Duck, You Sucker (1971)
"Giù la testa" (original title)

An IRA explosives expert on the run in Mexico meets an amoral Mexican bandit; together they get drawn into the Mexican revolution.

Director:

Sergio Leone

Writers:

Sergio Leone (story), Sergio Donati (story),

Stars:

Rod Steiger, James Coburn, Romolo Valli

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rod Steiger	...	Juan Miranda
James Coburn	...	John H. Mallory
Romolo Valli	...	Dr. Villega
Maria Monti	...	Adelita, woman in stagecoach
Rik Battaglia	...	Santerna (as Rick Battaglia)
Franco Graziosi	...	Governor Jaime
Antoine Saint-John	...	Gutierez / Col. Günther Reza (as Domingo Antoine)
Giulio Battiferri	...	Miguel
Poldo Bendandi	...	Executed Revolutionary
Omar Bonaro
Roy Bosier	...	Landowner on stagecoach
John Frederick	...	American on stagecoach
Amato Garbini
Michael Harvey	...	Yankee
Biagio La Rocca	...	Benito

Storyline

In Mexico at the time of the Revolution, Juan, the leader of a bandit family, meets John Mallory, an IRA explosives expert on the run from the British. Seeing John's skill with explosives, Juan decides to persuade him to join the bandits in a raid on the great bank of Mesa Verde. John in the meantime has made contact with the revolutionaries, and intends to use his dynamite in their service.

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Plot Keywords:

explosive | mexican | mexico | dynamite | mexican revolution | 

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Taglines:

Rod Steiger and James Coburn will blow you apart in "A Fistful of Dynamite" ("Duck You Sucker") by the master of adventure Sergio Leone

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Genres:

Adventure | Western

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian Spanish

Release Date:

20 October 1971 (Italy)

Also Known As:

A Fistful of Dynamite

Filming Locations:

Almería Railway Station, Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 613,387 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rafran Cinematografica, Euro International Film (EIA), San Miura

Technical Specs

Runtime:

157 min 120 min (initial US release) 154 min (Laserdisc)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was initially planned to have been directed by Leone's assistant Giancarlo Santi, but both Rod Steiger and James Coburn demanded that Sergio Leone direct the picture, so Santi was out.

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Goofs

In the train, the automatic pistol that Juan Miranda uses is a Browning GP35. As its names suggests, this model has become available in 1935 (so contemporary of the mentioned MG42).

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Quotes

Juan Miranda: [turning binoculars the wrong way] He says it's no danger just watch the bridge from a long way.
[turning binoculars the right way]
Juan Miranda: No matter how I look with them we're still too close to the bridge. What am I doing mixed up in this fucking revolution in the first place? You tell me God, what am I doing here? Why didn't you strike me to death instead of letting me say: I stay too! Oh, look at him. All because of him! He acts like a tourist who's going somewhere, only he's staying, eh, just look ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Red Dead Revolver (2004)

User Reviews

100 proof dynamite action film by genre master Leone

Excellent action film with Steiger over-the-top but Coburn right on the money as bandit/revolutionaries in Mexico. More gunfire and explosions and less balmy confrontations than in other Leone pics. I'm stuck on a second viewing by how much of a "70s" film this is, and how much real cinematic value and interesting ideas Leone has put into the film despite its basic action-film plotline. Rumors say Malcolm MacDowell was the original lead -- very intriguing possibility. The look on Steiger's face after he finds out he's risked his life to rescue a bunch of dirty prisoners is priceless.