A Bullet for the General (1966)
"El chuncho, quien sabe?" (original title)

El Chuncho's bandits rob arms from a train, intending to sell the weapons to Elias' revolutionaries. They are helped by one of the passengers, Bill Tate, and allow him to join them, unware ... See full summary »

Director:

Damiano Damiani

Writers:

Salvatore Laurani (story), Franco Solinas (adaptation)

Stars:

Gian Maria Volonté, Klaus Kinski, Martine Beswick

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gian Maria Volonté	...	Chuncho Munos / 'El Chuncho'
Klaus Kinski	...	El Santo
Martine Beswick	...	Adelita
Lou Castel	...	Bill 'Niño' Tate
Jaime Fernández	...	Gen. Elías
Andrea Checchi	...	Don Feliciano
Spartaco Conversi	...	Cirillo
Joaquín Parra	...	Picaro
Aldo Sambrell	...	Lt. Alvaro Ferreira
José Manuel Martín	...	Raimundo
Santiago Santos	...	Guapo
Valentino Macchi	...	Pedrito - Durango train engineer
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Salvatore Borghese	...	Bandit
Carla Gravina	...	Rosario
Guy Heron	...	Pedrito

Storyline

El Chuncho's bandits rob arms from a train, intending to sell the weapons to Elias' revolutionaries. They are helped by one of the passengers, Bill Tate, and allow him to join them, unware he is an assassin working for the Mexican government

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Plot Keywords:

mexican | revolutionary | mexican revolution | spaghetti western | crucifixion | 

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Taglines:

A Band of Killers Stalk the Countryside ... LOOTING ... KILLING ... LOVING ... Everything in Sight!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

M

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

September 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Bullet for the General

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

M. C. M.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[last lines]
El Chuncho: [to a beggar he gave money to earlier] Don't buy bread with that money, hombre! Buy dynamite! Dynamite!

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Connections

Featured in Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern (2006)

User Reviews

Another Spaghetti Western that hits the mark

I first read about this film in a great book about Spaghetti Westerns wherein every Italian western was presented in complete detail. It was a scholarly approach to the genre and has made me a fan for years. Known in the U.S. as A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL, it has a darker mood than Sergio Leone's DOLLAR trilogy and his masterpiece, DUCK, YOU SUCKER! (a.k.a. FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE), more angst ridden than Sergio Corbucci's A PROFESSIONAL GUN (a.k.a. THE MERCENARY) and more bleak than Corbucci's masterpiece, DJANGO (which spawned countless sequels that had nothing to do with the original and the only one worth mentioning is: DJANGO KILL!) which is difficult since the western was awash in a sea of mud that was the stage where the characters ruthlessly slaughtered each other.

I love the Italian approach to westerns because they create an atmosphere where John Wayne is not welcome. If the Duke were to enter their world, he would be shot in the back by some crazed revolutionary/bandit who wouldn't wait for a showdown in the street. Plus the Duke probably wouldn't be fast enough on the draw. A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL has plenty of mood, crazed revolutionaries/bandits, double-crossings, contempt for "gringos" (which makes me wonder about how the Italians think of us--are these films suppose to be "political statements" too?), gun fights and endless desolate landscapes that would make Sam Peckinpah drool with delight. There is no happiness to be found in this film and every fan of Spaghetti westerns would revel in it's excess.

A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL is great on this level and should have multiple viewings (check out Klaus Kinski as the bible thumping revolutionary who spouts credo with gunfire and Lou Castel as the cold-hearted gringo who doesn't drink, smoke, look at women but LOVES money). The only Spaghetti Western regulars missing from this one are: Franco Nero and Lee Van Cleef. Director Damiano Daminani has made a Spaghetti western cult classic in his own right. I want to see his other westerns. See it and you won't be sorry.