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

Director:

Sergio Corbucci

Writers:

Mario Amendola (screenplay)
Bruno Corbucci (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

19 November 1968 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Mute | Outlaw | Mountain | Bounty Hunter | Gunslinger

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fortunato Arena	...	Outlaw (uncredited)
Bruno Corazzari	...	Charlie, Bounty Hunter (uncredited)
Loris Loddi	...	Silence as Child (uncredited)
Benito Pacifico	...	Coach Driver (uncredited)
Mimmo Poli	...	Barman (uncredited)
Claudio Ruffini	...	Bounty Hunter (uncredited)
Ted Rusoff	...	First Outlaw Loco Kills (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Giulia Salvatori	...	Child on Sled (uncredited)

Directed by
Sergio Corbucci

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mario Amendola		screenplay
Bruno Corbucci		screenplay
Sergio Corbucci		screenplay
Vittoriano Petrilli		screenplay

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Silvano Ippoliti

Art Direction by
Riccardo Domenici		(as Riccardo Dominici)

Costume Design by
Enrico Job

Makeup Department
Marcella De Marzi	....	hair stylist
Lamberto Marini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Giovanni A. Giurgola	....	production supervisor
Marcello Papaleo	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Filiberto Fiaschi	....	assistant director

Art Department
Enrico Simi	....	assistant set decorator

Sound Department
Romano Pampaloni	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Eros Bacciucchi	....	special effects (as Eros Baciucci)

Stunts
Bruno Ukmar	....	head stunt man

Camera and Electrical Department
Renato Doria	....	camera operator
Eugenio Saluzzi	....	camera operator
Enrico Sasso	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Antonio Palombi	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Amedeo Salfa	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bruno Nicolai	....	conductor

Other crew
Anna Maria Bifarini	....	script supervisor
Lewis E. Ciannelli	....	dialogue director
John Hart	....	language adaptation (English version)
André Tranché	....	french adaptation
Nicola Venditti	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Adelphia Compagnia Cinematografica
• Les Films Corona (co-production)

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Italia (1968) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1969) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Filmwelt (1969) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Belga Films (19??) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Cinéthèque (19??) (France) (VHS)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Digital Classics (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• F.J. Lucas (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Fantoma (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Force Video (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (VHS)
• Muntel International (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS) (as Muntel Video)

Also Known As:

"Il grande silenzio" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

105 min | Brazil:101 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Sound System)

Certification:

Norway:(Banned) (1969) | West Germany:18 (f) | Finland:(Banned) (1969, re-rating) | Finland:(Banned) (1969, original rating) | Finland:K-18 (1989,Video rating, cut) | France:-12 | Italy:VM18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (2004)

Filming Locations:

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Belluno, Veneto, Italy

Company:

Adelphia Compagnia Cinematografica

Trivia:

The snow in the town of Snow Hill was created by gallons of shaving cream.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Various spelling mistakes in the title cards.

Quotes:

Sheriff Burnett:Tell me something, old-timer. Are we within the jurisdiction of Snow Hill County?
Stage driver:Yep. You can arrest or hang anyone you want.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

"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.