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Click a image. You can see it with original size. |
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| Locandina A | Italian poster (x4) | Italian poster (x2 A) |
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| Locandina B | Italian poster (X2 B) | Japanese poster |
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| JP 45 Seven seas HIT 1440 | Japanese Leaflet |
| English Title | The Ugly Ones |
| Director | Eugenio Martin |
| Screenplay | Don Prindle , Jose Maesso , Eugenio Martin |
| Photography | Enzo Barboni |
| Music | Stelvio Cipriani |
| Cast | Tomas Milian , Richard Wyler , Mario Brega
, Ella Karin , Hugo Blanca , Luis Barboo |
| THE BOUNTY KILLER |
| In the 1970s, veteran British actor James
Mason was approached with a script for a
Franco Italian Spanish co-produced western,
also slated to star Lee Van Cleef and Gina
Lollobrigida. The script struck Mason as
appalling, and, confident the film would
never embarrass him by being distributed
in the English speaking world, Mason agreed
to star in Bad Man's River- one of the worst
Spaghetti Westerns ever made and a monument
to the creative folly of its director, Spaniard
Eugenio Martin. Martin's other major western,
Pancho Villa was a similarly irritating example.
A talented director in other fields, Martin
seemed like Leon Klimovsky only less prolific
and with all star casts. And yet, the Bounty Killer is also a Eugenio Martin film, and it happens to be one of the best Spaghettis ever made- arguably the best of all the dominantly Spanish productions. A handsomely directed film, it benefits from photography by the invariably talented Enzo Barboni, a fine debut musical score from Stelivio Cipriani, and above all, excellent playing from British born Richard Wyler, Tomas Milian (also a spaghetti debut) and Ella Karin. Martin does a good job- the only good job he was to do in the genre. It's very puzzling . The bounty killer of the title is Wyler who arrives in a small border town looking for a bandit. Wyler gets his man and earns the disapproval of the townspeople. He compares his job to serving breakfast for a dollar and naturally the local innkeeper, Karin, declines his dollar. Wyler leavestown, gratefully. Unfortunately he finds himself destined to return there. Bandit Milian escapes custody with the help of Karin. The town is Milian's original home, and Wyler realises the place is a likely stop on Milian's way. Inevitably when Wyler arrives, he is as unpopular as before. No one believes his description of Milian as a psychotic killer either and when Milian finally shows up, the townspeople obstruct Wyler, finally helping Milian overpower him. The local boy can do no wrong Now a prisoner of Milian, Wyler watches his warnings being borne out. A man attempting to leave town is killed by Milian's men. Members of Milian's gang arrive in increasing numbers and loot the town mercilessly. Finally Milian indicates his desire to drag Karin to Mexico with him. Now convinced that Wyler was right all along she frees him. 'What will you charge for our freedom?', she asks him; wearily, Wyler sneers 'How much are you all worth?'. Nonetheless, Wyler takes on Milian's gang- for the money if nothing else. Some of the citizens at least prove capable of helping him until only Milian remains. Attempts by Wyler to take the bandit alive count for nothing and Milian ends his life face down gasping sand. All this is filmed with talent and flair. The work of some one likewise with talent and flair. It's also the work of the man who bought you Bad Man's River. I'm still very confused. |
| TOM SELDON elpuro@email.msn.com |
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July 15, 2000