The Silver Screen Oasis

A nice and entertaining top ten list, with commentary and clips on each film.

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While anticipation is growing for the TCM premiere of Fists in the Pocket (1965), leading man Lou Castel's next film would infuse political (and other new ideas) into the Italian Western.

A Bullet for the General (1966) was the first SW to deal with The Mexican Revolution and is considered the best of its subgenre. Castel plays Bill Tate, a gringo who joins a band of revolutionaries to assassinate its leader, General Elías. The script was adapted by Franco Solinas, also known for Battle of Algiers (1965) and Burn (1969), while director Damiano Damiani often complained that he never considered this film a western, but a political statement, saying that he would have called it The Birth of a Nation if that title had not already been taken.

With leading actor Gian Maria Volonté and a great cast, including Klaus Kinski and Bond girl Martine Beswick, Bullet for the General is one of the Spaghetti classics, on par with any of Leone's work, but leaving the viewer far more questions to ponder after its final frame.

Trailer:

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Jonas: Where do you hail from?

The Beggar: From under a rock. That's where they say we all begin...crawling out from underneath something.

Part heist film, with a dash of noir on a pile of hot spaghetti, Sergio Corbucci's 1967 effort The Hellbenders is one of the best westerns you've missed out on. When a Confederate Colonel and his sons rob an Army payroll in hopes of infusing the South with some desperately needed cash flow, they devise an elaborate scheme to transport the money by using a funeral hearse and widow accomplice to sneak through enemy lines. Keeping a coffin full of money away from the Union is difficult enough, but even harder when family is involved.

Joseph Cotten gives a brilliant performance as a maniacal patriarch who believes in his cause and will do whatever it takes to achieve his aim. Case in point:When the original widow misbehaves and drives off with the hearse, they simply kill her and kidnap another woman to take her place--unfortunately for them, she is smarter than her predecessor. Ennio Morricone contributes a unique score built around the trumpet, which gives the film a dark mournful tone, like a bugler playing taps at sunset. Corbucci plays down the violence here, opting for suspense and simmering tension, which boils over at all the right moments with a satisfying ending that leaves all the characters unsatisfied indeed.

For some reason neither of these links will embed, so we'll deal with life as it is:

Trailer:


Morricone's score:

Ya know, I may have seen this back in 1967-68 when I saw everything (slight exaggeration) that played in our little local theater. Her throwing herself on the casket to keep the money hidden sure looked familiar.

ChiO wrote:Ya know, I may have seen this back in 1967-68 when I saw everything (slight exaggeration) that played in our little local theater. Her throwing herself on the casket to keep the money hidden sure looked familiar.

Did it end like this?

I don't remember that.

But who can ever trust Jedediah Leland?

His buddy was also in a few of these flicks:

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Tony Anthony was acting in Italian westerns as early as 1964, but it took seven years for him to make the film he is known for. On the other hand, Ringo Starr was one of the best known celebrities of the sixties, but this little seen Spaghetti contains his best work as an actor. Ferdinando Baldi 's Blindman (1971) finds the genre cycling to a close, adding exploitation, while deepening the character roles for women (Magda Konopka and Agneta Eckemyr in particular).

When a blind gunman takes a contract to deliver fifty mail-order brides to a mining camp, he seems easy prey for others, but to underestimate him is to end up with a bullet in your head. Anthony wrote the part for himself and endured much discomfort when sand got into his blue contacts, threatening to make his role a reality. Ringo's performance as the banditio Candy is a marvelous display of restraint, while Stelvio Cipriani's score owes nothing to Morricone and stands on its own merits.

The film:
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I have a 45 with the song with that title on the B-side. (I went to listen to the opening but the sound wasn't working.)

RIP Eli:

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The Alain Delon Zorro is on Tubi and Xumo for anyone interested. Hoo boy, that did not need to be two hours long. Had a great final duel though.

One of the many Alain Delon movies that I haven't seen. Thanks!

Arsan444 wrote: ↑December 23rd, 2022, 10:18 am One of the many Alain Delon movies that I haven't seen. Thanks!

Here’s to being free!

LostHorizons wrote: ↑December 23rd, 2022, 6:57 pm

Arsan444 wrote: ↑December 23rd, 2022, 10:18 am One of the many Alain Delon movies that I haven't seen. Thanks!

Here’s to being free!

I saw it last night and enjoyed more than I expected. The comedic tone of the movie is a plus and Alain Delon seems to be having fun playing Zorro.

Arsan444 wrote: ↑December 31st, 2022, 12:27 pm

LostHorizons wrote: ↑December 23rd, 2022, 6:57 pm

Arsan444 wrote: ↑December 23rd, 2022, 10:18 am One of the many Alain Delon movies that I haven't seen. Thanks!

Here’s to being free!

I saw it last night and enjoyed more than I expected. The comedic tone of the movie is a plus and Alain Delon seems to be having fun playing Zorro.

Completely in agreement. It’s not as serious as Tyrone Power’s but it is fun for a quick popcorn flick to watch.