Der Schatz im Silbersee

It may not have much to do with the source material (May is probably spinning in his grave), but it's true that this film is the best of all May’s adaptations, maybe because it was the first. The others, which were made in the following years as if on a treadmill, in an attempt to monetize as much as possible the awakened interest in May, have a strongly declining level (except perhaps for the first two episodes of Vinetou). (07.07.2002)

So wurde der Kult geboren... Der Schatz im Silbersee ist der beste Film der vier "einfachen" Winnetou-Filme, aber es ist erst die folgende Trilogie, die die wahre Identifikation mit den Helden bietet. Trotzdem genieße ich die aufregende Reise zum verräterischen Schatz wahrscheinlich am meisten... Herbert Lom vulgo der verschlagene Cornel ist ein Bösewicht, wie er sein sollte, Lord Castlepool ist ein Clown, den man nicht vergessen sollte, und die Eroberung der Ranch... das ist einfach als "Piffpaff"-Szene ein Gedicht, das seinesgleichen sucht. Auch abgesehen von der allgegenwärtigen Nostalgie gehört Der Schatz im Silbersee zum goldenen Fundus der Abenteuerfilme... (27.06.2004)

The first, and sadly, the last truly good May adaptation. Cheesy, but fun and above all adventurous to the core. The proverbial chemistry between Brice and Barker doesn't work here as much as in later efforts, but paradoxically it helps rather than hurts the result. (10.02.2007)

Immediately after the classic trilogy, the best May festival, nevertheless the quality of Reinl's later works falls just short. The thought that this is "the first one" is, however, still perfectly magical to this day. (17.08.2006)

But yeah, that childlike enchantment with the story, the landscape, and the great characters is still there, and this installment never belonged to my absolute favorites. That doesn't change the fact that anyone who grew up with these movies must still love them because just the opening theme song takes you back a few years and it's a pleasant return. (27.01.2015)