Red Sun

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Red Sun (1971) — Easy summary

Overview
Red Sun is a 1971 Franco-Italian spaghetti Western directed by Terence Young. It stars Charles Bronson, Toshirō Mifune, Alain Delon, Ursula Andress, and Capucine. The film was shot in Spain as an international co-production, with a score by Maurice Jarre.

Plot
Two gang leaders, Link Stuart and Gauche, rob a train carrying $400,000 and a Japanese ambassador who is bringing a ceremonial sword. Gauche kills a samurai guard and hides the money, leaving Link for dead. The ambassador’s surviving guard, Kuroda, teams up with Link to track Gauche; Kuroda must recover the sword or both he and the ambassador will commit ritual suicide. As they pursue Gauche, Link comes to respect Kuroda’s strict bushido code. The chase passes a ranch, a brothel, and a brutal clash with Comanches. In the final showdown at a ruined mission, Gauche shoots at Link while Kuroda dies; Link avenges his ally and returns the sword to the ambassador by hanging it on a telegraph wire before the ambassador’s train arrives.

Cast (selected)
- Charles Bronson as Link Stuart
- Toshirō Mifune as Kuroda Jubei
- Alain Delon as Gauche
- Ursula Andress as Cristina
- Capucine as Pepita

Production
The project was announced in 1968 with Mifune initially attached. It was produced by Corona Films (France) with Robert Dorfmann and Ted Richmond. Screenplay by Denne Bart Petitclerc, William Roberts, and Lawrence Roman, based on a story by Laird Koenig. Filmed in Spain.

Release
Running time: 112 minutes. Language: English.
France release: September 15, 1971; Italy: October 26, 1971; Spain: December 20, 1971; United States: June 9, 1972.

Reception
Rotten Tomatoes lists about 40% positive from five critics. It performed notably in Japan and France, with strong attendance in Tokyo and about 3.3 million admissions in France.