| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Bud Spencer | ... |
Hiram Coburn
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| Jack Palance | ... |
Sonny Bronston
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Renato Cestiè | ... |
Chip Anderson
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| Francisco Rabal | ... |
Franciscus
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| Dany Saval | ... |
Mary Bronston
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Luciano Catenacci | ... |
James
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| Roberto Camardiel | ... |
L'udriaco
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Franco Giacobini | ... |
L'uomo chi mangia la terra
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Serena Michelotti | ... |
La vedova Warren
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Manuel Guitián |
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Sal Borgese |
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Marcello Verziera | ... |
(as Margello Verziera)
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Dominique Badou |
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Dante Cleri | ... |
(as Cleri Dante)
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| Luciano Pigozzi | ... |
(as Alan Collins)
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An outspoken boy and a gunfighter-pimp save a drifter's life from hanging. The boy's uncle dies, leaving a house and some dry, useless land to the boy. The dying uncle has obtained the drifter's promise to help the boy get what is his. Meanwhile the gunfighter has decided that the drifter should marry his daughter after being with her previously. The two get into a series of brawls and shoot-outs until they arrive in the town and find the boy's inheritance -which turns out not to be as useless as it first appears. Written by Charles Delacroix
Hiram Coburn is not the typical spaghetti western protagonist. He doesn't use a gun, instead opting to pound his opponents silly with his fists, and although he is as powerful as an ox, he is mellow and laid back to an annoying degree. He takes some getting used to, but by the end of the film I found myself liking this character. Jack Palance plays Sonny, an eccentric gunslinger (what Palance does best). He is very entertaining, and I would have liked to have seen more of him in the film. The weirdest thing about him is that his accent keeps changing. Sometimes he sounds like he is from the southeastern US, other times he sounds Mexican, and other times he sounds like he's from Chicago or something. I don't know if this is intentional or not, but it sure is odd, and odd is a good thing in a spaghetti western.
The music score by Bacalov is excellent. It reminds me of some of Morricone's work, which is pretty much the best compliment one could give.
The story is great, and just about the most original one I've ever seen in a spaghetti western. The movie is a comedy, but not to the extent that it becomes completely unbelievable. I may have given this movie a higher rating if I saw it in a more complete, widescreen version. The version I saw, which I assume is the most commonly available, is approximately 98 minutes long if I remember correctly, and it feels like it's been edited somewhat to shorten its length.
All in all, this one's a must-have if you are a spaghetti western nut like me.