Waste of time

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

I like this movie because it has lots of killing and none of the over-hyped Tarantino and/or Spaghetti Western crap. Find a target; shoot; move on.On the other hand, why does Silva cut out those mocassins using the same kind of carving knife found in my Exacto kit? Why does the screaming prostitute have nipples but Michelle Carey doesn't? Why does that guy take a crap with his longjohns on? (No back flap, in case you are wondering) Why can't the sheriff see the two riders who just shot his prisoner in the open desert? Why does Keenan Wynn have such a heavy beard and hairy chest, but a completely hairless neck? Why did the sheriff forget at the end of the movie that it was white guys who were the bad guys? Why is it that Chatto can't speak English, but can read "powder" on the side of a barrel? For that matter, the word "powder" is printed in large white letters; so why does Chatto even have to point it out to the schoolmarm? Lots of killing. A lot of it is the cool senseless kind.But in the end it is just another schoolteacher going postal.Seen it.Seven stars out of ten. One for the boobies that you see. One for the oddly missing nipples. Three stars for senseless rape, death and destruction. One star for not forcing the love story angle. One star for Keenan's laughing after he is separated from his Wally Wally.

Henry Silva has been a long time favorite actor for years. I first saw him in an exceptional film called 'Johnny Cool.' In this western, originally called " Five Savage Men ", now entitled " The Animals " offering he plays Chatto a well known Apache warrior who comes across a motley group of bandits who have robbed a stage, murdered it's passengers and kidnapped a schoolteacher. Having had their way with the hapless school ma-rm, the gang splits up and go their separate way. Helped to recover by our Hero (Its nice to see Silva as the good guy), Alice McAndrew(Michele Carey) sets out to exact revenge against the five men. With an experienced Lawman Allan Pierce (John Anderson) and posse hot on their trail, the gang led by Pudge Elliott (Keenan Wynn) each take different trails. This movie plot is not unique as later mirrored by the succeeding film Hannie Caulder. What is unusual is that despite his commanding presence, Silva as Chato is seen as restrained in his role and the movie is hampered by the snail pace directing of Ron Joy. Still, it's a rather dramatic change to see a gun-toting female seeking violent revenge on her attackers. In addition, the formula of Whites against Indians does put a damper on the outcome and experienced audiences will guess the ending. ***

The five savage men of the title are Keenan Wynn and his band of cutthroats who rob a stagecoach and murder everyone but the schoolteacher, Alice(Michele Carey), taking her captive, raping her with relish. They leave her to rot in the blistering sun, but she is rescued and nursed back to health by a brooding Apache named Chatto(man of few words, Henry Silva in a rare heroic role akin to Charles Bronson in Chato's Land). Alice desires revenge for taking her virginity from her and degrading her in such a fashion, not to mention slapping her around. Chatto will teach her how to shoot a shotgun and ride a horse, with them hunting down each and every member of Pudge's(Wynn)crew. Meanwhile, Phoenix sheriff Alan Pierce(John Anderson, excellent in an understated role, playing his posse leader subdued and patient)and a group of locals he rounded up follow the trail to find Alice, and those who killed citizens (on the stagecoach) he knew in coldblood. A constant throughout the movie is how Alice and Chatto always beat Pierce and his men to the punch, gunning down Pudge's men before they can get any worthwhile information to help them in their search. Very much a 70's western, the story reverses a trend set in classic westerns, the hostile and cruel savages are white, and the civilized are the Apaches.Wynn, in a small role, is superb at really getting under the skin, his vicious outlaw laughing in Alice's face towards the end even though his goose seems cooked. I wish I could say "Five Savage Men" was a great western, but the story's just too threadbare, with some very noticeable logical problems such as how Chatto and Alice could so easily find and kill the men they seek after. Despite shooting people out in the open where capture is a possibility, they always seem to escape with little fanfare. Joe Turkel also has a memorable performance as Wynn's buddy Peyote, in it for very little screen time, but is effective as a sleazy dirtbag. Following Pierce and the posse is intriguing because they only want to secure Alice and find those who have caused such human suffering but she and her "Injun" lover often make their efforts a difficult task(they even have one of the boys in a noose, interrogating him, and before he could spill the beans, Alice blew a hole in him!). I'd have to say that the highlight for me would have to be when Alice gut-shoots one of the bastards while having him cornered in an outhouse dropping a load! Like many westerns during the late 60's/early 70's, "Five Savage Men" has a downright troubling conclusion, quite heartbreaking in how things get so out of hand due to racism and uncontrollable emotions(interesting how the one character who seems to have his emotions in check commits to repeatedly shooting an innocent man, in turn sealing his, and those along with him, fate). Michele Carey, as soft-voiced Alice, a flower caught in a hellish inferno, favors a suburban housewife in Apache garb..the image of Carey gunning down outlaws with a steely resolve can be quite surreal. Accolades in order to Silva who rarely utters a word, using other means of communication as a way to talk with Alice. A definite asset to the movie are the locations which look uncompromising and inhospitable.

It's silly, unbelievable, and morally reprehensible, but I nonetheless thoroughly enjoyed this low budget western. Michele Carey plays Alice, a virginal schoolteacher whose stage coach is seized by a gang of five thugs (including Keenan Wynn and Joe Turkel) who proceed to stake her to the ground, rape her, and ride off in search of fresher pickings. She's rescued by Apache loner Chatto (ethnic everyman Henry Silva), who nurses her back to health and helps track down and kill the scumbags who deflowered her. Meanwhile, a posse of hapless lawmen under the command of Sheriff Pierce (John Anderson, who's very good and has a bit of the William S. Hart about him) are also on her trail, but are always two or three steps behind our hero and heroine. Dick Bakalyan's screenplay has holes large enough to ride a rodeo bull through, but Keith Smith's cinematography is quite handsome and probably would look even better in its original aspect ratio. And let's not overlook Rupert Holmes ballad, There's So Little Time, as performed by the fabulous harmony group Year 2000! A downbeat ending actually improves the proceedings: if you think I Spit On Your Grave could have been improved with some Old West flavor, here's your film.