D: Sergio Corbucci; S: S.C, Sabatino Giuffini; C: Dario di Palma; M: Angelo Francesco Lavagnino; with: Johnny Hallyday, Francoise Fabian, Gastone Moschin, Mario Adorf

A bunch of mexican bandidos plunder a stagecoach. Among the passengers are some hippies with neither money nor jewellery. These have to dive in a muddy hole of water for a dollar, thrown in by Romero, leader of the pack: The winner will win his life. But then Hud (Johnny Halliday) comes along, a hard-boiled gunslinger, and punishs the loud manners of the Mexicanos with his gun. Hud is on his way to Blackstone, to avenge the death of his brother Charlie. This once worked for the local bank as a courier: He was killed by the good citizens, who suspected him of the theft of 5.000 dollars. Investigations are quite difficult for Hud, until his old mate, mexican bandido-chief Francisco Rafael Fatorro (Mario Adorf), called “El Diablo”, gives Hud some informations: Diablo has found Charlie dying with a bullet in his back; the money he has hidden on the graveyard. Before he was finally killed by the furious Blackstonians, he could hand over Diablo a hint for his brother: a prepared dollarbill. Diablo now engages Hud to search for the bucks. Hud, who has no diffulties to find the money, detects, that the nice and greedy bank directrice Virginia Pollicut (Francoise Fabian) is deeply involved into the murder of his brother. After the purifying fire, Hud leaves the town, which sinks to anarchy, while a dog sadly howls.

I/F/G 1969

The Gunslinger says:

Not the best Corbucci-flick, but surely a good Spaghettiwestern. The atmosphere of the autumnal and often foggy mountain scenery is suitable to the frosty atmosphere of the film. You won’t find a positive character at all, despite the integre sheriff (Gastone Moschin) and young Sheba (Sylvie Fennec): Either rules money (citizens, Mexicanos) or revenge (Hud). As the whole money is finally set to flames, the citizens cry their heart out, whereas the many dead people don’t cause any reaction like the crime, which resulted from the deep anxiety for the dollars too. Even the hippies, which should know it better, take the opportunity, to take the last shirt of the people – meant literally ;-) – after all authorities has become victims of the precedent battles.

Acting is really good, especially I enjoyed the performance of Mario Adorf as one-armed „El Diablo“, who dictates his theatrical memories during the whole film. The score is economic, but not bad: heavy fuzz guitar with adumbrated female choir.

Rating: $$$$

Bodycount: ca. 23 Mexicanos, 6 Gringos, 1 Woman

Explicit Brutalities:

- The mexican bandits let the hippies dive for their live in a muddy puddle

- Virginia Pollicut kills the unsuspecting deputy (Gino Pernice), who was detached for her protection. Later on she shoots her lover and accomplice.

- Public raping of Pollicut by the Mexicans, who wanna find out the whereabout of the money

Luv’: 0/10

Specials:

- Hud wears a kind of mailcoat as protection

- The sheriff has to cope with Diablo in „Cabezon“: The chained opponents are bound on a stake by a long cord. They only can use their feet, their body and their head to fight (Ouch!).