User reviews

Nice opening sequence: Winnetou rides onto the screen with dramatic music and soon rescues a young boy who is attacked by an eagle. Regrettably, the initial energy is not kept up at the same level. The movie tells the story of Apanatschi (young Uschi Glas) and her little brother Happy who need protection by Winnetou (Pierre Brice) and Old Shatterhand (Lex Barker) because they know where a gold mine is. Bandits with their leader Curly Bill want to know, too - and they stop at nothing and even killed Apanatschi's father.

After the classic „Silver Lake", the larger-than-life Winnetou trilogy and the three easy-going movies starring Stewart Granger, „Half-Breed" feels a bit tired to me. Lex Barker and Pierre Brice replay their famous roles, but there are hardly new ideas. More violent action, less feeling, could be the summary of my impressions.

Entertaining Schnitzel/Gibranica adventure co-produced by Germany and Yugoslavia based on Karl May novels about beloved Winnetou and Old Shatterland . Adventures , action , crossfire and gorgeous Yugoslavian exteriors magnificently photographed and in which takes place a new emotive meeting between great leader Apache Winnetou and Old Shatterhand who works as a railway engineer and wagon conductor . This is a thrilling and stirring adventure based on Karl May novel with two agreeable characters as Old Shatterhand and Winnetou , being stunningly played by Lex Barker as measurement expert and Pierre Brice as Apache chief's son respectively . It deals with Old Shatterhand , a railway engineer who works at a western little town , then nasty band led by Curly-Bill sets his eyes on a gold mine whose owner is Mac Haller (Walter Barnes) married to Indian woman and have two children . Violent conflict breaks out between greedy bandits led by Curly-Bill (Ilija Djuvalekovski) when abduct to Apanatschi (young Uschi Glas) and her little brother , because they know where a gold mine is . Only two men, destined to be blood brothers, can prevent all-out facing : chief's son Winnetou (Pierre Brice) and German engineer Old Shatterhand (Lex Barker) . Old Shatterhand , aware the kidnapping and attempts to save the children and kill bandits in an effort to avoid they take their gold mine located at Indian territory . Later on , the desperado outlaws attack the little town and the good guys (Lex Baker , Brice , Gotz George and usual Ralf Wolter as Sam Hawkens) are surrounded by the bad guys . There takes place shootouts and a lot of explosions . Shatterland and Winnetou prepare them a trap by means of explosives at a mine . Meanwhile , Jeff Brown (Götz George) falls in love for the Mestiza girl named Apanatschi (Ursula Glas), Winnitou's sister , in an enjoyable love story . At the end takes place a moving epilogue by shooting and fighting with no much sense . In successive episodes Old Shatterland and his faithful half-brother Winnetou are ready on the trail to undertake new and risked adventures .

This is an acceptable eighth episode about one of the series of popular German made Western , featuring the intimate duo formed by valiant ¨Old Shatterhand¨ who decides to save the kidnapped children taken by mean outlaws and immortal ¨Winnetou¨ , both of them repeat their same notorious roles as dignified as always . Highlights of the movie are the spectacular pursuits on riding across marvelous landscapes , the impressive enemy attack over town and breathtaking chase between the train and the nasty gunfighter running along the railroad track . This enjoyable saga benefits from sensational adventures , shootouts , action , emotion , larger-than-life characters and spectacular scenarios shot in Tulove Grede Mountain, Croatia , Zrmanja Canyon, Solin, Split, Croatia and Prezed passage, Obrovac, Radmanove Mlinice, Omis , Rastevic, Benkovac, Yugoslavia . Winnetou-Pierre Brice plays , as usual , his excellent and immortal role to be continued in a TV series . Lex Barker scores especially high marks , though he plays as a serious and intelligent engineer who joins forces with Winnetou . Enjoyable relationship between Old Shatterhand and Winnetou is quite match . The highbrow Lex Barker played the most part of series : ¨Apache gold (1963)¨ by Harald Reinl , ¨Apaches last Battle (1964)¨ by Hugo Fregonese, ¨Last of renegades(1964)¨, ¨The desperate trail¨, ¨Old Surehand¨ (1965) directed by Alfred Vohrer, ¨Old Shatterland(1966)¨ by Harald Philipp , ¨In the valley of death (1968)¨ by Harald Reinl . Stewart Granger as ¨Surehand¨ took the role in two occasions , he starred a diverse character but is pretty similar to Old Shatterland , he plays with mirth and sympathetic manner as ¨Among vultures¨ and ¨Winnetou and Surehand¨ . Besides , Rod Cameron starred only one : ¨Old Firehand¨ in which chemistry between stuffy Cameron and Brice is inexistent . The film displays a colorful cinematography and a catching as well as sensitive musical score by Martin Bottcher , series' ordinary , being eventually replaced in some episode by Peter Thomas . The motion picture produced by Rialto Film Preben-Philipse/Horst Wendlandt /Constantin Film was professionally directed by Harald Reinl who directed all kind of genres : action , Western , Wartime , besides he was a German thriller expert called Krimi - Edward Wallace adaptation- . He was a professional director and writer, known for Sergeant Berry (1974), The Oil Prince (1965) and The Whole Truth (1961) , División Branderburg (1960) and Punishment Battalion (1960) . Rating : 6 , acceptable and passable 8º Winnetou entry . Worthwhile seeing for marvelous scenarios and breathtaking outdoors from Yugoslavia including rousing falls , canyon, rivers and mountains ; all of them as spectacular as Almeria- Spain- outdoors where at the same time were shot numerous European Western .

