The Grand Duel (1972)

A grizzled ex-sheriff helps a man framed for murder to confront the powerful trio of brothers who want him dead.

Director:

Giancarlo Santi

Writer:

Ernesto Gastaldi (screenplay)

Stars:

Lee Van Cleef, Alberto Dentice, Jess Hahn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lee Van Cleef	...	Sheriff Clayton
Alberto Dentice	...	Philip Vermeer (as Peter O'Brien)
Jess Hahn	...	Bighorse the Stagecoach Driver
Horst Frank	...	David Saxon / Patriarch Samuel Saxon
Klaus Grünberg	...	Adam Saxon (as Klaus Grunberg)
Antonio Casale	...	Holk (as Antony Vernon)
Marc Mazza	...	Sheriff Eli Saxon
Dominique Darel	...	Elizabeth
Alessandra Cardini	...	Anita (as Sandra Cardini)
Gastone Pescucci	...	Borghese the Caretaker
Elvira Cortese	...	Madame Oro
Anna Maria Gherardi	...	Saxon's Girl
Hans Terofal	...	Jo Barrel
Salvatore Baccaro	...	Saloon Servant
Remo Capitani	...	Bounty Killer (as Ray O'Connor)

Storyline

Philipp Wermeer has been framed for the murder of a powerful figure known as The Patriarch. Wermeer escapes, but the three Saxon brothers, sons of The Patriarch, have arranged for a large bounty on Wermeer's head. Clayton is a grizzled ex-sheriff stripped of his office in Jefferson after refusing to acknowledge Wermeer's guilt. During a series of fire-fights, Clayton contrives to help Wermeer escape from attacks of bounty-hunters. Together, the two make their way to Jefferson, where they can confront the three powerful Saxon brothers, and reveal the surprising truth about who killed The Patriarch.

---

Plot Keywords:

spaghetti western | italo western | murder | bounty hunter | child killed | 

---

Taglines:

A one man Judge, Jury and Executioner who turns the Wild West into a Blood Bath!

---

Genres:

Western

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy West Germany France

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Storm Rider

Filming Locations:

Elios Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mount Street Film, Corona Filmproduktion, Terra-Filmkunst

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The music score is used in the first Kill Bill.

---

Goofs

Directors is misspelled as "drectors" in the end credits of the English language version.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Madame Oro, Stage Passenger: Hey Driver, can't you put the fear of God into those mules of yours?

---

Alternate Versions

UK versions are cut by 5 secs to remove shots of a horsefall.

---

Connections

Featured in Western Outlaws: 50 Movie MegaPack (2016)

User Reviews

Acceptable Western revenge plenty of gunplay , thrills and violence

This is a western vengeance with a young named Philip Wermeer (Peter O'Brian) wrongly accused of killing a patriarch and going after those whom murdered his father . He lives for one purpose to avenge his death but is also pursued by cutthroat bounty hunters and the sheriff of Jefferson named Clayton (Lee Van Cleef) . Philip is besieged and shot dead but he emerged firing his gun and made his escape . But Clayton helps him and during a series of fire-fights , Clayton contrives to help Wermeer getaway from attacks of enemies . Together form an alliance to vanquish the three Saxons brothers (Horst Frank , Klaus Grunberg). Both of whom , Wermeer and Clayton , making a dynamic duo , combining raw untamed youth and the experience only a veteran sheriff can offer . Together, the two make their way to Jefferson , where they can confront outlaws . Weermer is caught and convicted of murdering and sentenced to be hanged . At the end is revealed the amazing truth about who killed The Patriarch .

It's one of the numerous European Western (this time co-produced by Italy, France , Monaco, Germany) posterior to Sergio Leone ¨boom¨ and follows the Spaghetti Western models . Thus , there are violent confronting , harsh and brutal villains , rapid zooms , spectacular and bloody shootouts, and musical score with Ennio Morricone influence . Features appearance by stalwart Spaghetti , Lee Van Cleef , he plays his usual role , even wearing similar black clothes of former characters as Colonel Mortimer , Sentenza and Sabata . It appears known secondary actors from European films as Jess Hahn (Topkapi) and the usually baddie Horst Frank (Vengeance of Fu Manchu) . Special mention to Klaus Grunberg who plays a cruel gay killer . Atmospheric and enjoyable music by Luis Enrique Bacalov , subsequently Oscar winner for ¨The Postino and Pablo Neruda ¨. The direction by Giancarlo Santi is uninspired and predictable although gets a surprising ending . Santi was usually direction assistant to Sergio Leone . The flick will appeal to Lee Van Cleef fans and Spaghetti western buffs .