A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)

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

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Mario Pardo	...	Roger, Farmer's Son

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:

recapture | mission | fort | officer | army | 

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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:

Italy France West Germany Spain

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 August 1973 (Spain)

Also Known As:

A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Atlántida Films, Europrodis, Heritage Entertainment Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

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?

Trivia

The prison set from John Guillermin's " El Condor " was re-used during the filming.

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Goofs

In the battle scene inside the fort, several Confederate soldiers are running up a stone staircase up the wall. Several of the men get gunned down by the Gatling gun. However, after the sound of the Gatling gun stops, a final man running up the stairs throws his hands in the air, as if he was shot and falls dead. This could have been from another gunshot, but the implication was that it was from the Gatling gun.

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Connections

Referenced in Alfonso Sansone produttore per caso (2014)

User Reviews

Greed, death and vengeance when war goes private

It is the American Civil War as envisioned by Italians, set apart from the main theaters of conflict, out in the southwestern desert. James Coburn is Col. Pembroke who has lost impregnable Ft. Holman to the Rebs and who has a private scheme to retrieve it along with his honor. He sets out on a commando expedition with a sergeant and a dirty half-dozen volunteers, scalawags freed from the gallows and kept in line (barely) with a promise of hidden gold. Telly Savalas is the Southern commander dreading Pembroke's reappearance. Some exciting action and tense situations, but credibility is strained when, with the Ft. Holman Gatling gun spraying shot into the parade ground, the Confederate troops show no interest in cover but keep milling in the open like ants from a hill goaded with a stick. Not a great or inspiring movie but a solid performance from Coburn. And for all the death there's not much blood.