The Big Gundown (1966)

Unofficial lawman John Corbett hunts down Cuchillo Sanchez, a Mexican peasant accused of raping and killing a 12-year-old girl.

Director:

Sergio Sollima

Writers:

Franco Solinas (story), Fernando Morandi (story)

Stars:

Lee Van Cleef, Tomas Milian, Walter Barnes

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lee Van Cleef	...	Jonathan 'Colorado' Corbett
Tomas Milian	...	Manuel 'Cuchillo' Sanchez
Walter Barnes	...	Brokston
Nieves Navarro	...	The Widow
Gérard Herter	...	Baron von Schulenberg (as Gerard Herter)
María Granada	...	Rosita Sanchez
Roberto Camardiel	...	Sheriff Jellicol (as Robert Camardiel)
Ángel del Pozo	...	Chet Miller (as Angel del Pozo)
Luisa Rivelli	...	Willow Creek Prostitute
Tom Felleghy	...	Father of Chet Miller (as Tom Felleghi)
Calisto Calisti	...	Mr. Lynch
Benito Stefanelli	...	Jess, Widow's Ranchero
Nello Pazzafini	...	Hondo - Ex-Union Outlaw
Antonio Casas	...	Brother Smith & Wesson
José Torres	...	Paco Molinas

Storyline

Jonathan Corbett is a gunman so brave to have eliminated all the bandits of Texas. For this he is proposed for the candidacy to the Senate of the United States. In exchange he has only to support the construction of one railway line. Only after he accepts does he come to know that the Mexican Cuchillo has raped and killed a 12 year old girl. Corbett leaves on a long manhunt during which he gets to know his adversary better and discovers a variation on the crime for which the accused Cuchillo may not be as guilty as he first thought.

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Plot Keywords:

shoulder holster | shoulder | holster | sonora mexico | mexico | 

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Taglines:

Mr Ugly Comes To Town!

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is one of Quentin Tarentino's favorite spaghetti westerns.

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Goofs

When Cuchillo is outside the ranch house betraying the ranch hands, and one of them confronts him from behind a rock, the ranch hand has just worked the action on his single action rifle. You can see that because it leaves the trigger in the back/fire position and that is clearly shown. The camera pans to Cuchillo for about three seconds, and when it comes back to the ranch hand, the hammer is down on the rifle.

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Quotes

Jonathan Corbett: [after discovering that he has been tricked by Cuchillo into thinking he was bit by a snake] If you don't kill me right now... it'll be the last mistake you ever make.
Cuchillo Sanchez: But to kill you is a big mistake. If I kill you, they'll just send another man after me who's much smarter, MUCH.

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Alternate Versions

The most complete version of the movie available is the German DVD by Koch media.

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Connections

Referenced in Quiet Days in Clichy (1970)

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Soundtracks

Run, Man, Run
Music by Ennio Morricone
Lyrics by Audrey Nohra
Performed by Maria Cristina Brancucci (as Christy)

User Reviews

good stylish spaghetti western

Retired sheriff is persuaded by a politician to come back and hunt down a Mexican who has raped and murdered a twelve year old girl but he slowly realises the Mexican has been framed to cover up the real murderer. Good, stylish spaghetti western,this is the longer uncut version of the film and not the hacked up Amercian version that lost nearly twenty minutes of footage.This has a rather slow start and develops into a chase movie in a kind of western version of "the fugitive".Lee Van Cleef is his usual dependable self and the Ennio Morricone soundtrack is good although i'm not sure about the screeching title song!Film is good and satisfies overall.

Details

Country:

Italy Spain

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

29 November 1966 (Spain)

Also Known As:

The Big Gundown

Filming Locations:

Cabo de Gata, Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Produzioni Europee Associate (PEA), Tulio Demicheli P.C.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min 80 min (edited) 89 min (original U.S. theatrical release) 95 min (Blu-ray extended special edition)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1