I did not know how many films were made prior to this (based on Karl Mays novels), but another reviewer seems to be on top of that. And while I haven't seen them all (or rather rewatched, because I loved them as a kid), I can say that it is an endearing and lovely series of films that were made. And that can only be a testament of the novels they were based on - which obviously I haven't read - shame on me.

It is nice to see the usual suspect reprise their leading roles, but also have some other known German (and other European) actors being added here. I just realize that I never talked about the "native American" language that they use in these movies ... I have no idea on what that is based on ... but it does not sound as if they are mocking the people speaking them. Generally speaking you can feel that there is love for the native Americans. It is nice to see a morally "right" view on things ... or at least a not one sided "white man" approach and outlook on them.

On her 21st birthday, settler Mac Haller's daughter Apanatschi receives her father's secret gold mine as a gift. Mac Haller was married to an Apache woman and Apanatschi is half-breed. She also has a little brother Happy who is saved by Winnetou from a dangerous fall off a mountain peak, when Happy tries to collect an eagle's feather from an eagle's aerie. On the day of the birthday party, Mac Haller, his daughter Apanatschi , his young son Happy and Winnetou, who is a family friend, visit the location of the secret gold mine and Apanatschi formally receives the mine from her father.

At Apanatschi's b-day party at the Mac Haller farm, invited are Jeff Brown who is Apanatschi's boyfriend and two neighboring prospectors, Pinky and Sloan. At the party, the two prospectors, learn of the existence of the gold mine, from little Happy, who doesn't yet grasp the concept of gold nuggets. For him they are just rocks and pebbles.

After learning of the mine, the two prospectors plan to force Mac Haller to reveal the exact location of the mine. When they are told to leave, the prospectors oblige but secretly plan to ambush Mac Haller or kidnap Apanatschi in order to extract from them the mine's location. Apanatschi is thus forced to seek Winnetou's help. Unfortunately, the prospectors themselves are in trouble when Curly-Bill's gang finds out about the whole scheme and wants a share of the loot.

The Winnetou westerns are great fun, vibrant, lively and imaginative and action-packed, and this 1964 entry starring Lex Barker as Old Shatterhand and Pierre Brice as Winnetou is business as usual with Winnetou and party taking on gold hungry outlaws, thanks to the prospectors seeing a boy playing with a gold nugget- Que: kidnapping, plot twists, gunfights, magician tricks, secret tunnels and a whole load of dynamite action. Not as smoothly plotted as the previous entries but it has enough action and plot twists to keep a viewer engaging. The set-pieces, location and the action sequences are impressive. As always there's an endearing quality to the characters and the feel. I like how other good folk help Winnetou and Shatterhand, giving it a community spirit of folks ganging up against the bad guys. The opening sequence where a boy is attacked by an eagle and saved by Winnetou is an eye opener.