D: Giorgio Stegani; S: G.S., Mino Roli, Ferdinando di Leo, Lorenzo Sabatini ("Warren D. Kiefer"); C: Enzo Serafin; M: Riz Ortolani; with: Lee Van Cleef, Antonio Sabato, Lionel Stander, Al Hoosman

European engineer Ben Novak (Antonio Sabato) arrives in the West to start a new job in the silvermine of James Cooper (“Bud Spencer”). To give this greenhorn the wages for the mineworkers to take with him, was not such a good idea: Novak is duped by three devious crooks (Lee Van Cleef, Lionel Stander, Al Hoosman), who steal the whole money. But Billy Cudlip (Cleef), leader of the pack, feels himself somewhat like responsible for the poor Novak and takes him a bit under his wings. Shortly after Novak has to get some new money to pay the angry workers, and he pleads Cudlip to escort him. This has brewed a new trick to steal the money again, but Novak has notelessly seen through the rogues. So the plan fails, and to cap it all, Cudlip and his friends have to defend the money against the gang of evil Burton (Gordon Mitchell), who is mainly interested in capturing the silver of Cooper’s mine. He sends some men to check the situation, but these are taken in and captured by the “Cudlip Crew”. From now on Cudlip’s reputation reachs a new high, and he is nominated as the new sheriff of Silvertown. But Burton follows “Plan B”, and he holds all women and children for ransom: the whole silver. Furthermore Cudlip’s old mates wanna get the silver too.

I/G 1968


The Gunslinger says:

Skillfully made routine production, which didn’t really capture me until its unexpected hard final. Up to this point the film is an iffy comedy, in which however especially Lee Van Cleef and Lionel Stander credibly give quite sympathetic shortys. This prevailing mood changes, as Cudlip suddenly gets the sheriff-star. Instead of using it to “earn” some more money, as expected by his mates, he becomes a real law-abiding cop. The result is an increasing strangement between the former friends. Cudlip decides himself consequently against his old comrades and his old life, without having a new alternative: Finally he gives back the star – disgusted, lonely and embittered. Beardless "Bud Spencer", plays the nasty capitalist, who sits on his silver until the first girl is killed. Ortolani supplies a classic orchestral score.

 
Rating: $$$

Bodycount: ca. 37 men, 1 woman

Explicit Brutalities:
- The Burton-Gang kills a young woman, as Copper refuses to come out with his silver

Luv’: 0/10

Splatter: 1/10