"Winnetou 1" is packed with images not only I shall remember forever: the train crashing into the house, Nscho-tschi sitting on the edge of the canyon (shot in Yugoslavia as usual for the Karl May productions),Klekih Petra giving his life to save Winnetou, Old Shatterhand freeing Winnetou secretly, and much later becoming blood brothers. This is a myth larger than life, and it is admirable how well balanced it is with all its ingredients, Ralf Wolter playing the funny Sam Hawkens and Mario Adorf the intense villain Santer, while Marie Versini as Nscho-tschi adds a bit of romance. How often do you find a movie that has nothing to improve and you wish you just could see again and again? Yet I do understand people who think this is a naive or even lame flick - they just weren't at the cinema all those years ago, I suppose.

"Winnetou - 1. Teil" is a 100-minute movie from Germany, written by Harald G. Petersson based on Karl May's work and directed by Harald Reinl a couple years before his Oscar nomination. This film was done over 50 years ago and still you find some cast members still alive such as Mario Adorf or Marie Versini. Lead actor Pierre Brice died earlier this year. Like I already wrote in the title, western films and European cinema is always a difficult combination. There are some good examples, but sadly, despite its popularity, this is not one of them. It's been a while since I witness a title character who seemed totally forgettable like Winnetou in this one. Lex Barker does a decent job and certainly elevates the material here. Versini I found totally bland and uninteresting like Brice. Adorf id a truly charismatic actor and he makes up for the fact that his character is really stereotypical in here and wasn't written interestingly at all.

As a whole, this film delivers adequately for the genre in terms of visuals. Costumes, makeup and cinematography are okay, but all this is just another example of style over substance. The acting is mediocre overall and the story is probably the film's biggest letdown. The music is okay, but sometimes sounds almost too epic for what we see. I believe Reinl is among the best Austrian/German directors of his era, so this is quite a letdown. Still German audiences loved it and really many went to see this movie, which was awarded the Golden screen as well. This is certainly also the explanation why there were so many other Winnetou movies or movies based on Karl May's novels. I myself, after watching this one, have to admit i am not too eager to watch them. Thumbs down for "Winnetou Part 1".

Okay, so this is one of the most stunningly beautiful westerns I've ever seen, showing a tribe of Apaches really living in paradise, a land of running blue rivers, warm waterfalls and greenery as far as the eye can see. I can see why they'd want to protect it from the invading white man. Lex Barker is trying to score a treaty with them for peace, but Pierre Brice as Winnetou isn't willing to settle so easily, perhaps because he sees the evil in others.

The Mexican Mario Adorf also adds to his troubles, an evil man searching for gold in the Apache territory, and brutally murdering anyone who stands in his way. Only Brice's sister, Marie Versini, who is in love with Barker, can get Brice to consider a treaty with Barker and his men, and that can only be accomplished by Barker showing his bravery.

When described by the narrator in the beginning, Winnetou is mentioned as a big hearted man who would give all his food to the starving, yet it's obvious that the white man has taken advantage of that which closes his heart to them. We only get to see a bit of the friendship that grows between Barker and Brice, but it gives a sign of hope that would lead to other European films on their relationship.

At times in spite of these magnificent vistas and the touching elements, the film becomes very cartoonish with its characters seeming like something out of a Looney tunes short. I have expected the coyote and the roadrunner to show up at some point. One character, a bearded sidekick, reminded me of Mammy Yokum from Lil' Abner with a beard. The sets of the town are so perfectly built up they reminded me of vintage model train accessories, so that's another gorgeous element. The music theme is very lush and epic, really adding to this film's scope.