China 9, Liberty 37 (1978)

The railroad hires a condemned killer to murder an uncooperative rancher but the assassin fails to deliver, prompting the railroad men to go after him instead.

Directors:

Monte Hellman, Tony Brandt

Writers:

Jerry Harvey (story and screenplay), Douglas Venturelli (story and screenplay)

Stars:

Jenny Agutter, Warren Oates, Fabio Testi

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Warren Oates	...	Matthew
Fabio Testi	...	Clayton
Jenny Agutter	...	Catherine
Sam Peckinpah	...	Wilbur Olsen
Isabel Mestres	...	Barbara
Gianrico Tondinelli	...	Johnny
Franco Interlenghi	...	Hank
Charly Bravo	...	Duke (as Carlos Bravo)
Paco Benlloch	...	Virgil
Sydney Lassick	...	Sheriff's friend
Richard C. Adams	...	Sheriff
Natalia Kim	...	Cassie
Ivonne Sentis	...	Whore (as Yvonne Sentis)
Romano Puppo	...	Zeb
Luis Prendes	...	Williams

Storyline

Condemned gunman Clayton is given a last minute reprieve on condition he murders rancher Matthew for a railway company. Visiting Matthew's ranch, Clayton is unable to bring himself to kill Matthew and leaves, but Matthew's wife, Catherine, believing she has killed Matthew during an argument joins Clayton. Matthew, still alive, and mad as hell joins Clayton's equally angered employers to hunt down the pair

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Plot Keywords:

ranch | dead body | old west | hired killer | railroad company | 

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Taglines:

The deadliest crossroad.

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Genres:

Romance | Western

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy Spain

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

4 August 1978 (Italy)

Also Known As:

China 9, Liberty 37

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aspa Producciones, Compagnia Europea Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's screenplay was co-written by Jerry Harvey, with Douglas Venturelli. Mr Harvey was the driving force for the legendary early (L.A. only) film cable channel (1974-1988), the Z Channel, which aired finds - rare, uncut, all at a time before VCR's (much less video stores and now digital). Z Channel's place in film history is documented in the film, Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004), by Xan Cassavetes, daughter of noted director, John Cassavetes, and actress Gena Rowlands.

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Goofs

Clayton and Catherine are eating dinner in a hotel dining room. Clayton tells her that he is a gunfighter and she is a woman between husbands. The shot returns to Catherine who is sitting in a different setting (her hotel room), but answers as if the conversation was continuous.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Gallows Observer: Pretty sight, no more Japanese.

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Crazy Credits

After the end credits, a title gives the dedication "To my father".

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Connections

Remade as Snowblind (2010)

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Soundtracks

La Paloma
(uncredited)
By Sebastián Yradier
Performed by Isabel Mestres and Charly Bravo

User Reviews

Interesting, if far from perfect, Western.

This moves at an unhurried pace, and you may feel as if you've seen much of it before, especially if you're a spaghetti western fan. But it's worth seeing for the character played by Warren Oates, a former gunfighter whose behavior swings from the sympathetic to the unforgivable and almost back again. In a modest Western like this, it's a pleasant surprise to see ambiguous characters. So that his conflict with Fabio Testi, a younger gunfighter who steals Oates' wife, is full of uncertainty. For all the familiar trappings, you're uncertain how it will end; and that should keep you watching. As the object of desire, Jenny Agutter is constrained by a mumbling Irish brogue and an under-written part. But you can see why Testi is smitten with her. Bottom line: see this for Oates, a great actor in a worthy role.