DYNAMITE JOE

 

My quest to seek out movies directed by Antonio Margeriti that I haven't seen begins with the 1967 Euro Western DYNAMITE JOE (also known as JOE L'IMPLACABILE). 

This movie features Rik Van Nutter as "Dynamite" Joe Ford, a special agent for the U.S. Government after the Civil War. Joe is called upon to stop a series of raids perpetrated by Comancheros upon gold shipments, and his explosive skills come in handy. 

DYNAMITE JOE feels like a Spaghetti Western made in the early 1970s--the "Trinity" era of the genre--than one made in 1967. It's a lighthearted outing, even a bit silly at times, but it's also entertaining. Despite all the explosions (an Antonio Margheriti specialty) there's no overt blood or gore--Joe's enemies are literally blown up to nothingness. 

As for Dynamite Joe himself, he's not a taciturn scruffy loner. He's a well-dressed outgoing ladies man, who enjoys the finer things in life (such as gambling and dance hall girls). Since Rik Van Nutter had played James Bond's buddy Felix Leiter in THUNDERBALL, one would assume that there was an attempt to give Dynamite Joe a 007 type of vibe, and I'm sure that's true--but while watching this movie I was constantly reminded of the great American 1960s TV adventure series THE WILD WILD WEST. Joe Ford has a lot in common with Robert Conrad's James West--both men are always impeccably dressed, both men are handsome and a hit with the ladies, and both men have a seemingly inexhaustible amount of gadgets hidden in their clothing. The plot of DYNAMITE JOE could have easily been turned into an episode of THE WILD WILD WEST. Instead of being teamed with a master of disguise like James West was, Joe gets help from an old coot and an alluring blonde double agent (Halina Zalewska). 

I've stated on this blog before that Rik Van Nutter was one of the most mediocre actors to portray Felix Leiter in the James Bond series, but I have to admit he does a good job here as the dashing Joe. (One main reason for this may be that unlike in THUNDERBALL, Nutter in this film isn't surrounded by actors with far more screen presence than he had.) DYNAMITE JOE does fall short in the villains department--we get another duplicitous American businessman and a typical over-the-top Mexican bandit chief, but at least a late plot twist reveals some good old political corruption. The main notable strange Euro Western element here is a stagecoach made entirely of gold, which, unfortunately, isn't showcased properly. 

DYNAMITE JOE was shot in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and Margheriti (credited as usual as Anthony Dawson) makes expert use of it. Margheriti and cinematographer Manuel Merino (who worked extensively with Jess Franco) make the movie look much more expensive than it probably was. There's also an energetic music score by Carlo Savina. The movie not only includes a few songs, it also has a couple of ballroom scenes--for better or worse, it does stick out from the usual Spaghetti Westerns made at this time. 

It doesn't belong in the top tier of Euro Westerns, but DYNAMITE JOE is a fun (if goofy) viewing experience--especially if you like to see things blown up. What DYNAMITE JOE really does is show how versatile Antonio Margheriti was as a director. If you watch this film and, say, his later Western AND GOD SAID TO CAIN back-to-back, you'd swear they were made by two different people. 

It would be great if DYNAMITE JOE got a proper North American Blu-ray release. The movie is available on YouTube and a number of streaming outlets, but make sure you pick a version that is uncut and in widescreen.