- Source: The Deadly Trackers
The Deadly Trackers is a 1973 American Western film directed by Barry Shear and starring Richard Harris, Rod Taylor and Al Lettieri. It is based on the novel Riata by Samuel Fuller.
Plot
Sheriff Sean Kilpatrick is a pacifist. He is compelled to go against everything he has stood for to bring death to a gang of outlaws, led by the ruthless Brand, to avenge the deaths of his wife and son, murdered by the gang when it robbed the bank in Kilpatrick's town. In Mexico, his hunt is challenged by his noble sheriff counterpart, who is interested only in carrying out the law - not vengeance.
Cast
Richard Harris as Sheriff Sean Kilpatrick
Rod Taylor as Frank Brand
Al Lettieri as Gutierrez, Mexican Policeman
Neville Brand as Choo Choo
William Smith as Schoolboy
Paul Benjamin as Jacob
Pedro Armendáriz Jr. as Herrero
Isela Vega as Maria
Kelly Jean Peters as Katharine Kilpatrick
William Bryant as Deputy Bill
Sean Marshall as Kevin Kilpatrick
Read Morgan as Deputy Bob
Joan Swift as Teacher
Ray Moyer as Priest
Armando Acosta as Mole
Production
The film began as the project, Riata, written and directed by Sam Fuller, starring Richard Harris and Bo Hopkins. Production was halted during filming and then reassembled with a new director and cast, with Harris the only member of the original cast to return.
According to costar Rod Taylor, Harris hated Fuller's script and walked out on the original production. Once Taylor signed on, he contributed to the re-write (Taylor was a member of the Screenwriters Guild) by adding scenes to flesh out his villainous character. It was through Harris' relentless drive that the film was completed at all, even using musical outtakes from other movies to cobble together the score.
References
External links
The Deadly Trackers at IMDb
The Deadly Trackers at Rotten Tomatoes
The Deadly Trackers at the Complete Rod Taylor site