AN EYE FOR AN EYE (TALION)
(director: Michael Moore; screenwriters: Summer Williams/Bing Russell; cinematographer: Lucien Ballard; editor: William Austin; music: Raoul Kraushaar; cast: Robert Lansing (Talion), Patrick Wayne (Benny Wallace), Slim Pickens (Ike Slant), Gloria Talbot (Bri Quince), Paul Fix (Brian Quince), Strother Martin (Trumbull), Clint Howard (Jo-Hi Quince), Rance Howard (Harry); Runtime: 92; MPAA Rating: PG-13; producer: Carroll case; Embassy Pictures; 1966)
“Better than average revenge Western.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Veteran 2nd unit action director Michael Moore (“The Fastest Guitar Alive”/”Kill A Dragon”) helms this better than average revenge Western. It’s smartly written by Summer Williams and Bing Russell. The video release was called Talion. Retired bounty hunter Talion (Robert Lansing) goes after the dangerous killer Ike Slant (Slim Pickens) and the two Beetson brothers, after the gang brutally murders his wife and young son and burn down his house. On the trail Talion teams up with the cocky young bounty hunter Benny Wallace (Pat Wayne, son of John), who is after the reward money. At a trading post, near where Ike was raised, the bounty hunters stay overnight and Talion is attracted to the pretty widow Bri (Gloria Talbot). She’s the feisty daughter of the proprietor, Brian Quince (Paul Fix), whose endearing young boy is named Jo-Hi (Clint Howard, brother of Ron). The bounty hunters discover the campsite of Ike and kill the two brothers, as Ike flees. After the gun battle Talion finds that his shooting hand is damaged and that Benny is blinded by a bullet that grazed him. The determined cripples are undaunted and work out a way so Talion is the eyes for Benny, as he guides him to shoot by using a clock envisioned by both to target Ike in their show-down street fight. Strother Martin is the vile grizzled creature called Trumbill, who for a price is willing to give info to either Talion or Ike until he in the end mistakenly allies with Ike.
REVIEWED ON 8/30/2017 GRADE: B