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

According to "Once Upon a Time in the Italian West" by Howard Hughes, Silence's distinctive rapid-firing pistol is the 1896 7,63 mm Mauser Broomhandle.

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Goofs

On the map in the governor's office, the state of Nevada is identified as Utah.

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Quotes

Tigrero, a.k.a. Loco: Hey, Pull up here!
Stage driver: Whoa. What's the matter?
Tigrero, a.k.a. Loco: I've got another piece of freight to collect.
[Trudges through snow to collect another bounty killing.]
Tigrero, a.k.a. Loco: Give me a hand and I'll buy you another drink.
Sheriff Burnett: [Whispers to Silence] How many has he got?

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Connections

Referenced in Winter in Wartime (2008)

User Reviews

"That western in the snow"

"That western in the snow" - was my brother's response when he heard that I'd finally tracked down a copy of THE GREAT SILENCE, a.k.a. THE BIG SILENCE (I first saw it 10 years ago on BBC2's 'Moviedrome').

If you like Sergio Leone's films (such as THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY and A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS) then you'll probably enjoy this film by Sergio Corbucci. Violence, shooting, cussing, strange costumes, haunting music, trademark camera angles and the Italian style go to make up one of the best (lost)westerns I've ever seen.

These films aren't to everyone's taste, but THE GREAT SILENCE is worth watching just to hear the main theme tune which is a fantastic work of latterday composition - it sounds daft but I nearly cry when I hear it sometimes. By turns the score is dream-like, stylish, menacing, bizarre and even ridiculous (twanging sitar-like sounds). This is my favourite piece of Ennio Morricone's music.

As I said before the main reference points for this film are those of Sergio Leone, except for the snow-laden setting and the distinct lack of humour( THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY still makes me laugh, despite countless watching). Having said that this film has a distinctly original atmosphere of it's own, brought out in the brilliant and shocking ending. the director went to great lengths to preserve his radical finale (particularly unpopular with the producer) - there is a version of the film with a cop-out ending.

In short then, this is a great movie despite all the shortcomings of the particular genre( I'm not saying anything)- I once read that the term "Spaghetti Western" was a derisory one used by American film critics - but I can't think of any American westerns as enjoyable as some of these Italian films.