The Phantom Gunslinger
(1967)

Starring Sabrina!

aka El Pistolero Fantasma
aka The Ghost Gunman
aka The Ghost Rider

IMDB rating : 3.6 / 10

The Phantom Gunslinger 2013 DVD

News! The Phantom Gunslinger was released on DVD on 10 December 2013.

Watch the complete Sabrinabits from The Phantom Gunslinger (301MB, DivX) - digitally restored. Added to Youtube on 8 Jan 2014.

Check out a terrible trailer here.

Sabrina with Hitler, and the second-biggest hipflask I've ever seen

DVD review from avmaniacs.com ...

Albert Zugsmith takes over directing duties on "The Phantom Gunslinger", an odd blend of slapstick comedy and self-aware parody of westerns. Troy Donohue stars as a would be preacher fresh out of divinity school who arrives in the frontier town of Yucca Flats. It doesn't take long before a gang of seven criminals arrive and take the town hostage with the bumbling Donohue as the residents' only hope. When viewing the film, one can only assume that Zugsmith wished he could have been directing Charlie Chaplin or The Three Stooges. Over the top slapstick gags are found at every turn and while initially the humor is fun, it runs its course far too quickly. Gags and dialogue are recycled in hopes that what worked earlier in the film will pack another punch. Unfortunately, a rolling of the eyes and a look at your watch is all that will come of this.

On a positive note, the colorful costumes are quite a sight to see as well as the usage of the small but effective sets the film was shot on. Donohue does what's expected of him but after his character is shot in the head (for the first but far from the last time) and whisked away to heaven, the film really starts to grow tiresome. It's hard to understand exactly what Zugsmith was trying to achieve with "The Phantom Gunslinger" but it was pleasing to see a director so tickled by slapstick humor.

The characters are far from interesting but all manage to get in on the physical hijinks which involve pies to the face and even broom fights. If the film was a little more polished and focused, "The Phantom Gunslinger" could have achieved to be a little better than decent. Unfortunately, only so many pies to the face and turkey legs used as handguns can go so far, "The Phantom Gunslinger" is not a terrible film but not necessarily a great one either. At best, the film is a curious novelty from a director who was still trying to get his rocks off with slapstick so late in the 1960s.
RATING: 2.5/5

VIDEO
"The Phantom Gunslinger" has been restored in 2K from original 35mm camera negatives and presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio with results shining as well. The opening title sequence sees a light case of scratches and flakes but once the actual film begins, the print stabilizes to a wonderful clean appearance. Colors pop beautifully especially in the costume designs with skin tones looking natural and clean. Donohue's blonde hair and blue eyes practically jump off the screen. For a nearly lost film, the original elements were kept in terrific shape and Vinegar Syndrome's restoration is top quality.
RATING: 4.5/5

AUDIO
"The Phantom Gunslinger" is presented with a DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 mix that presents its dialogue clearly with no distortion and a score that is loud and robust that makes great use of a round bass sound. No distracting pops were caught on the film's track which makes for an even better listening experience.
RATING: 4.5/5

Adapted from source: http://www.wam.umd.edu/~dwilt/fantpist.htm

[Famous Players International-Sagitario Films, 1967 ]

Director: Albert Zugsmith; Screenplay: Albert Zugsmith, Blair Robertson; Photography: Gabriel Figueroa

CAST: Troy Donahue (Bill), Sabrina (Margie), Elizabeth Campbell (Cookie), Emilio Fernández (sheriff), Carlos Rivas (Sam), Germán Robles (the Devil), Pedro Armendáriz Jr. (Algernon) , Billy Frick, Carlos Riquelme, René Ruiz "Tun Tun," Stillman Segar, Ellen Cole.

This was one of Albert Zugsmith's two Mexican-made films. The Phantom Gunslinger brought in a few Hollywood actors (Donahue, Sabrina , Billy Frick) and was released in English-language and Spanish-language versions.

García Riera says The Phantom Gunslinger was never released in the U.S.

The Phantom Gunslinger is set in the town of Tucca Flats. The peaceful life of the town is disrupted by the arrival of a gang of bandits, including Algernon, Big Sam, Cookie, and some others. The sheriff leaves town, but not before naming Bill as his successor. Bill, unfortunately, doesn't carry or even know how to use a gun, and the outlaws take over Tucca Flats. But with the help of some Indians, a suit of armor, and springs on his shoes, Bill manages to run the gang out of town. The wedding of Bill and Margie is underway when the outlaws return; Margie is kidnapped and Bill is shot and killed. He goes to heaven, and is sent back down to Earth.

Back on Earth, Bill and one of the outlaws kill each other, and Bill goes back to heaven! Once more he is given back his life and sent down to Tucca Flats. This time, he is "arrested" and put in jail by outlaw Cookie, who is revealed to be a woman when she and Bill kiss. Bill escapes from jail and a general melee ensues. The outlaws, Bill, and Margie all fall into an "infernal cave", where it develops that one of the outlaws is the Devil! But an explosion sends Bill, Margie, and Cookie up to heaven.

For now, The Phantom Gunslinger has to be considered a "lost" film, but I am hopeful someone out there will prove me wrong and turn up a copy!

Maybe there IS a copy!

GUNSLINGER NEWS!
26 November 2005

Found at http://www.acuadro.tv/prog_cmc.htm .
Acuadro.tv - Cine Mexicano por Cable

Could this be a copy of our Sabrina in 'The Phantom Gunslinger' on cable??

15 March 2009 - Gunslinger news! We have publicity photos thanks to paying Money ™
Billy Frick seems to be good at being Hitler (' Paris brûle-t-il?' AKA 'Is Paris Burning?' )

From the small part of the movie I can lay my hands on, this is not a drama: it's a slapstick farce in Spanish.
One of these days we'll have the complete film, but this is a start.

September 2012 - some new Gunslinger stills, sent by Sabrina herself!

The end - with Sabrina in heaven

Sabrina on her way to Mexico, 1967, to film The Phantom Gunslinger

Sabby with Troy Donahue in 1967, heading for Mexico.

Phantom Gunslinger News - 1967

26 Feb 1967 - The Wisconsin State Journal revealed that Troy Donahue was burnt on the face when actress Elizabeth Campbell (playing Cookie, the cross-dressing lady villain) fired a pistol loaded with blanks near him.

Two weeks later, the story continued...

8 March 1967 – New Castle PA. News . Behind the Scenes by Harrison Carroll.

Couldn't get all the details, but Troy Donahue was the victim of the most horrible accident while shooting a scene in Mexico for "The Phantom Gunslinger."

He got a load of buckshot in the face. Miraculously, the pellets didn't hit his eyes, but a number were embedded in one side of his face. They were removed surgically, and he was out of the picture entirely for a week, and even after that, they had to shoot just one side of his face.

Luckily for Troy his bride, Valerie Allen, was there to comfort him.