	Honest Jeremy
Rocco Oppedisano	...	Frankie (as Roque Oppedisano)
Henry Kalter
Nadir Brown
Raul Cabrera
Piero Mazzinghi	...	The Preacher (as Peter MacSing)
Ely Galleani	...	The Preacher's Daughter
Frank Warner
Robert Thomas
Eugen Bertil
Mario Maranzana	...	Snake

Also Known As:

Apache Woman (Australia) (video title)

Runtime:

Portugal:85 min (cut version)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 | Norway:(Banned) (1978-2003) (cinema release)

Company:

National Cinematografica

'Make Love not War' - late western romance with a message manages to steer clear of (s)exploitation

Fine late Italian western, starring a sympathetic, almost romantic Al Cliver in a world full of racism, opportunism and greed. The story goes thus: Al Cliver is the member of a cavalry unit that takes out some Indians which have left the reservation - mostly women and children, and the old folks; the handful of Indian warriors are out hunting. Cliver's character happens to be knocked out and thus doesn't take part in the massacre. When he comes to, he meets the only survivor, Apache Woman. He soon loses her, however, to a couple of ruthless tricksters and bandits, who take her away to sell her into slavery - and have their fun with her. Cliver comes back for her, though, and the two start getting to know each other despite the language barrier. But the Apache warriors are still around, taking revenge for the extermination of their tribe...

The film wants to make a point about how difficult such a love racial barrier in fact proves to be, each time the couple comes across other people, be they Indian or white. Also, it looks at the military and its purpose in a contemptuous manner, obviously attacking the insanity of racism and war. There is some pretty explicit female nudity (bare breasts and bottom as well as the pubic area), but it is rare and never at the center of attention - though it has a bit of an exploitative feel to it especially in the (attempted) rape scene. Rather, the movie is focusing on the love of the two protagonists, how they learn to trust and understand each other.

There is little shooting, and the violence (apart from an ax murder) is never excessively gory. Instead, there is a distinctive guitar soundtrack and a beautiful title song, as well as some fine cinematography (of not so specular landscapes). What is maybe noteworthy: The western has a 'green' look, not the yellow of the desert of the southern border near Mexico; we see a lot of woods, and even the street of the ghost-town at the end of the movie - the only 'set' - is overgrown with grass.

What is perhaps most remarkable: Despite the warmth of the love story at its center, the film has an austere and simple feel to it, conveying a certain sense of truthfulness, which manages to steer clear of becoming exploitative.