Cagey and charismatic outlaw Jose Gomez (a typically fine portrayal by the always reliable Tomas Millian) escapes from the authorities and seeks refuge in his old hometown. The townspeople which include Joses's sweet and fiery old flame Eden (an excellent performance by the lovely Halina Zalewska) gladly give him shelter; they aren't aware that Jose has become a very dangerous criminal. Meanwhile, tough and shrewd bounty killer Luke Chilson (a superbly rugged portrayal by Richard Wyler) arrives in town to collect the sizable reward that's been placed on Jose's head. Director Eugenio Martino, who also co-wrote the sharp and intriguing script with Jose Gutierrez Maesso and James Donald Frindle, ably relates a strong and compelling story which unfolds at a steady pace and delivers a potent central message about the perils of taking someone at sentimental face value. The startling outbursts of raw violence pack quite a wallop and the climactic confrontation between Chilson and Jose's gang is very gripping and exciting. The three main characters are exceptionally well developed and expertly acted by the uniformly terrific leads. Enzo Barboni's crisp cinematography boasts several breathtaking panoramic shots of the vast and desolate desert landscape. Stelvio Cipriani supplies a first-rate robust and rousing score. Highly recommended.

The film stars Richard Wyler as a 'bounty killer'--a term I can't recall having ever heard except in Italian westerns (the correct American term is 'bounty hunter'). He's looking for José Gómez (Tomas Milian)--a guy who has escaped thanks, in part, to assistance from his girlfriend (Zalewska). She believes he's an innocent man and does not realize he's really a two-bit murderer.

Having seen a lot of Italian westerns, I find a certain sameness to many of them. Sure, the plots are a bit different--but not remarkably so. It's not a bad western but it also doesn't stand out in any particular way. The music is nice, the action decent and the story reasonably interesting. But, on the other hand there is a certain 'sameness' to the film--as if I'd seen a lot of other films like it. Plus, although Halina Zalewska is absolutely gorgeous in the film, she looks right out of 1967--with lipstick, hair and makeup that you'd never have found on a woman of the late 19th century. Also, while I don't want to see gallons of blood, this was an odd film because you see absolutely none--and this made little sense. Nor, now that I think of it, did the escape--as there is no way all these federal agents could be killed without the bad guys (who were outnumbered) even losing a single man.

Great opening and closing shots, and everything wonderful in between as the camera captures both the wide open spaces and the claustrophobic confines of the station and its various buildings where much of the action in THE UGLY ONES takes place.

For a change well drawn characters rather than a catalogue of stock figures that you expect in a western. Unusually the female lead is a strong individual; the villain of the piece remains the most interesting and complex, and thankfully the bounty hunter does not succumb to becoming a romantic lead.

This film is violent for its time and I enjoyed the reliance on fisticuffs, rather than just gun-play.

The soundtrack is exceptional with a score by STELVIO CIPRIANI that exemplifies the unique qualities of the Euro western.

This is a film I would recommend to any film-goer, and equally important, certainly one that I would watch again (8 out of 10 for this genre).