Death Rides a Horse (1967) Da uomo a uomo (original title)

Director:

Giulio Petroni

Writer:

Luciano Vincenzoni (story)

Release Date:

31 August 1967 (Italy)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

This is revenge... And there's nothing sweet about it!

Plot:

In the Old West a little boy witnesses the murder of his family by gunmen and grows up with plans to track them all down, and kill them.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Revenge | Boy | Framed | Revolver

Cast

Lee Van Cleef	...	Ryan
John Phillip Law	...	Bill Meceita
Mario Brega	...	One-Eye (Paco)
Luigi Pistilli	...	Walcott - The Bandit Leader
Anthony Dawson	...	Burt Cavanaugh
José Torres	...	Pedro (as Jose Torres)
Franco Balducci	...	Sheriff
Guglielmo Spoletini	...	Manuel - Walcott's Henchmen
Bruno Corazzari	...	Walcott's Accomplice
Felicita Fanny	...	Village girl
Ignazio Leone	...	Shepherd
Angelo Susani	...	Walcott Henchman
Carlo Pisacane	...	Holly Spring Station master
Vivienne Bocca	...	Bill Meceita's sister
Walter Giulangeli	...	Mr. Meceita, Bill's Father
Elena Hall	...	Mrs. Meceita, Bill's Mother
Mario Mandalari	...	Walcott Henchman
Nazzareno Natale	...	Bandit (as Natale Nazareno)
Ennio Pagliani	...	Walcott Henchman
Giovanni Petti	...	Walcott Henchman (as Giovanni Petrucci)
Romano Puppo	...	Deputy Sheriff
Richard Watson	...	Bartender
Archie Savage	...	Vigro
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cantori Moderni Di Alessandroni	...	Chorus (voice) (uncredited)
Remo Capitani	...	Member of Gold Escort (uncredited)
Carla Cassola	...	Betsy, Bill's Girl (uncredited)
Giuseppe Castellano	...	Sheriff (uncredited)
Raul Lovecchio	...	The Balladeer (voice) (uncredited)
Alba Maiolini	...	Village woman (uncredited)
Nerina Montagnani	...	Shepherd's Wife (uncredited)
Claudio Ruffini	...	Prison Director (uncredited)
José Terrón	...	Walcott Henchman (uncredited)
Nino Vingelli	...	Card Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Giulio Petroni

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Luciano Vincenzoni		story and screenplay

Produced by
Henryk Chrosicki	....	producer (as Henry Chroscick)
Alfonso Sansone	....	producer (as Al Sansone)

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Carlo Carlini

Film Editing by
Eraldo Da Roma

Production Design by
Franco Bottari

Set Decoration by
Rosa Cristina

Costume Design by
Luciano Sagoni
Enzo Bulgarelli		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Maurizio Giustini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Gianni Minervini	....	production manager
Nicolò Pomilia	....	general manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Enrico Bergier	....	assistant director (as Enrique Bergier)
Mario Molli	....	assistant director
Giancarlo Santi	....	assistant director

Art Department
Rosa Sansone	....	assistant production designer

Sound Department
Elio Pacella	....	sound engineer

Special Effects by
Sergio Sagnotti	....	special effects
Eros Bacciucchi	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Romano Puppo	....	stunt double: Lee Van Cleef (uncredited)
Romano Puppo	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Carlo Carlini	....	camera operator
Gastone Di Giovanni	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
David Block	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Attanasio	....	composer: song "Da uomo a uomo"
Bruno Nicolai	....	conductor
Cantori Moderni Di Alessandroni	....	chorus (uncredited)
Cantori Moderni Di Alessandroni	....	musician (uncredited)
Raul Lovecchio	....	singer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• PEC

Distributors

• Explosive-Media (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Explosive-Media (2012) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• United Artists Films (1968) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1968) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1968) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Alpha Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Digiview Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Direct Source (USA) (DVD)
• Dixie Bell (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• FilmAnnex (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• MNTEX Entertainment (USA) (video)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1990) (Finland) (TV) (as MTV2)
• Poletel (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Quality Video Inc. (video)
• Reel Media International (2004) (USA) (video)
• Reel Media International (2007) (USA) (all media)
• Reserva Especial (Brazil) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Synergy Entertainment (2010) (worldwide) (DVD) (DVD-R)
• Tri Alliance Films (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
• Wild East Productions (2011) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Da uomo a uomo" - Italy (original title)
"As Man to Man" - USA

MPAA:

Rated R for some western violence (re-rated) (2012)

Runtime:

USA:114 min | Italy:120 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:M (original rating) | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | West Germany:18 (nf) | Germany:12 (re-rating) | USA:R (re-rated) (2012)

Filming Locations:

La Calahorra, Granada, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

PEC

Trivia:

The original title of the film was "Duel in the Wind." Lee Van Cleef came up with the Italian title while discussing the movie with John Phillip Law who sighted the film was a "man to man" story. Van Cleef remarked, "Why don't they call it 'From Man to Man'?" The Italian producers liked how it sounded in Italian ("Da Uomo a Uomo") so much they used it. And then the film was subsequently retitled "Death Rides a Horse" in English speaking markets, which Law said he never liked.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bill talks to the girl in the inn, before the bandits arrive, the long shot shows her face in shadows. When it goes to a closer shot, her right eye has was highlighted by sunlight.

Quotes:

Bill:[Challenging Paco to a duel] Remember 15 years ago at the Meceita ranch? Another time when you took it out on a woman? Unfortunately for you, that woman happened to be my mother.

Movie Connections:

References Rio Bravo (1959)

Soundtrack:

Death Rides A Horse (Vocal version)

Pass the "HOT SAUCE"

This is probably one of the better "spaghetti" westerns to come along ... far better than the putrid "Django" series with Italian actor, Franco Nero...

The scenery chewing Lee van Cleef is perfect as the avenging angel to beautiful blue eyed hunky ingenue, John Phillip Law, who must have captured the hearts of the director of photography with that sweet face of his because there are so many intense closeups of his pretty blue eyes that it dominates half the movie ...

Nonetheless, the movie is about John's character, Bill, who as a child, witnesses the robbery, rape & murder of his family by Van Cleef and his less than band of merry men .. who subsequently leave Cleef's character to take the blame and force him to 15 years of hard slave labour in a chain gang ... but, after his release he goes on a revenge bend and tracks down his former mates ..

He manages to meet up with Bill and at first the two spare off at each other like a snake & mongoose, but, they come to trust each other from a distance, in as much, as busting each other out of jail, to ultimately team up to take down the motley gang ....

Along the way, there are a lot of stringy musical interludes teamed up with intense facial closeup shots to show either grief or fear or anger .. which closely resemble as the same expression, but this movie is still one of the best tried and true and the surprise ending left me jumping out of my seat wanting to fast forward to the end just to see how Law & Cleef finally gel..

I would highly recommend this film as pure cinematic genius counseled with fine acting and great supporting characters .. Pedro and Paco are so bad they're good ..

Fans of John Phillip Law will not be disappointed, well, maybe by his monotone panned John Wayne vocal impression, but his pretty face and great body in those pants of his, paired with the gun belt, will make you wish that time crept slowly ... so you could stare at him a little while longer..

Lee Van Cleef shirtless or stripped to his waist is twice the bonus ..

This film is a gem .. highly recommended .. 8/10 all the way :-)