Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Geraldine The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Leofwine_draca A weird and average low budget western, British made and shot in Spain with American leads in the cast. This film features none other than Richard Crenna as the heroic lead, a mysterious gunslinger come to clean up the town, suffering from the usual amnesia that makes him slightly vulnerable (a trope that was over-utilised in this particular genre of film-making). I do love Crenna but first and foremost he was a character actor so it's a little unusual to see him as the hero here; it's impossible to ignore the fact that he seems miscast. The likes of Stephen Boyd, Farley Granger, and Patty Shepard play in support. This film is directed by Peter Collinson, the director of such movies as THE ITALIAN JOB and STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING, and it's an interesting oddity rather than anything particularly enjoyable. The plot seems long-winded and the outcome obvious, but at the same time at least it retains the interest.

ma-cortes This is an average Spanish/British/Italian co-production filmed of course in Almeria , Spain . It deals with Robert Noon (Richard Crenna), a gunslinger who has turned amnesiac. Helped by Rimes (Stephen Boyd), another gunfighter who has befriended him, he attempts to figure out who he is actually. He gradually aware that his wife and child have been killed . Is he Noon ? . The duo goes to ranch Rafter where lives Fan Davidge (Rosanna Schiaffino) who will support them , there the foreman named Henekker (Jose Jaspe) gives him a letter signed by Noon and Dean Cullane . As they go to El Paso where lives the scheming sister (Patty Shepard) of the lawyer named Dean Cullane . As time goes by, Noon also recalls a lot of gold buried somewhere but he is double-crossed . Niland (Farley Granger), an ambitious judge and the outlaw Ben Janish (Angel Del Pozo) along with his hoodlums ( Aldo Sambrell, Jose Canalejas, Fernando Hilbeck, Julian Ugarte) will do everything to prevent Noon and Rimes from achieving their objective .In the picture there're action western, shootouts, thrills, and a little bit of moderated violence . It follows American models more than Italian , displaying an intrigue about possible fake personality . The film is well starred by a fine star-cast though wasted as Stephen Boyd , Richard Crenna , Rosanna Schiaffino ; all of them early deceased , exception Farley Granger who passed away this same year . The starring Richard Crenna played another British Western titled ¨Catlow¨ that bears remarkable resemblance , as the same author Louis L'Amour , some actors and similar Almerian scenarios .The motion picture has been filmed on La Pedriza , Manzanares of Real , Madrid and Almeria(Spain), where during the 6os and early the 7os were shot several spaghetti western . The film well filmed in Tabernas and Texas Hollywood-Fort Bravo, Almeria, with a good production design including great a fortress , one of the best ever created , firstly used in ¨El condor¨ and where were posteriorly shot several Spaghetti as ¨ Blind man, Massacre at Fort Holman, ¨ and ¨Conan the Barbarian¨. Nevertheless, today the fort has been partially crumbled and only remain some ruins . There appears usual Spanish western secondary actors : Angel del Pozo, Julian Ugarte, Barta Barry , Ricardo Palacios, Jose Canalejas and of course Aldo Sambrell, among others. Atmospheric score by Luis Bacalov who subsequently won Oscar for ¨The postman and Pablo Neruda¨ and colorful cinematography by John Cabrera , though is necessary and urgent remastering .The movie is regularly directed by Peter Collinson. Collinson's directorial treatment provides it with action, gun-play, and suspense . He was an expert on thriller (Sell out, Target on assassin), intrigue (Spiral staircase, Ten little Indians, Open season), terror(Straight on till morning), Warlike-adventure(You can't win ém all), his biggest hit was ¨The Italian job¨ , until his early death by cancer at 41. Rating : Mediocre but entertaining .

judith_cos-1 I just discovered this Western and really liked it. The plot is very "Bourne," and I wonder if Ludlum got some ideas from it. There are some excellent and interesting camera shots. Stephen Boyd, who is quoted as saying "I like to look at people and see them smile - when the face smiles the soul comes through," did indeed make me smile. I loved his accent. Richard Crenna pulled off the role nicely, though I don't think of him in the Western genre. I'm a fan of Louis L'Amour but don't think I read this book - will have to now! Sure, it's a bit slow in places and even loses some continuity, but if you like old Westerns, and the relationship of man and horse, plots about amnesia and integrity, then you'll like this.

doughoehn My biggest disappointment about the film "The Man Called Noon" is that it does so little justice to a fine L'Amour novel. Judged on its own merits, this movie is about a "4". When will a western film ever acknowledge that it is impossible to hit anything with accuracy while "fanning" a revolver? But with that critique, ninety percent of spaghetti westerns could be pitched. On the plus side, Crenna and Boyd's search for the truth has an epic quality. Crenna's early escape into the cloud of steam from the train locomotive is also effective. But the melodramatic cries of the dying villains, the bad acting (over or under) of Granger and the two women, the ridiculous shots from different angles of the same two horses falling down to make us think an army of outlaws has bitten the dust, and the ten ketchup bottle "death" scene of Henneker make "Noon" unintentionally funny.