This French-Italian co-production is an acceptable Spaghetti Western in average budget by Sergio Merolle , being highly rated by some critics , though other ones considerate it as mediocre . ¨Cost of dying¨ packs thrills , action , and lots of shots and gunplay . It takes place in the snow-filled outdoors of a Colorado mountain and based on violent events starred by Scaife (Bruno Corazzari) , the sadistic chief of a gang of cattle thieves, as they lay siege a village and terrorize the villagers . Bill Ransom, (Raymond Pellegrin) the retired sheriff, is the only one to stand up against Scaife and his hoodlums , among whom is Dan El (John Ireland) , a former friend . Sheriff Bill has a natural daughter (Betsy Bell) and an adopted son named Tony (Andrea Giordana). The sheriff gathers the townsfolk together and tries to get them to take up arms to fight the gang but the events go wrong . Scaife makes the villagers his slaves by forcing the men to work making a corral for the cattle . Then Tony doesn't hesitate to prosecute to hell Scaife , being only helped by Dan El . Meanwhile , Scaife and his band go on harassing the people village until a final fight .
It's an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between the protagonists Andrea Giordana and his preceptor John Ireland against his enemy , a gang of cattle rustlers led Bruno Corazzari and underlings . There is a huge shootout in the village and a breathtaking face off between Scaife and Dan . There is plenty of action and crossfire in the movie , guaranteeing a shootout or stunt every few minutes along with a lot of violence , including killings in cold blood . This widely deemed picture , unlike most conventional Spaghetti Western , contains exceptional setting , colorful images with an atmospheric cinematography by Benito Frattari, though being necessary a correct remastering , and features a sensitive musical score by Francesco De Massi , including emotive songs . This is a passable Spaghetti Western with some moment entertaining if you can avoid thinking too much . Nice production design and the snow in the village was created by gallons of shaving cream . Settings bear remarkable resemblance to other notorious Spaghetti Westerns such as ¨The great silence¨ and ¨Nine cutthroats¨. Good cast as Andrea Giordana who starred ¨Massacre at Grand canyon¨ , "The Dirty Outlaws" and ¨Johnny Hamlet¨ at his best . Bruno Corazzari as a cruelly baddie role is terrific, he steals the spectacle as a crazed psychopath ; former and subsequently he would play similar characters in various oaters . Furthermore, there appears usual American secondary actor , John Ireland , who starred some Spaghetti Western as "Gatling Gun" , "Bordello" , ¨Challenge of the McKennas¨ ,"Vengeance for Vengeance" , "Run, Man, Run", "Pistol for a Hundred Coffins" .
The picture also develops a peculiar paternal-filial relationship between Andrea Giordana and John Ireland , teaching about art of killing and shooting . Other films dealing with the gunslinger/student theme and among them are the followings : "In a Colt's Shadow" by Gianni Grimaldi with Stephen Forsyth , Conrado San Martin and Aldo Sambrell ; 'Beyond the Law(68)' by Giorgio Stegani with Lee Van Cleef and Alfonso Sábato ; ¨Bandidos¨ by Massimo Dallamano with Enrico Maria Salerno , Terry Jenkins , Venantino Venantini ¨. And the best are ¨Día de Ira¨ or I Giorni Dell'Ira (original title) with Lee Van Cleef and Giuliano Gemma , this Spaghetti Western along with 'Da Uomo a Uomo¨ by Giulio Petroni with Lee Van Cleef-John Philip Law ; all of them led to recovery in the popularity of 'horse opera'
Director Sergio Merolle achieved in "Cost of dying or Taste of death " possibly his best and only work of a modest career , with some memorable scenes and regular camera movement , such as the ending duel with surprise included and that makes only can say that this movie seems to be a passable story . Merolle worked as a Production Manager in such an important films as ¨Queimada¨, ¨Battlee of Algiers¨, Sandra¨, and epic movies as ¨Poncio Pilatos¨, ¨Battle of Siracusa and ¨Sign of Rome¨.
