Al di là della legge (1968)

Director:

Giorgio Stegani

Writers:

Lorenzo Sabatini (story)
Mino Roli (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

March 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Outlaw Sheriff - Within the Law, Without the Law, Beyond the Law.

Plot:

A thief takes the job as a town sheriff in order to rob a silver shipment before his ex-partner can grab it. |

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Silver | Hostage | Cigar Smoking | Ambush

Cast

Lee Van Cleef	...	Billy Joe Cudlip
Antonio Sabato	...	Ben Novack
Gordon Mitchell	...	Burton
Lionel Stander	...	Preacher
Bud Spencer	...	James Cooper
Graziella Granata	...	Sally Davis
Herbert Fux	...	Eustaccio / Denholm
Carlo Gaddi	...	Bandit #2
Ann Smyrner	...	Lola / Betty
Enzo Fiermonte	...	Sheriff John Ferguson
Hans Elwenspoek	...	Mr. Davis
Adriana Facchetti	...	Hotel owner
Romano Puppo	...	Sam - Burton Bandit
Günther Stoll	...	Burtons Right Hand
Valentina Arrigoni	...	Lola
Ferdinando Poggi
Nino Nini	...	Old Man in Stagecoach
Salvatore Billa	...	Diego - Burton Henchman
Sergio Ferrero
Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Giuseppe Castellano	...	Miner (uncredited)
Enrico Chiappafreddo	...	Pistolero (uncredited)
Al Hoosmann	...	Preacher's associate (uncredited)
Mickey Knox	...	(uncredited)
Giovanni Ukmar	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Sergio Ukmar	...	Cowbpy (uncredited)

Directed by
Giorgio Stegani

Writing credits
Lorenzo Sabatini		(story) (as Warren Kiefer)
Mino Roli		(screenplay) &
Giorgio Stegani		(screenplay) &
Fernando Di Leo		(screenplay) &
Lorenzo Sabatini		(screenplay) (as Warren Kiefer) &
Inge Hilger		(screenplay)

Produced by
Enrico Chroscicki	....	producer
Alfonso Sansone	....	producer
Luggi Waldleitner	....	producer

Original Music by
Riz Ortolani

Cinematography by
Enzo Serafin

Film Editing by
Sergio Montanari
Edith Schuman

Production Design by
Franco Bottari
Wolf Englert

Set Decoration by
Rosa Cristina

Costume Design by
Maria Baroni

Makeup Department
Armenio Marroni	....	hair stylist
Mimma Pomilia	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Franco Palaggi	....	production manager
Luciano Pesciaroli	....	production supervisor
Nicolò Pomilia	....	general manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Günther Klein	....	assistant director
Vito Minore	....	assistant director

Art Department
Massimo Giustini	....	property master
Rosalba Gristina	....	set dresser
Mimma Pomilia	....	assistant property master
Nicola Tamburo	....	assistant production designer (as Nicola Tamburro)

Sound Department
Elio Pacella	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Divo Cavicchioli	....	still photographer
Maurizio Lucchini	....	assistant camera
Enrico Umetelli	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Francesca Panicali	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Nadia Bonifazi	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Riz Ortolani	....	conductor

Other crew
Marina Chierici	....	script supervisor
Raffaello Forti	....	administrative secretary
Lamberto Palmieri	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• Roxy Film
• Sancrosiap

Distributors

• Cinema Shares International Distribution (1973) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Worldwide Entertainment Corporation (1975) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed) (re-release)
• Constantin Film (1968) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Brentwood Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Century Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Diamond Entertainment Group (DEG) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Direct Source (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Poletel (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Quality Digital Productions (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Quality Video Inc. (video)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (USA) (VHS)
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Carboni  wigs
• Casa d'Arte di Firenze  costumes
• Elios Film  interiors
• L.C.P. di Pompei  foot-gear

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:90 min | Germany:109 min (DVD version)

Country:

Italy | West Germany

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1970) | USA:PG | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | West Germany:16 (nf)

Company:

Roxy Film

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The scene in the mining office has a map of the United States in the background. The map has modern state borders. At the time when the movie takes place most of the west had large territories.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Passable S.W. with peculiar role for Lee Van Cleef as sheriff of Silver City

This especial Italian western blends violence, action western , plot twists, shoot'em up with high body-count , it's fast movement and for that reason is entertaining . This is the story of the ex-bandit who'd worn it -till he'd faced one gun too many...the young , novice engineer he had to teach to wear it- or watch to die and the young who lived only to wear one of his own ! .. and for some dollars a month -that's what they gave you for protecting people who ran like rabbits when the going got roguish ! ¨ . The picture deals with a beginner young engineer (Antonio Sabato , of course father of known TV actor Antonio Sabato Jr) who persuades veteran rogue (Lee Van Cleef) and his hoodlums (the veteran Lionel Stander) to help him to rid a little town of bandits who have robbed 12.000 dollars belonging to payroll of the miners . Then , the thief turns into sheriff of the little town called Silver City where is guarded the silver treasure from the mine and the baddies led by Burton ( particular performance by a Peplum-hero as Gordon Mitchell dressed in black with cloak and hat ) want to rob . Meanhile the old gunslinger now upright sheriff falls in love with a beautiful girl (Graziella Granata) .

It's an acceptable Spaghetti film with dazzling shootouts between the protagonists and the contenders . This meaty Western contains interesting plot , violence , shootouts and is quite entertaining , though drags at times in ups and downs . This average Western balances noisy action , suspense and drama with tragic final in which happens a sad , dramatic showdown . It's a classic recounting about teaching an unexperienced young finely played by Antonio Sabato who is in charge of a silver mine and a veteran roguish become marshal . Agreeable performance by Lee Van Cleef changing his usual characters , here as a honorable sheriff who defends the villagers and even confronts his friends at an amazing ending . Secondary cast formed by habitual Spaghetti/Peplum players as Carlo Gaddi, Romano Puppo, Herbert Fux, Enzo Fiermonte and including Bud Spencer in a serious role as foreman . Enjoyable score by Riz Ortalani who composed lots of Spaghetti Western scores , it contains a sensible musical leitmotif .There are many fine technicians and nice assistants as the cameraman Enzo Serafin who makes a nice photography with barren outdoors, dirty landscapes under a glimmer sun shot of course on Almeria , Spain , though is mostly filmed at Italy . However , being necessary and urgent remastering because of the original is washed-out . The motion picture is professionally directed by Giorgo Stegani , though with no originality . He's is an expert writer of Giallo and Western as ¨Blood of a silver dollar¨ and ¨ Beyond the law ¨ and occasionally Western director as ¨Gentleman killer¨and ¨Adios Gringo¨ . Rating : 5,5 acceptable but mediocre Spaghetti that will appeal to Lee Van Cleef fans .