A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
"Una ragione per vivere e una per morire" (original title)

Branded a coward for surrendering his New Mexico fort to the Confederates without firing a shot, a Union colonel attempts to redeem himself by leading a band of condemned prisoners on a suicide mission to recapture it.

Director:

Tonino Valerii

Writers:

Rafael Azcona (screenplay), Ernesto Gastaldi (screenplay),

Stars:

James Coburn, Telly Savalas, Bud Spencer

Cast

Credited cast:
James Coburn	...	Colonello Pembroke
Telly Savalas	...	Maggiore Ward
Bud Spencer	...	Eli Sampson
Georges Géret	...	Sergente Spike
Reinhard Kolldehoff	...	Sergente Brent (as Rene Kolldehoff)
Guy Mairesse	...	Donald MacIvers
José Suárez	...	maggiore Charles Ballard (as Jose Suarez)
Ugo Fangareggi	...	Fred
Benito Stefanelli	...	Samuel Pickett un ex condannato
Adolfo Lastretti	...	Will Fernandez / Will Culder (as Guy Ranson)
Fabrizio Moresco	...	Ward's Assistant
Francisco Sanz	...	Farmer (as Paco Sanz)
Carla Mancini
Joe Pollini	...	Jeremy
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrew Dean

Storyline

A dishonoured army officer saves the lives of some hardened criminals on condition that they help him regain his honour. Will they live up to his expectations?

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Plot Keywords:

fort | officer | army | mission | recapture | 

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Taglines:

A handful of condemned men on an impossible mission, against hopeless odds...

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Spain Italy France West Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 August 1973 (Spain)

Also Known As:

A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die!

Company Credits

Production Co:

Atlántida Films, Europrodis, Heritage Entertainment Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min 109 min (1973) (theatrical) 113 min (Northern Countries PAL DVD) 119 min (original uncut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into Spaghetti Western Trailer Show (2007)

User Reviews

A Reason to Live, A Reason to Watch.

"A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die" (1972) is a exciting, Civil War-set Spaghetti Western, directed by Sergio Leone's protégé Tonino Valerii and stars James Coburn, Telly Savalas and Bud Spencer.

The script by Rafael Azcona, Ernesto Gastaldi, Jay Lynn and Tonino Valerii is hardly original, amounting to nothing but a "Dirty Dozen" rehash, but it is adequate: during the American Civil War, the disgraced Colonel Pembroke (James Coburn) tries to retake a heavily defended fort that was taken by the Confederates from him without a shot fired, a mystery that helps drive his character, by using twelve recruits who he has saved from death sentences.

Despite the lack of originality in the screenplay department, the spirited direction makes the story rattle along at a breathless pace to the expertly staged, wholesale carnage at the end. Throughout, the the three leads fare remarkably well and are the only ones who are given any sort of more than superficial examination of their past. The music by Riz Ortolani, all powerful horns, is masterly, compensating for uninteresting photography.

The fast pace and direction help raise this Spaghetti Western into a higher plane, turning it into a very, very enjoyable film.