A highly original western with a hint of a detective story to it
The guilty party is unmasked thanks to the artist skills of the hero
Directed by the prolific and reliable Spanish director Rafael Romero Marchent, La preda e l’avvoltoio is a film that can satisfy those looking for a western with a classic feel to it, as well as those who prefer to venture into previously uncharted territories. One of the film’s main strengths is the originality of its plot, which is not only involving and well-paced but at times also has a certain detective-thriller feel to it. And although the film revolves around one of the most commonly found themes in the genre, the thirst for revenge, the story itself and how it unfolds are highly original. The protagonist is a young man who would have preferred to hold the creative tools of the artist in his hands instead of the destructive tools of death, and the unmasking of the guilty party comes about as a result of his ability to reproduce important details in his paintings. The wonderful lead female role is interpreted by Orchidea De Santis, the much-appreciated queen of the sex comedy throughout the decade.
Danny persuades his father to sell their land and move with him to the city so that he can study art, however a band of thieves attacks the stagecoach and kills the father. The young man plots his revenge and begins to track them down thanks to his visual memory and artistic skills. Things get complicated when a couple of dudes make him suspect the father of the girl he loves, but in the end he will have his vengeance.