desert

Featured supporting character in films such as “The Great Escape” or “The Magnificent Seven” and remembered protagonist of “Once Upon a Time in the West” or “The Anonymous Avenger”.

He lived a difficult childhood and worked in a coal mine, which gave him a physique that, together with his “threatening and disturbing smile”, in the words of Sergio Leone, would lead him to develop a prolific and successful career in cinema. both in the western and in other tough man roles, such as a police detective or vigilante.

He began his career in the early 1950s. One of his first roles was in the horror film “The Wax Museum Murders” (1953), by Andre De Toth. His work stands out as a secondary character in westerns such as “Veracruz” (1954), by Robert Aldrich, “Jubal” (1955), by Delmer Daves, or “Yuma” (1957), by Samuel Fuller. In the latter he would play an Indian, a role that his peculiar face would make him play on other occasions.

In 1968 he followed in the footsteps of Clint Eastwood and came to Almería to star in a new western by Sergio Leone, “Until his time came”, with Henry Fonda and Claudia Cardinale. But the western that would most mark his career at this time would be “Chato, el Apache” (1971).

But the films that were going to bring the most fame to the Winner-Bronson tandem would be those of the “Anonymous Avenger”, a saga of films in which Bronson would play Paul Kersey, and which would begin in 1974 with “The City Vigilante”, which would continue in “ I Am Justice”, from 1982, and “The Night Watcher”, from 1984. Bronson would return to reprise the role of Kersey in two other films: “I Am Justice II” and “The Face of Death” and in Aldrich’s first in the wacky western comedy “Four Guys from Texas,” with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

He continued to appear in series such as “The Fugitive” or “The Virginian”, and in 1967 he would once again stand out in an apology for violence, “The Dirty Dozen”, by Robert Aldrich.

Sergio Leone said: “It’s destiny […], a kind of block of granite, impenetrable but marked by life.” The Italian director had unsuccessfully offered the role of Harmonica for his magnum opus ‘Until Her Time Came’ (1968) to Clint Eastwood and James Coburn, but finally It was Bronson who got into the shoes of Harmonica and today it would be impossible for us to imagine another actor as such. “A face made of marble. A mestizo who relentlessly pursues his revenge.” In a period of four years there were four westerns in Almería, always in that role of a mestizo, even an Indian, thanks to his physique and his peculiar features.

In the spring of 1971 he worked with Link Stuart in ‘Red Sun’ (1971) here he once again formed a true figure poker with Alain Delon, Toshiro Mifune and Ursula Andress.

And if in Sergio Leone’s “opera of violence” he shared the leading role with Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale and Jason Robards, now with Michael Winner in “Chato, the Apache” (1972), he would film another five times, achieving with him in that way some of his greatest successes in his career. Once again a mestizo, chased through the ramblas of the Tabernas desert by a party led by Jack Palance.

And it would be a year later, when Bronson would visit Almería for the last time. Together with his wife, Jill Ireland, and a very young Vincent Van Patten, he starred in (1973), a film particularly linked to a location in Almeria, the Black Canyon, between the desert and Filabres.

His look, his small blue eyes and his imperturbable character are linked to Almería and the history of westerns. He was an essential part of the cowboys and Indians genre. Bronson was the vigilante of the most violent Hollywood films of the 70s and 80s, but in reality he was a tender and humble guy who was not so tough to beat.

Success after success

The seven magnificents (1960)

Inspired by “The Seven Samurai” by Akira Kurosawa, it tells the story of a group of gunmen who decide to help a town harassed by terrible evildoers. Yul Brynner, Robert Vaughn, Steve McQueen and James Coburn were some of his cast mates. It has become one of the great western classics.

The big escape (1963)

The story of a prisoner escape from a prison during World War II is a precise instrument for the display of skills of Bronson, accustomed to military roles. He acts alongside other big names such as Steve McQueen and James Coburn, as well as Donald Pleasence and James Garner.

once upon a time in the west (1968)

A man returns to a town to exact revenge, but it seems that he is not the only one seeking the same thing in that forgotten and dusty place. Leone consummated all his desires and anxieties here, giving this film a wild and poetic dose in equal measure. Charles Bronson as “Harmonica” has gone down in history as one of the most emblematic of the western genre. With Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards and Henry Fonda.

The anonymous avenger (1974)

Paul Kersey is a man who, faced with the inaction of the law, takes justice into his own hands to take revenge on the gang members who destroyed his family, murdering his wife and raping his daughter. Criticized for its excessive violence, it can be said that this saga was in some way complementary to that of Dirty Harry.

mr. Your majesty (1974)

Vince Majestyk is a Vietnam veteran who just wants to grow melons and live in peace on his farm. However, crime and police corruption won’t let him do it, so, once again, he has to take justice into his own hands and defend himself from a hitman who will try to kill him.

The street fighter (1975)

An ordinary guy turned street fighter in the days of the Great Depression. Alongside James Coburn, Bronson achieves what many consider his best performance in film. Although he was almost 54 years old, he did not represent them. He did most of his hand-to-hand combat scenes without requiring extras and seemed not to get agitated, despite being a chain smoker.

2024-04-07 06:24:59
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