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"Chato's Land" is a long, idiotic revenge Western about a posse pursuing Chato, a half-breed Indian (Charles Bronson), who has murdered a sheriff for calling him a "redskin nigger."
It was directed by Michael Winner in some lovely landscapes near Almeria, Spain. Just about everybody gets shot or knifed, and one man dies after Chato lassoes him with a live rattlesnake.
http://www.thespinningimage.co.uk/cultfilms/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=3493&aff=13Chato (Charles Bronson) is an Apache "halfbreed" who has made the mistake of venturing into a bar where only white men are allowed to drink. When he was confronted by the local sheriff, Chato was forced to draw his gun on him and shoot him dead in self defence, not that the courts would take that into account and now he has to flee into the desert. There are those who refuse to let him get away, though, and resident Captain Quincey Whitmore (Jack Palance) is recruited to lead a posse after him. But who is chasing who?
Chato's Land was the first film to team star Bronson and director Michael Winner, and pretty much spelled out the formula for their subsequent collaborations: violent confrontations from those in the right against those in the wrong. This one was scripted by Gerald Wilson, and was in a way a precursor to the Winner and Bronson hit Death Wish in that Chato is forced to take vengeance on those who attacked his family and friends; except, of course, this was an actual western and the vigilante thriller was a pseudo-western set in the then-present day.
Chato (Charles Bronson) is an Apache "halfbreed" who has made the mistake of venturing into a bar where only white men are allowed to drink. When he was confronted by the local sheriff, Chato was forced to draw his gun on him and shoot him dead in self defence, not that the courts would take that into account and now he has to flee into the desert. There are those who refuse to let him get away, though, and resident Captain Quincey Whitmore (Jack Palance) is recruited to lead a posse after him. But who is chasing who?
Chato's Land was the first film to team star Bronson and director Michael Winner, and pretty much spelled out the formula for their subsequent collaborations: violent confrontations from those in the right against those in the wrong. This one was scripted by Gerald Wilson, and was in a way a precursor to the Winner and Bronson hit Death Wish in that Chato is forced to take vengeance on those who attacked his family and friends; except, of course, this was an actual western and the vigilante thriller was a pseudo-western set in the then-present day.
There are those who view this film as an allegory of the United States' presence in Vietnam, which was contemporary to this storyline, but perhaps that is giving the filmmakers too much credit. Granted, there is the theme of the white men intruding on a land where they are frequently under fire, and ending up humiliated as a result, but when this was made it was not entirely clear that America would be on the losing side as the conflict may have been winding down, but was by no means over. Better then to enjoy the film as a straight western adventure
Not that there are no themes to be drawn from this if the viewer so desires, as there's one about racism that is pointedly developed throughout. The white men regard Apaches as little better than vicious animals, and Chato, to them, is like a rabid dog who deserves to be put down before he can cause any more trouble. What some of the posse come to realise is that their race can be equally as violent as the Indians, and even be worse as they have some hypocritical claim to be following the traditions of justice in their murderous acts.
If you're anticipating a lengthy showdown between Bronson and Palance's men, then that is not what you get, because the star actually hardly appears. Not that his presence is not felt, but Chato is more like a phantom in the landscape, popping up at unexpected moments to kill off another posse member. Including Palance, there are some interesting actors in pursuit here, and Scottish viewers may be bemused to see Roddy McMillanfrom popular sitcom The Vital Spark in the role of the conscience of the group (another Scottish thesp, fishing enthusiast Paul Young, is his sidekick). Then there's Richard Jordan as one of the vile (and way over the top) Hooker brothers, who have no redeeming features and meet nasty ends. All very well, but there is barely enough plot to sustain this, and for all the weight of the hand of death hanging over the characters it feels slight, even with its typcially seventies "wait - is that it?" finale. Music by Jerry Fielding.
Chato's Land is a 1972 western Technicolor film directed by Michael Winner, starring Charles Bronson and Jack Palance. It falls more closely into the revisionist Western genre, which was at its height at the time. The original screenplay was written by Gerry Wilson.[1]
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The film opens as the half-Apache Chato orders a drink at a bar. The bartender ignores him and serves the local sheriff who has arrived after Chato. The sheriff calls Chato a "redskin" and tells him the bar is for whites only. He moves behind Chato while hurling a stream of abuse at him. The sheriff's taunts escalate, and he draws his gun while saying that he is going to kill Chato. Chato whirls around and shoots the sheriff in the gut, killing him. He rides out of town on his Appaloosa.
Former Confederate officer, Capt. Quincey Whitmore, gathers a posseto hunt down Chato. As Whitmore rides across the country, the posse grows in number at each stop. It includes local ranchers and townspeople, along with a Mexican who is used as a scout and tracker.
Chato calmly watches the posse's progress, staying one step ahead of them. From a hilltop, he fires on them, drawing them into an ill-advised ascent. As the posse struggles to climb the hill, Chato descends the other side and scatters their horses. He seems generally nonplussed by their presence. At one point, he kills a rattlesnake, chops off its rattle, and wraps the rattle in the snake's skin. He puts the bundle in his coat pocket without explanation.
The posse's motivations are diverse. Some are motivated by a basic sense of justice, while a disturbing contingent seems to merely want to kill someone. As they continue to be outwitted by Chato, their divisions become more pronounced. When they come across a set of empty wickiups, the overtly racist members of the posse gleefully burn them.
In a valley, Chato spies a woman filling a water jug. As they smile at each other, it becomes clear that she is his wife. He greets his son and gives him the rattlesnake toy from his pocket. They enter Chato's hogan, happy to be reunited. Chato resumes his normal life, busying himself with breaking horses during the day.
The posse eventually discovers his home and brutally gang rape Chato's wife. They hogtie her naked outside the hogan. Chato's friend creates a diversion which allows Chato to rescue his wife. During the confusion, Chato's friend is shot and wounded. The sadistic members of the posse hang him upside down and set him on fire while he is still alive. Disgusted by such barbarity, Whitmore shoots the burning man through the head, putting him out of his misery.
As he prepares to avenge his dead friend and his violated wife, Chato abandons his European dress and dons his native moccasins and loin cloth. He lures the posse members into individual traps, killing them one at a time. The posse grows more fractious until the more sadistic members murder Whitmore and the peaceful holdouts. Chato finishes off the rest
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