Customer Reviews

Chino

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Those seeking one of those "spaghetti westerns" which are filled with noise and violence and exaggerated flourishes will probably be disppointed in "Chino." It moves at a deliberate pace, keeps the action in check, and knows the virtue of silence. The result is an odd, understated movie that almost qualifies as a "character study."

Charles Bronson plays a loner who runs a small horse-farm in the waning days of the American frontier. He takes in a runaway boy as a helper, visits an Indian village on the verge of extinction, and engages in a hesitant courtship with the sister of a hostile landowner. That's about it for the plot which concludes in a somber, realistic fashion.

The by-play between Bronson and real-life wife Jill Ireland is mildly amusing, the scenery is attractive and well-photographed, and for those who like to see Bronson with his shirt off, there's a scene where he's hanged by the wrists and flogged across his bare back by one of the hostile landowner's hired men.

I have just watched "Chino" and I loved it. The acting is brilliant, the characters are well defined, there is depth and humor, and excellent camera work. The landscapes are magnificent. I didn't find this film boring at all. On the contrary, it seemed a bit short. This film is an important achievement. It has style and beauty. I recommend it to anyone who is not looking only for incessant screams and shooting in Westerns, but for something deeper and broader.

CHARLES BRONSON ("DEATH WISH, THE DIRTY DOZEN"), STARS AS CHINO VALDEZ A LONE RANCHER, WHO WANTS TO LIVE HI LIFE IN PEACE BREEDING HORSES. ONE DAY A YOUNG STRANGER PASSES THROUGH THE RANCH LOOKING FOR A JOB. CHINO HIRES THE BOY AND DECIDES TO TEACH HIM THE ART OF BREAKING HORSES IN. THE YOUNG FELLOW TEACHES THE LONE RANCHER THE ART OF GETTING ALONG WITH PEOPLE. CHINO'S NEIGHBOR KATHERINE (JILL IRELAND) COMES TO THE RANCH FREQUENTLY FOR RIDING HORSES. SHE AND CHINO GET ALONG PRETTY WELL AND THEY FALL IN LOVE. MORELL WHI IS CHINO'S LONGTIME ENEMY AND THE BROTHER OF KATHERINE ISN'T HAPPY WITH HIS SISTER'S CHOICE. HE FORBIDS THE MARRIAGE AND THREATENS CHINO'D LIFE, LOVE, AND LIVELIHOOD. THEN BREAKS THE WAR BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.

A HALF INDIAN HORSE BREEDER [THE LATE GREAT CHARLES BRONSON] FALLS IN LOVE WITH A WOMAN [BRONSON'S DECEASED FORMER WIFE JILL IRELAND]. WHEN HER RACIST BROTHER FINDS OUT ABOUT IT, HE GETS ANGRY AND DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THIS WESTERN IS SIMPLY TOO SLOW MOVING AND TOO BORING AT TIMES. BRONSON'S DECENT PERFORMANCE IN THIS MOVIE IS THE ONLY THING SAVING THIS ONE. IT'S SIMPLY A WESTERN THAT TRYED TO BE TOO MUCH MORE THAN WHAT IT IS. BRONSON FANS DESERVE MUCH BETTER THAN THIS. IF YOU WANNA SEE A GOOD CHARLES BRONSON WESTERN, RENT OR BUY ''ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST''.

this is a very good movie . it has real good sond track. i have always like this movie.i would not call this a spaghetti western..it is one you should give a try...

If you are ordering a VHS tape video, try to make sure that it is 100% playable...time and heat are enemies of VHS tapes. They stick together and loose the sound track or more..This happened to me on this last purchase of "Valdez's Horses"....Mostly unplayable.

Oddly, no one person either here or elsewhere on the 'net gushed as I will, about the great shots of the horses, as well as the affectionate tone of Valdez's relationship with the horses. I enjoyed the film, was startled when I learned it was filmed in Almera, Spain (for a fistfull fewer dollars). I was convinced it was in Arizona or even the California Hills, scene of so many westerns.

I will pass over my opinion of the story and cast except to say that it was oddly convincing. I even thought that those Spaniards playing Cheyenne were actually Cheyenne. The electricity between Bronson and Mrs. Bronson was palpable, showing that there was a good marriage behind the cameras.

But, the scenes of the horses! Where do you see these scenes anywhere, especially in one place?
1) A head stallion driving off weaker or younger horses with his aggressive posture and biting mouth?
2) The full on running of a herd of horses in open pasture? (I was wondering what these breeds were, and I suspect both arabs and andulusians, but what doI know about spanish horses?)
3) the charming and entirely true scene of Valdez getting on top of the horse that bit him, and Valdez saying over and over, "I guess that horse and me just don't like eac other."
4) The absolutely georgeous stallion making his cameos
5) The birthing of the foal and the cute part it played
6) The bareback riding of the Indians and their charge toward Chino
7) The way the boy, or his stand in, rode Black, the horse that Chino gave him at the end of the film
8) The great scene of Chino driving some horses to the town. THAT was a difficult scene to shoot, is very rare in our day, and whoever the wrangler was that did that was really competent. I do not think it was just an old stock shot left to the editor to stick in...to authentic.

Even though it is regrettable that the VHS/DVD versions cannot show the wide horse shots, I can only imagine how these lovely creatures would look on a large, 35 mm screen.

The film is much better than its detractors would have you believe, especially the way it was shot. If you are a Tough-Guy Bronson fan, you won't be disappointed, except that this is a tough guy Bronson who doesn't win every confrontation and shoot out.

Rather touching, in certain ways. Get it and look at the horses.

If you like horses in both their natural setting...

This film certainly is not made for the American hammerhead mind set, no over the top violence and no explosions. What it is a story about a man trying to make his way in the world and to be free, a story that has happened many times over. It is no fantasy western, just grim reality. I wish they would clean up the sound and picture as the film is pretty dated. One of Bronsons better films.

I hate to see the rating on this film misrepresented so I have to rate it. Aside from the lousy picture and sound, the movie stinks. Hard to believe both John Sturges and Charles Bronson were involved in this schlup, if that's even a word...

As others have said and I agree this movie has a lot of quailty issues for sure. However I could have overlooked a lot of that including some questionable not to mention cheesy content, IF it had had a decent ending. It just seemed so pointless, to have him lose the woman and then he gives up the kid and his ranch on his own anyway. She gives him up to save him and then he gives everything up anyway. What point did that serve? I can deal with a hard realistic ending If it serves a purpose, But this ending just didn't make sense to me.