Alive or Preferably Dead (1969)
"Vivi o, preferibilmente, morti" (original title)

Two brothers, Monty and Ted, will inherit $300,000 if they manage to live together for six months.

Director:

Duccio Tessari

Writers:

Ennio Flaiano (screenplay), Ennio Flaiano (story),

Stars:

Giuliano Gemma, Nino Benvenuti, Sydne Rome

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Giuliano Gemma	...	Monty Mulligan
Nino Benvenuti	...	Ted Mulligan
Sydne Rome	...	Rossella Scott
Julio Peña	...	Doctor
Antonio Casas	...	Barnds
Cris Huerta	...	Jim
George Rigaud	...	Mr. Scott
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luis Barboo
Brizio Montinaro
Arturo Pallandino
Dan van Husen	...	Ranger

Storyline

Two brothers, Monty and Ted, will inherit $300,000 if they manage to live together for six months.

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Plot Keywords:

tripping and falling | bank | gun smuggling | ransom note | bullet hole | 

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Taglines:

Booze, Banks & Broads! They Had Their Hands in Everything!

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Genres:

Western | Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Italy Spain

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

17 September 1969 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Alive or Preferably Dead

Filming Locations:

Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 60,333,487 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hesperia Films S.A., Ultra Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As was common with many Spaghetti westerns, the Italian actors in Vivi O, Preferibilmente, Morti were billed with more English-sounding names to try and make the film more appealing to American audiences. As such, leading lady Sydne Rome was billed here as Karen Blake - even though she is from Akron, Ohio and "Sydne Rome" is her real name.

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Quotes

Monty Mulligan: Where's the bathroom?
Ted Mulligan: There's a river. Eight miles away. I go once a week.
Monty Mulligan: I mean the toilet.
Ted Mulligan: Out back.

User Reviews

Silly Slapstick-Western With Gemma

A Spaghetti Western enthusiast, I will always have utmost respect for Giuliano Gemma for his performances in genre-greats such as "Day Of Anger" (1967) and "Price Of Power" (1970) as well as in other films, such as Dario Argento's stunning Giallo "Tenebre" (1982). Duccio Tessari's "Vivi O, Preferiblmente, Morti" aka "Sundance Cassidy And Butch The Kid" of 1969, however, is certainly the worst movie I've ever seen Gemma in, an utterly silly slapstick-Spaghetti Western that tries to imitate the style of satirical SWs starring Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill, but fails. Although the movie is amusing in some parts, and certainly not a total disaster, it is just too silly and not as funny as it should be, and Gemma is probably the only good reason to watch it.

Two estranged brothers, city gambler Monty (Giuliano Gemma) and Wild West farmer Ted Mulligan (Nino Benvenutti) inherit 300.000 Dollars from their late uncle, on condition that they endure to live together for six months. The two start a fight over everything, and trouble begins as soon as Monty arrives in Ted's hometown...

Besides Gemma, the only other Spaghetti Western regular appearing in "Sundance Cassidy..." are Antonio Casas (who should be known to lovers of the Italian Western for his appearances in "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly", "The Big Gundown", "Face To Face", "Price Of Power", "A Pistol For Ringo" and others), and Cris Huerta ("Navajo Joe", "They Call Him Holy Ghost", "Cemetary Without Crosses"), who plays the obese leader of an outlaw gang. Apart from Gemma and Casas, and one kinda funny, recurring gag, the movie has little to offer except for very flat gags. Beautiful Sydne Rome has a supporting role, but that doesn't turn the movie into a highlight either.

All things considered, "Vivi O, Preferiblmente, Morti" is kinda funny in some scenes and an acceptable time waster if you're looking for featherbrained entertainment, but the only people I would really recommend it to are hardcore-fans of Giuliano Gemma. Others, watch Bud Spencer and Terence Hill flicks instead. 4/10