Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

This movie gets extremely low ratings and rankings on almost every website you look at, but this is one of the best westerns I have seen. Yes, it's low budget, 1960's foreign attempt at an American Western, but somehow it manages to be one of the best westerns ever. Somewhere over the years this film seems to have slipped into the public domain because it's on a lot of the big multi-pack movie sets from Platinum DVD, TreeLine, and Mill Creek. It's also available for free on several legitimate websites. So, since it's free online, and only a few pennies to get on DVD you should give this one a look if you ever enjoyed a spaghetti western, or ever feel nostalgic for old 1960's westerns.

You could see how much Captain Kirk enjoyed swapping his phaser for a six-shooter to face the Clantons and McLaurys in "Spectre of the Gun". Well, dang my dingies if he didn't get a chance here to swap "for real". Also gave him a chance to show off his horsemanship skills (which not all "genuine" western actors have)."White Comanche" is one of those flicks I call a 360-degree-er. So incredibly, outrageously terrible that it comes all the way around full circle and turns into something worth a look just for the novelty.One enjoyable irony -- as one of Welles' Mercury Players in 1941, Cotton had to work hard to play an older man. By 1968 it was a little easier to step into character. He did a darn good job with what they gave him to work with.Knowing Shatner's wit, I'll bet if you asked him now about "White Comanche" he'd roll his eyes, grin, and say, "Well, hell, I got a free Spanish vacation." Then he'd wink.

The motion picture industry has trained viewers to expect certain types of music for certain types of movies and individual scenes. Occasionally a film score breaks with tradition and is recognized for its brilliance. The opening music of White Comanche should be judged with an open mind because it is within reason to allow experimentation at times. It did not turn into a classic western theme, but it is not too far out of place. As the movie continues there are some musical passages that definitely should not have been used. One sequence uses music that invokes the image of a chase scene in an old comedy, and another would have been appropriate for late 60's crime drama set in a big city. The music itself was good, but its placement does not enhance the movie. Instead it is noticeable and distracting.William Shatner gives two acting performances that are totally opposite. As Johnny Moon, Shatner really does give a good performance. The sophistication of Johnny's character comes through, and if this were Shatner's only role in White Comanche it would be regarded more highly. As Notah Moon, Shatner cannot be taken seriously. When acting as the domineering Notah, he does not convey an image of a leader. Instead, he looks like he is rehearsing his lines for the first time. In addition, Notah is the only "comanche" with short, perfectly combed hair at all times while the rest of the Indians all have long hair.Joseph Cotten is flawless in his performance as Sheriff Logan, but it is sad to see him in a movie that did not capitalize on his talent. Cotten must have been hired to add a "name" to the cast, but there was little for him to work with in his role.The remainder of the cast varied in their acting qualities. Kelly, The General, and the Mayor appear to give good performances, but the dubbed voices in the soundtrack are lifeless. All of the fight scenes look like the weekend performances from a cowboy theme park-- fun in the moment but not good on film.The greatest problem that plagued White Comanche was probably the cheapest to fix, the script. Only one scene gives some history between Johnny and Notah, and it has little depth. There is no account of how the rift between Grimes and General Garcia began or escalated. Neither Sheriff Logan or the saloon girl, Kelly, have any history. A little more explanatory dialog could have made the characters more dynamic.White Comanche is not well made, but do not avoid it if you have the time and desire to view it.

(There are Spoilers) Almost getting hanged at the start of the movie for being mistaken for his kill crazy brother Notah White/Comanche half-breed Johnny Moon, William Shatner playing a duel role,has just about had it and decides to ride into Comanche territory,Johnny wants to challenge Notah to a duel and finally get it over with by either killing Notah so he won't commit any more crimes that he's, Johnny, been unjustifiably accused off. And that doesn't work or get killed by Notah himself so he won't by around and alive to have that problem any more.Meanwhile Notah is up to his old tricks again by attacking a stagecoach with his band of Comanche braves killing everyone on it. Raping the only survivor Kelly, Rossanna Yanni, as Natah goes back home to get stoned out on peyote to enhance is visions. He plans to resurrect the great Comanche nation and thus drive the hated white man out of it's ancestral lands.Johnny showing up at Notah's place challenges him to a duel to the death. The two brothers decide that it should take place in neutral territory, the quiet little town of Rio Hondo, four days hence. On his way to Rio Hondo Johnny gets involved with a local dispute there between the General,Mariano Vilda, and the towns salon owner Grimes, Louis Prendes. Johnny coming to the rescue gunned down two of the General's men who were about to hang one of Grimes work-hands Ellis,Vincent Roca. Ellis was fooling around with territorial markers on the General's and Grimes property.Getting into Rio Hondo for some rest before his big showdown with Notah Johnny is first recognized by one of the General's men his younger brother Coor, Javier Maiza, as the man who gunned down his men. Kelly mistakes him for his brother Notah,which is a very common happening in the film, as the man who held up the stagecoach tries to apprehend him. Johnny has a knock down an drag out brawl with Coors whom he puts to sleep with a number of kicks and straight rights. Luckily he just misses being shot and killed by an outraged Kelly.Convincing Kelly and the town sheriff Logan, Joseph Cotton, that he's not his murderous half-breed brother Notah, the only difference between Johnny and Notah is the color their eyes, Kelly falls in love with her now mistaken rapist ,the proper and gentlemanly Johnny Moon. This get's the banged up and jealous Coor a bit mad at him since he's secretly in love with her. We later in the movie again have a fight, this time with guns, between Johnny and Coor with Coor again getting the worst of it with a bullet between his eyes.The movie then degenerates into a free-for-all shoot em up between the Grimes gang and the General's staff. We get to see the entire town of Rio Hondo is depopulated of it's citizens in the process. Notah on his way to town to have it out with Johnny has his pregnant squaw White Fawn, Perla Crista, go to bat for him but ends up getting batted herself, by someone else. Later a member of the tribe Koh To, Louis Rivera, goes after Notah to stop and kill him. Koh To came to the conclusion that he's completely out of his head and will only bring death and destruction on the Comanche nation with his insane actions.White Fawn ambushes Koh To by sticking a knife in his back and then tries to finish him off by having her horse stomp him to death. It then that Koh comes back to life and unseats the shrieking and hysterical White Fawn stabbing and killing her as he himself slowly bleed to death from the stab wound. This whole scene is accommodated with some of the wildest and ear-splitting cries and yells that, if the sound on the TV isn't turned down. The screams can easily damage and burst your eardrums.Facing off in an almost deserted Rio Hondo Johnny and Notah have it out with johnny coming out the winner. Then as the movie ends Johnny plans to marry, a crazy about him and his light brown eyes, Kelly as he leads his people the Comanches back to their reservation to life of peace and harmony with the White Man.More then worthy to be featured on the Mystery Science 3000 bad movie program "White Comanche" is undoubtedly one of the best bad movies you'll ever see. Johnny Moon is hilarious by being targeted by everyone for crimes that he didn't commit. Even a little wimpy nerd turned bounty hunter like Carter, Victor Israel, trying to kill him who in return ends up almost shooting himself, before sheriff Logan gunned him down.