Ace High (1968) I quattro dell'Ave Maria (original title)

Director:

Giuseppe Colizzi

Writers:

Bino Cicogna (writer)
Giuseppe Colizzi (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

3 September 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Tagline:

The smile that kills...

Plot:

After Cacopoulos (Eli Wallach) manages to save himself from being hung on a false charge, he robs Cat...

Plot Keywords:

Outlaw | Revenge | Bounty Hunter | Robbery | Spaghetti Western

Cast

Eli Wallach	...	Cacopoulos
Terence Hill	...	Cat Stevens
Bud Spencer	...	Hutch Bessy
Brock Peters	...	Thomas
Kevin McCarthy	...	Drake (as Kevin Mc Carthy)
Tiffany Hoyveld	...	Thomas' wife
Federico Boido	...	Drake's blond henchman (as Rick Boydi)
Armando Bandini	...	Bank cashier
Livio Lorenzon	...	Paco Rosa
Steffen Zacharias	...	Harold
Remo Capitani	...	Cangaceiro
Bruno Corazzari	...	Charlie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dante Cleri	...	Bankier, playing cards with Cacopoulos
Antonietta Fiorito
Isa Foster
Franco Gulà	...	Al - the old man - talking to bankier
Corrado Olmi
Aldo Sala	...	Casino employee, trying to break through door
Luciano Telli	...	Roulette player, sitting right beside Cacopoulos
Giuseppe Terranova	...	Treasurer in Casino
Edoardo Torricella	...	Roulette player, sitting left beside croupier (as Eddardo Torricella)
Elio Angelucci	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Giancarlo Badessi	...	Man with Moustache Promoting the Black Boxer (uncredited)
Roger Beaumont	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Frank Braña	...	Henchman with Jail Key (uncredited)
Gildo Di Marco	...	Henchman Choked by Hutch Bessy (uncredited)
Riccardo Pizzuti	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Vicente Roca	...	Ramirez - Court Martial Member (uncredited)
Enzo Santaniello	...	Irish Family's Boy (uncredited)
Simonetta Santaniello	...	Irish Family's Daughter (uncredited)

Directed by
Giuseppe Colizzi

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bino Cicogna		writer
Giuseppe Colizzi		screenplay
Giuseppe Colizzi		story

Produced by
Bino Cicogna	....	producer
Giuseppe Colizzi	....	producer

Original Music by
Carlo Rustichelli

Cinematography by
Marcello Masciocchi		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Marcello Malvestito

Art Direction by
Gastone Carsetti

Costume Design by
Luciana Fortini

Makeup Department
Massimo De Rossi	....	makeup artist
Anna Graziosi	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Maurizio Maravidi	....	production manager (as Maurizio Maravisi)
Sergio Nasca	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Silvana Mangini Colizzi	....	assistant director
Luigi Mangini	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Franco Bassi	....	sound mixer
Augusto Troiani	....	sound engineer
Maurizio Troiani	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Erasmo Bacciucchi	....	special effects
Eros Bacciucchi	....	special effects

Stunts
Ferdinando Poggi	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Giovanni Bonivento	....	assistant camera (as Gianni Bonivento)
Antonio Schiavo Lena	....	camera operator
Antonio Serafini	....	still photographer
Claudio Tondi	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Francesco Malvestito	....	assistant editor (as Franco Malvestito)
David Block	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Bruno Nicolai	....	conductor

Other crew
Margherita Autuori	....	publicist (as Rossetti)
Maurizio Biasini	....	production secretary
Giuseppe Fioravanti	....	administrator
Enrico Lucherini	....	publicist
Renato Moretti	....	script supervisor
Raffaele Mottola	....	dialogue coach (as Ray Mottola)
Matteo Spinola	....	publicist

Production Companies

• Crono Cinematografica
• Finanzia San Marco

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1969) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Paramount Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount (1969) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• CIC Video (1992) (Germany) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"I quattro dell'Ave Maria" - Italy (original title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for western violence (2004 re-rating)

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:M | UK:15 | West Germany:12 (nf) (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (nf) (original rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1970) | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (2004 re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Crono Cinematografica

Quotes:

Hutch Bessy:Even if you're an idiot, I don't see why you want to die so young.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Spaghetti Western Trailer Show (2007) (V)

wonderful movie

I was completely amazed by this fantastic movie. I am not sure why - it isn't any much funny, the plot is unnecessarily complicated, there are few unnecessarily long scenes ... but still, the characters, the atmosphere, and the great musical score almost made me cry in the last scene where our three heroes are leaving together. All the actors do great work - from Spencer/Hill duo and Wallach himself to the black boxer champion, who gets beaten by Bud Spencer for $50. Another funny scene is where Wallach talks about his Greek ancestors, and thus makes his guards sleep. Or, when he breaks the bank in the casino. The movie is definitely worth seeing, and it does not disappoint even when watched more times. Nice!