Diamante Lobo (1976)

Director:

Gianfranco Parolini

Writers:

John Fonseca (screenplay)
Gianfranco Parolini (screenplay)

Release Date:

March 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Priest turned vigilante Father John (Van Cleef) hunts down a gang of criminals, led by Sam Clayton (Palance)...

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Revenge | Child Fighting Adult | Small Town | Revolver

Cast

Lee Van Cleef	...	Father John / Lewis
Jack Palance	...	Sam Clayton
Richard Boone	...	The Sheriff
Sybil Danning	...	Jenny
Leif Garrett	...	Johnny
Robert Lipton	...	Jess Clayton
Cody Palance	...	Zeke Clayton
Ian Sander	...	Red Clayton
Pnina Rosenblum	...	Chesty (as Pnina Golan)
Zila Carni	...	Juanita Lewis
Heinz Bernard	...	Judge Barrett
Didi Lukov	...	Rip
Ricardo David	...	Angel George
Chin Chin	...	Willy
Rafi Ben Ami	...	Mortimer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Franco Pesce	...	Crooked Gambler (uncredited)
Carolyn Stellar	...	Woman on Horse (uncredited)

Directed by
Gianfranco Parolini		(as Frank Kramer)

Writing credits
John Fonseca		(screenplay)
Gianfranco Parolini		(screenplay) (as Frank Kramer)

Produced by
Yoram Globus	....	associate producer
Menahem Golan	....	producer

Original Music by
Sante Maria Romitelli

Cinematography by
Sandro Mancori		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Manlio Camastro

Art Direction by
Claudio De Santis		(as Claudio Desantis)

Makeup Department
Hanna Chalfon	....	makeup artist
Blanche Shuler	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Rafi Adar	....	production manager
Chaim Manor	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Itschak Ben Zur	....	assistant director
Leonard Natan	....	assistant director
Timna Ranon	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ariel Roshko	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Wally Milner	....	sound
Simcha Silberstein	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Gianni D'Andrea	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Sami Gratushka	....	camera loader
Yoni Hamenachem	....	still photographer (as Joni Hamenachem)
Samuel Levi	....	chief grip
Aldo Marchiori	....	focus puller
Mario Sbrenna	....	camera operator
Eitan Tzur	....	chief electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Edit Burstein	....	assistant wardrobe
Sara Weiner	....	wardrober

Editorial Department
Orlando Signorelli	....	assistant film editor

Other crew
Melody Greene	....	script girl
Naomi Mayberg	....	production secretary
Ovadia Mayberg	....	location manager
Beni Uzan	....	wrangler
Mimmo Uzan	....	wrangler
Ralph Zucker	....	dialogue coach

Production Companies

• Golan-Globus Productions
• Dunamis Cinematografica
• Irwin Yablans Company, The
• Rovi

Distributors

• Astral Films (1978) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Cannon Film Distributors (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Irwin Yablans Company, The (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Lime Lights Pictures (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• United American Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Direct Source (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Llamentol (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Showtime DVD (2003) (Australia) (DVD) (as "God's Gun")
• MRA Entertainment Group (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Reel Media International (2005) (USA) (TV)
• Arts Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Better Television Distribution (2006) (worldwide) (TV)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (USA) (all media)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (as "God's Gun")
• Century Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Crystal Pictures (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Direct Source (????) (USA) (DVD)
• GMVS (????) (UK) (DVD)
• ITT Contrast (1982) (West Germany) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Italy | Israel

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1977) | USA:R | Spain:13 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 | Australia:PG (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Israel

Company:

Golan-Globus Productions

Trivia:

When Sam Clayton finds out Johnny is his son, he runs around the parlor shouting "I gotta son." he specifically says it to Zeke Clayton who is played by Palance's son both in real life, Cody Palance and in the movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Johnny plays horseshoes he leaves his throw short. He walks up to the shoe and kicks it onto the stake. There is a second shoe to the left and short of the stake. Father John arrives and admonishes Johnny for cheating and throws a shoe himself getting a ringer. However, the other two shoes are no longer in the picture.

Quotes:

Sam Clayton:I ain't getting no younger. Time just goes by and then... then one day... one day you just get older and suddenly... you find yourself... all alone.
Jenny:You deserve to be alone.

MUCH better than other reviews would lead you to believe

I just saw this flick on late-night cable. Never heard of it before, but was stunned at how well-done it was. Then I came here to the IMD and was absolutely stunned by all the bad reviews.

I have a theory: there must be two versions of this movie. Seriously.

A recent American reviewer complained that all three main actors' voices were dubbed by actors 20 years younger. HUH? In the version I just saw, All three spoke in their own voices. In fact, the words seem to be English, so any dubbing would have been for a foreign release. Perhaps a foreign version got RE- dubbed into English?

-That might also account for another reviewer complaining that Van Cleef overacted. In the version I saw, Van Cleef gives a fantastic performance. (Although he was not the best choice, IMO, for the lead.)

Overall, I consider this movie to be at the bottom of the top-tier of spaghetti westerns. (that's a compliment, not a knock.) OK, there's no Clint. However, the story is solid and complex. The acting is fine. The cinematography is as good as any Sergio film. The music sounds exactly like Morricone (could even BE Morricone, there are no scoring credits on the IMD) The editing is crisp.

I believe that some reviewers found out this was shot in Israel, and then viewed it looking for faults. Shame on you people! (no, I'm not Jewish, I'm just offended by the extremely off-base reviews.)

This is a solid, well-made, good-looking film. It's one true fault is that Lee Van Cleef isn't really suited to being a leading-man. With a better lead, this could have been a classic.