Captain Apache is a 1971 Spanish-British acid Western film directed by Alexander Singer and starring Lee Van Cleef, Carroll Baker, and Stuart Whitman. It was written and produced by Milton Sperling and Philip Yordan. The film was based on the 1965 novel Captain Apache by Sidney Edgerton Whitman, a prolific writer of Western fiction. The vocals of the opening and credits song were written by Dolores Claman and performed by Van Cleef.
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Synopsis
Captain Apache is a Native American U.S. Cavalry officer, who finds himself tangled into a conspiracy, and proceeding upon the case of solving the enigma of the last words of a dead commissioner (and captain's old friend), which were: "April morning". Each time he nears discovering the meaning of the phrase, a character that can help him solve the mystery dies. His journey eventually takes him to a train, that contains a private railroad car named April Morning, transporting President Ulysses S. Grant.
Captain Apache pieces the information together. He realizes an assassination of the President is planned and he is the only one who can prevent it.
Cast
Lee Van Cleef as Captain Apache
Carroll Baker as Maude
Stuart Whitman as Griffin
Percy Herbert as Moon
Elisa Montés as Rosita
Charly Bravo as Sanchez
Charles Stal Maker as O'Rourke
Tony Vogel as Snake
Faith Clift as Abigail
Dee Pollock as Ben
Dan van Husen as Al
Hugh McDermott as General Ryland
Elsa Zabala as Witch
Release
Captain Apache was also released under these titles: Capitán Apache (Spain), Deathwork (U.S.A.), The Guns of April Morning (U.K.), Capitan Apache (Italy), Kapteeni Apassi (Finland), Pääpiru (Finland), O Keravnos ton Apache (Greece), and Hunt the Man Down.
Critical reception
PopMatters, "An incredibly fun if cheesy film."