The Great Silence (1968)
"Il grande silenzio" (original title)

A mute gunslinger faces off against a gang of bounty hunters in the great blizzard of 1899, and a grim, tense struggle unfolds.

Director:

Sergio Corbucci

Writers:

Mario Amendola (screenplay), Bruno Corbucci (screenplay),

Stars:

Jean-Louis Trintignant, Klaus Kinski, Frank Wolff

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jean-Louis Trintignant	...	Silence
Klaus Kinski	...	Tigrero / Loco
Frank Wolff	...	Sheriff Burnett
Luigi Pistilli	...	Pollicut
Vonetta McGee	...	Pauline
Mario Brega	...	Martin, Pollicut's Assistant
Carlo D'Angelo	...	Governor
Marisa Merlini	...	Regina
Maria Mizar
Marisa Sally
Raf Baldassarre	...	One-Eyed Bounty Hunter
Spartaco Conversi	...	Walter, Leader of the Outlaws
Remo De Angelis
Mirella Pamphili	...	Saloon Girl

Storyline

Bounty killers led by Loco prey on outlaws hiding out in the snowbound Nevada mountains. After Pauline's husband becomes Loco's latest victim, she hires a gunman for revenge; Silence, mute since his throat was cut as a child

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Plot Keywords:

mute | gunslinger | outlaw | mountain | bounty hunter | 

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

19 November 1968 (Italy)

Also Known As:

The Great Silence

Filming Locations:

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Belluno, Veneto, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Adelphia Compagnia Cinematografica, Les Films Corona

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Sound System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jean-Louis Trintignant agreed to play in a spaghetti western under the condition that he did not have to learn any lines for the role. That's why the main character conveniently became a mute in the story.

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Goofs

Various spelling mistakes in the title cards.

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Quotes

Regina: A hard- working man like you should be served by a lady, like me.
Sheriff Burnett: Yeah, I guess. Pretty good coffee. But it tastes a lot nicer if you'd come on over and pour it for me.
Tigrero, a.k.a. Loco: That's a big request, sheriff. She waits on the whole west territory of the U.S. and Mexico.

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Connections

Referenced in Special Collector's Edition: Supercop (2011)

User Reviews

Classic SW with sensational landscapes and terrific performance by Trintignant and Kinski

This French- Italian co-production is a Spaghetti Western masterpiece by Sergio Corbucci, being highly rated by the critics and is one of his best movies, along with ¨the Compañeros and Djianjo¨. It takes place in the snow-filled outdoors of Utah and based on real events during the great Blizzard of 1885 and shot in Cortina D'Ampezzo in the Dolomitas mountains located in the Alps.The film is plenty of dark fatalism and features to Silence (Jean Louis Trintignant in his first and unique Western), a mute gunslinger with a Mauser gun, helping a group of desperado outlaws and an African- American woman named Pauline(Voneta McGee) attempting to revenge death her husband against the bounty hunters led by the ruthless Loco(Klaus Kinski) and payed by Pollicut( Luigi Pistilli).Furthermore, an upright sheriff(Frank Wolff) appears trying the peace and order.

This widely deemed picture, unlike most conventional Spaghetti Western, contains exceptional setting, colorful images with a sensational cinematography by Silvano Ippoliti and features a sensible musical score by the classic Ennio Morricone.The movie was widely inspired by ¨Day of outlaw¨( Andre de Toth with Robert Ryan,1959)and set in 1898 in the small town called Snow Hill where is developed a massacre. The motion picture is originally directed by Corbucci and displays a twisted finale with dark surprise included.As trivia, explaining that Trintignant didn't know English ,language used during filming, and Marcello Mastroiani,Sergio Corbucci's friend, suggested him playing a mute gunfighter named Silence, resulting to be the film title. Rating : Better than average. Indispensable and essential seeing for SW lovers.