THE DEADLY TRACKERS

US, 1973, 105 minutes. Colour.
Richard Harris, Rod Taylor, Al Lettieri, Neville Brand. Directed by Barry Shear.

The Deadly Trackers is an less-known western that is worth seeing and discussing. Part of the difficulty is that it was prepared for direction by Samuel Fuller but was abandoned after several weeks. However, Barry Shear's film is from a new script and filmed in Mexico and is quite successful.
Barry Shear directed the imaginative Wild in the Streets. He also made The Todd Killings and the rather brutal contribution to the police films. Across 110th Street. This film continues his interest in brutal society and its effects on an individual. The film is also preoccupied with questions of violence and non-violence and questions of justice.

Richard Harris is quite good as the non-violent hero turned avenger. Rod Taylor is alright as the rather nasty villain. Al Lettieri has a change from the brutal gangsters he often portrays.

1. Was this a good western? Why?

2. How successful was it as a message western?

3. What typical conventions of western films did this film use? How veil?

4. What was your impression of the style of the credits: the stills and the recorded voices behind the stills giving the narrative outline as well as introducing the characters?

5. What were your impressions of the town without violence? Is such a town possible? what did this film show?

6. The impact of the robbery and the shooting?

7. What techniques did Sheriff Kilpatrick use to stop violence in his town? How successful was he?

8. How alarming was the accidental capture of his son and the death of his wife? What impact did these deaths make on you? How did it set a tone for the rest of the film?

9. Sheriff Kilpatrick - what kind of man was he? Why was he sheriff? His
explanation of his reactions to his father's violence? As an Irish Catholic? On what did he base his principle of non-violence? How did the deaths effect him emotionally? Why did he change? How hate-filled was he? Did it make him go mad in some ways? The vengeance of his pursuit? The obsession with the pursuit despite all the injuries and obstacles? The whole change of direction in his life? His obsession versus the laws of justice? Was he an executioner? Was he the only executioner who could handle the deaths of the murderers? What was the meaning of his own death? Was there any meaning in his life?

10. Brand - as a merciless brute? Why had he turned bandit? The impact of the Civil War? How unfeeling was he? How greedy? Comment on his control of his gang. Did he have real feelings for his girl-friend? For his daughter? Was he thinking only of himself? How was his flight an escape? What was your impression of him murdering the old people? How fickle was he in pleading for his own life against the sheriff? His turning to mock the sheriff? Did you agree with the manner of his death? Were you sorry that he was killed?
11. Comment on the rest of the gang members. Did they fit into the criminal pattern? Why were they following Brand? what was particularly characteristic of this gang - their mindlessness, their greed, their violence?

12. What was the importance of the Mexican sheriff Gutierrez in this film? Has he a sympathetic character? How did he stand for what Sheriff KilPatrick? formerly believed? How did he then contrast with Kilpatrick? The balancing out of the saving of each others' lives? What deaths did that produce? Kilpatrick deceiving hint in his blindness? The final decision that the sheriff had to make? What did he really represent as regards law and justice?

13. The role of Brand's girl in the film? Her fear? Did she have any alternative but to lead them to Brand?

14. Why was Kilpatrick unable to affect his revenge when confronted face to face with Brand? Even when he had the child (comment on the parallel at the beginning) and was able to shoot Brand? What effect did the Convent setting have on this final showdown?

15. What really provoked Kilpatrick to shoot Brand? Did he have any right to shoot him? Why did he not obey the letter of the law when he seemed about to? Why did he go off defying Gutierrez? Did he go because his life was meaningless and that he knew that he must die? Did Gutierrez have any alternative but to shoot him?

16. Comment on how well the following themes were explored in the film: life, the meaning of life, accidents in life, the possibilities of changing attitudes. Love and hate, violence and non-violence and its possibilities. The law, true justice, public justice, private justice, revenge. Where did audience sympathies lie during the film? How did the film show the complexity of decisions for living life?