"Chino" ("Valdez il mezzosangue", which translates to "Valdez the Half-Blood") is an unusual hybrid film. It's sort of like an Italian spaghetti western and a Hollywood film combined. Aside from the main characters, the actors are all Italians and the film was made in Spain....just like spaghetti westerns. But, unlike spaghetti westerns, the director is an American and the music, violence level and gentle pacing are not exactly like any Italian western I've seen.
The story begins with young Jamie (Vince Van Patten) coming to the ranch run by Chino (Charles Bronson). Chino is an odd sort...sort of a white man/American Indian combined. He also is a quiet man who prefers the company of horses over people...which is why his befriending the orphan Jamie is so unusual. At first, Jamie is just going to spend the night but soon Chino asks him to stay and mentors the boy....teaching him his gentle way of taming, not breaking, wild horses. Of course, there must be some conflict somewhere...as well as a romance for Chino...and to know about that, you should see the film.
So, is it any good? Well, I really liked it but know many who see it won't. This is mostly because of the ending. It seemed VERY realistic, but also was the sort of ending Bronson fans would hate. It's more true to the character but not true to the style film you'd expect. Overall, even with the downbeat ending (which I didn't hate), it's well worth seeing....and very atypical for the genre and for Bronson.
By the way, in a tiny scene near the beginning, you see a Native American funeral platform...something some tribes did practice. However, the skeleton on it was fully articulated...meaning the bones were all fused together like a prop skeleton. In reality, the bones would have simply separated from each other and NOT remained articulated.
The story begins with young Jamie (Vince Van Patten) coming to the ranch run by Chino (Charles Bronson). Chino is an odd sort...sort of a white man/American Indian combined. He also is a quiet man who prefers the company of horses over people...which is why his befriending the orphan Jamie is so unusual. At first, Jamie is just going to spend the night but soon Chino asks him to stay and mentors the boy....teaching him his gentle way of taming, not breaking, wild horses. Of course, there must be some conflict somewhere...as well as a romance for Chino...and to know about that, you should see the film.
So, is it any good? Well, I really liked it but know many who see it won't. This is mostly because of the ending. It seemed VERY realistic, but also was the sort of ending Bronson fans would hate. It's more true to the character but not true to the style film you'd expect. Overall, even with the downbeat ending (which I didn't hate), it's well worth seeing....and very atypical for the genre and for Bronson.
By the way, in a tiny scene near the beginning, you see a Native American funeral platform...something some tribes did practice. However, the skeleton on it was fully articulated...meaning the bones were all fused together like a prop skeleton. In reality, the bones would have simply separated from each other and NOT remained articulated.