El Sabor de la venganza (1963) is perhaps the best of the Pre-Leone euro-westerns, one of the best "Spanish westerns," and Joaquin Marchent's best western. Genre fans looking for something similar to the Dollar's films often overlook and under-rate what is a very well made b-western that foreshadows the later Gothic family westerns like El Pistolero dell'Ave Maria (1969).

El Sabor de la venganza at first glance appears to have more in common with American westerns than later euro-westerns that, it at first seems, have been more completely translated by the filmmakers to their own historical and cultural perspectives. Ortolani's score is certainly based on American examples and is not nearly as inventive as that in other euro-westerns. Also, though the movie doesn't have the same sly ironies that the genre is well known for it's sincere enjoyment and indulgence in western conventions is very much in line with the self-consciousness of the genre. The long quasi-documentary rodeo sequence in the middle of the movie, complete with a Rio Bravo (1959)-style cowboy song sung over it, is a great example of this. This sequence, following a well put together montage about the brothers each living their separate lives, may annoy some viewers, but I think that it provides a good bridge between the two halves of the movie, streamlining and focusing attention on the pivotal moments in the plot.

In terms of "translations," the dynamics of the family and the vendetta that arises out of the father's death are very interesting. Each of the three Walker brothers - Jeff (Richard Harrison),Chet (Claudio Undari),and Brad (Miguel Palenzuela) - follow divergent paths when seeking out revenge for the father's murder. One becomes a federal lawman, another an outlaw, and the oldest inherits the family ranch. The relationship between the brothers, each motivated by the mother's pronouncement of vendetta, seems to have an accent very foreign to the American genre. This is a Spanish family, maybe derived from sometime in the past, and not the typical film representation of a (Anglo) pioneer family. The extreme tensions and conflicting obligations motivated by an early tragedy were a dominant theme in later euro-westerns. There is always an element of confused identities, either of protagonist or of the perpetrators. There is one effective scene in which Chet almost recreates the murder of his father with himself as the would-be murderer, pointing to a violence and vengeance that could reproduce itself indefinitely. This view of revenge as a contagion turns up in other westerns by Spanish writers and directors, such as Julio Buch's El Hombre que mató a Billy el Niño (1967). That movie ends with Billy's surrender of his guns, followed by his assassination. Unlike the historical figure, Garrett becomes that of a man trying to prevent the tragedy, produced by a world of political oppression and corruption, which pulled Billy into a spiral of violence from claiming more bewildered victims. This movie's finale can be understood in the same way, with Jeff as the Garrett to Chet-Billy. This movie brings to mind other vendetta westerns such as Robert Hossien's Une corde, un Colt (1969) or Pasqule Squitieri's Vendetta è un piatto che si serve freddo (1971).

The focus on the canons and dunes of Allmeria brings to mind very similar scenes from later movies, as do the brilliant white Spanish pueblos against the deep blue of the sky.

Finally, the combinations of close-ups and long shots is particularly effective, giving what is otherwise a good b-movie a sense of scale that it otherwise would lack.

(Note: I am reviewing the letter-boxed, subtitled version that played on SBS in Australia. I suspect that the poor quality that this movie has been released in the past explains the lack of interest in and appreciation of this movie.)

Top spaghetti western list http://imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=21849907

Average SWs http://imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=21849889

For fanatics only (bottom of the barrel) http://imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=21849890

Good Iberian Western well realized by the best Paella Western director , Joaquin Romero Marchent . A farmer family is attacked by a trio of outlaws and it results in father's murder . The mother (Gloria Milland) teaches his three children to carry out a relentless revenge . One time grown-up the three unequal brothers (Richard Harrison , Robert Hundar , Miguel Palenzuela) seek revenge for the murder of their father . Each of them goes a divergent paths , Richard Harrison becomes a law enforcement , Robert Hundar turns into a gunslinger and Miguel Palenzuela as a good family father . They follow different ways when seeking out vendetta for the dad's killing .

