D, S: Mario Lanfranchi; C: Toni Secchi; M: Gianni Ferrio; with: Robin Clarke, Richard Conte, Enrico Maria Salerno, Adolfo Celi, Tomas Milian

Cash (Robin Clarke) has sentenced four gangsters to death. These have killed his brother, a former gang-member, because he allegedly wanted to betray them; Cash survived heavily wounded. Five years later he visits the murderers one after another to execute his sentence: Diaz (Richard Conte, now a wealthy and honourable farmer, Montero (Enrico Maria Salerno) a fucked up and fanatical professional player, Baldwin (Adolfo Celi), a “priest”, who terrorizes the region with his men in black, and finally insane O’Hara (Tomas Milian), an albino, who prefers cuddling with gold and blondes. Cash doesn’t shootl the delinquents easily, but savours his revenge to the last drop.

I 1968

The Gunslinger says:

Lanfranchi describes his revenge-story in four seperated chapters, which are also atmospherically completely different. Because of this narrative structure, this cheap Western contrasts from the common stuff, produced in italy. The quality of the single revenge stations differs heavily: The “desert chapter”, in which Diaz is killed, reaches just Spaghetti-standard with its flashbacks and a bit too chatty dialogues to explain the story. The next episode, the card-duel with Montero, reaches the bottom: no tension, no rhythm. It atmospherically fails so completely, that it’s nearly surreal, if you know, what I mean. In its last two episodes the film gains tempo and tension: The haunting story of mad O’Hara is really great stuff. In my opinion Robin Clarke lacks optically the hardness to be a credible hard-boiled and sadistic avenger. The good score by Gianni Ferrio features vibraphone, stuffed trumpet and organ in its jazzy parts, whereas the classic parts offer additional church organ, guitar and choirs.

Rating: $$$+

Bodycount: ca. 5 Gringos, 22 Mexicans, 1 Woman

Explicit Brutalities:

- Cash kills the dried-up Diaz, after he has finally broken the thirsty man with a self-made “well”: This now serves as Diaz’ grave

- In their last game Cash plays with Montero for their lives: He shoots Montero, after he firstly has let him believe, having the better cards

- Baldwin’s gang beats up Cash, while questioning him for a chest with gold

- Cash shoots Baldwin with the second shot, because he has only loaded the second chamber of his revolver

Luv’: What do you mean? 0/10

Splatter: 2/10

Specials:

- Cash is a dry alcoholic and only drinks milk

- To load his empty revolver, Cash cuts a bullet out of his thigh, fired by “Brother” Baldwin.