The first two films in the Italian Ringo series are among the great Western films and the first is an awful lot of fun while the second is a serious rescue drama. Released in 1965 after writer/director Duccio Tessari decided to try his hand at a Western after working on horror and fantasy films A Pistol For Ringo was a success and like Django it spawned a load of “sequels”. Actor Giuliano Gemma is billed as Montgomery Wood and he is irresistible in the role of Ringo, a man jailed for a shooting even though he swears it was self-defense. There is a major bank robbery in town and after the thieves hole up in a hacienda with hostages, the posse enlist Ringo to help out. Proving to be wily and deceptive, Ringo hustles both sides for a reward and leads the film to a roller coaster ride of chess moves and gunfights.

The second film is not a direct sequel but features most of the same cast and the same director. Gemma returns as a Union soldier coming home to his property near the border only to find that a gang from Mexico has taken the land and his wife. Ringo poses as an Indio from the mountains in order to get to the bottom of things. In a complete turn of direction The Return Of Ringo is a serious and straightforward Western revenge drama. The playfulness of the first film is replaced by melancholy passages with Gemma easily earning sympathy the same way he earned had previously earned laughs. And its interesting seeing some of the actors from the first film playing completely different types in this one.

Both A Pistol For Ringo and The Return Of Ringo look and sound great. The films were shot in Spain and Italy and are a pleasure on the eye. Arrow has included some interesting extras making this release essential for your collection.