Enjoyable Chorizo-Spaghetti Western mostly produced by Spain and Italian secondary participation ; it doesn't follow the Sergio Leone wake and being proceeded in American style . This interesting Iberian western contains a story full of vengeance , good dramatic pace and slick direction . This one has a historical interest , being the first shot in Almeria , subsequently there was filmed a lot of Westerns during the 60s and early 70s . This is a classical western before Leone's style , it is an ordinary example of American western though it is partly Spanish and partly Italian . Interesting screenplay by the same director and his brother Rafael Marchent , it results to be a trilling as well as very sad western with great fatalism . The film packs action , shootouts , drama , good feeling , high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining . It's an intelligent western with spectacular outdoors and breathtaking confrontation among protagonists , three different brothers : Richard Harrison , Robert Hundar and Miguel Palenzuela against the heartless enemies such as Jose Truchado , Luis Induni , Aldo Sambrell , and of course , the ordinary nasty Jose Luis Martin . Acceptable action sequences with spectacularly exciting shootouts along with rodeos and round-up . Charismatic performance for whole casting . The notorious American Spaghetti actor Richard Harrison is good in his usual tough role , and Robert Hundar -pseudonym of Claudio Undari a Sicilian actor specialized in western films- is magnificent as his violent brother . Fantastic performance by the always great Fernando Sancho in a likable role , subsequently he would play similar characters , furthermore the slimy, menacing outlaw played by Aldo Sambrell , here in his ordinary role as bandit and in a cruelly baddie character . There appears as secondaries the habitual in Spanish/Italian Western such as Francisco Sanz , Rufino Inglés , Gaspar 'Indio' González , Luis Induni , Rafael Vaquero , Emilio Rodriguez , Alfonso Rojas , Jose Riesgo and many others . Furthermore , Carlos Romero Marchent who always appears as a young secondary in films of his brothers Joaquin and Rafael Romero Marchent . The musician Riz Ortalani composes a nice soundtrack , well conducted , this turns out to be one of the most memorable parts of the movie; as it's full of enjoyable sounds and haunting musical background and with agreeable leitmotif . Very nice cinematography , though being necessary a perfect remastering , filmed by cameraman Rafael Pacheco on locations in Tabernas and desert of Almeria , as usual ; including good sets by Jaime Perez Cubero and Jose Luis Galicia who carried out the most Production Design on Western shot in Spain .

The movie titled "Three Ruthless Ones¨ or ¨Gunfight at High Noon" or "Sons of Vengeance" or ¨3 Implacables¨ was well produced by Centauro Films/Joaquin Marchent and PEA/Alberto Grimaldi , previously to produce his successful trilogy of dollars/Sergio Leone . The motion picture was professionally directed and in traditional style by recently deceased Joaquin Luis Romero Marchent (1921-2012) at his best . He was an expert writer and director of good Western . His first film was ¨El Coyote¨ and the sequel titled ¨Revenge of Coyote¨ shot in Mexico . After that , he filmed ¨The shadow of Zorro¨ and ¨Revenge of Zorro¨. He went go directing Western as ¨ Riding to death ¨ , ¨Adventures in the West¨ , ¨Three good men¨, ¨Sabor Venganza ¨ and the most popular and violent ¨Condenados a Vivir¨ . Plus , he wrote for his brother Rafael Romero the followings Western : ¨Manos Torpes¨, ¨Ocaso un Pistolero¨ and ¨Garringo¨ . Rating : Above average , a nice Paella Western that has its entertaining moments.

A good reason to watch this movie is historical interest. One year before `A Fistful of Dollars', this is not a typical spaghetti western yet. `I tre spietati' was entitled `Gunfight At High Noon' in the UK, which proves that I'm not the only one under the impression that the classic American westerns still were the source of inspiration for this respectable B-movie. `I tre spietati' tells the story of three brothers whose father was murdered 20 years ago. One of them starts a family, one reads books about law and justice, one becomes a killer. By whom of the three will the unforgotten murder be avenged? Several actors (Richard Harrison, Robert Hundar and especially Fernando Sancho who is the comical sidekick here) successfully continued in the western genre when the wave really started 2 years later.