As indicated by the title, Sollima and star Tomas Milian's follow-up to THE BIG GUNDOWN (1966) is another confrontation/collaboration between two disparate characters: Milian here plays a more mature version of his "Cuchillo" Sanchez characterization from the earlier film - Solomon "Beauregard" Bennett, the leader of an outlaw gang - and alongside him, this time we have Gian Maria Volonte' tackling his most interesting and complex role within the genre (this was his fourth and last Spaghetti Western). Obviously, Volonte' (later a prominent figure in politically-oriented Italian films) is a stronger actor than Lee Van Cleef and, therefore, the film's tone differs considerably from that of THE BIG GUNDOWN; while it may not have the earlier film's scope and isn't as elaborately plotted, it's certainly a more ambitious undertaking with extra care given to individual characterization (and not merely that of the two leads).
Volonte' is a meek, tubercular American college professor sent out West by his doctor for health reasons; he meets convicted Milian, whom he unwittingly helps escape and is consequently taken by the latter as hostage. He tags along with Milian, saves his life on a number of occasions and eventually joins his re-assembled gang; like the Lou Castel of KILL AND PRAY (1967), Volonte' too takes easily to gunplay and a life of crime - but his transition is much more convincing here! Another interesting character who turns up - ably played by Euro-Cult stalwart William Berger - is one Charlie Siringo (meaning hypodermic!), a Pinkerton detective (it appears that he really existed!) who manages to infiltrate Milian's gang and eventually betray them.
Like THE BIG GUNDOWN, it's filled to the brim with colorful characters, including Angel Del Pozo - the spineless aristocrat and true child-murderer/rapist of GUNDOWN - is a gang member who has taken time out during the Civil War by acting as his true self, a foppish landowner; Aldo Sambrell as Milian's right-hand man and who is eventually 'bought' by the authorities into leading a posse to decimate the harmless community of old-style Westerners (overtaken by the ongoing progress) who have taken to the mountains, and among whom Milian's gang occasionally finds refuge (a plot element which anticipates THE WILD BUNCH - also, incidentally, the name of Milian's gang - by two years!); Carole Andre' as Milian's rather annoying tomboyish girlfriend, etc. While the massacre in itself isn't shown, the unrelenting mob still pursues the survivors trekking through the desert and mows down a group which have been left behind after being forced to abandon one of their wagons; it's not hard to discern here parallels with Vietnam and, indeed, the entire film is redolent of the general political awareness which came to the fore during the 1960s.
Still, the film's most impressive element - one might call it its raison d'etre - is the way that the characters of Volonte' and Milian are gradually inverted (inspired, perhaps, by Joseph Losey's THE SERVANT [1963]?): from a bookish and peace-loving man, an obviously intelligent Volonte' evolves into a genuine criminal mastermind (his 'moment of truth', as it were, is brilliantly achieved by having him 'take' the woman he desires in the absence of her man, whom he later confronts and kills!); Milian, on the other hand, seeing his role as leader of the gang being disputed and also by observing The Professor's increasing megalomania, eventually develops a conscience!
The climax is, once again, magnificent: Berger - who has seen the error of his ways and had earlier turned down the chance to lead the posse himself (as had the captured Milian) - faces off with Sambrell, with the former emerging triumphant; the by-now deranged Volonte' comes forward to finish Berger off but Milian intervenes and shoots Volonte' instead (who expires regretting not being able to accomplish the many heists he had been devising!); Milian is all ready to give himself up to Berger, but the latter lets him go because, as he tells Milian, "the old Beauregard is no more". Besides, Ennio Morricone contributes yet another wonderful - and gloriously dissonant - score.
Volonte' is a meek, tubercular American college professor sent out West by his doctor for health reasons; he meets convicted Milian, whom he unwittingly helps escape and is consequently taken by the latter as hostage. He tags along with Milian, saves his life on a number of occasions and eventually joins his re-assembled gang; like the Lou Castel of KILL AND PRAY (1967), Volonte' too takes easily to gunplay and a life of crime - but his transition is much more convincing here! Another interesting character who turns up - ably played by Euro-Cult stalwart William Berger - is one Charlie Siringo (meaning hypodermic!), a Pinkerton detective (it appears that he really existed!) who manages to infiltrate Milian's gang and eventually betray them.
Like THE BIG GUNDOWN, it's filled to the brim with colorful characters, including Angel Del Pozo - the spineless aristocrat and true child-murderer/rapist of GUNDOWN - is a gang member who has taken time out during the Civil War by acting as his true self, a foppish landowner; Aldo Sambrell as Milian's right-hand man and who is eventually 'bought' by the authorities into leading a posse to decimate the harmless community of old-style Westerners (overtaken by the ongoing progress) who have taken to the mountains, and among whom Milian's gang occasionally finds refuge (a plot element which anticipates THE WILD BUNCH - also, incidentally, the name of Milian's gang - by two years!); Carole Andre' as Milian's rather annoying tomboyish girlfriend, etc. While the massacre in itself isn't shown, the unrelenting mob still pursues the survivors trekking through the desert and mows down a group which have been left behind after being forced to abandon one of their wagons; it's not hard to discern here parallels with Vietnam and, indeed, the entire film is redolent of the general political awareness which came to the fore during the 1960s.
Still, the film's most impressive element - one might call it its raison d'etre - is the way that the characters of Volonte' and Milian are gradually inverted (inspired, perhaps, by Joseph Losey's THE SERVANT [1963]?): from a bookish and peace-loving man, an obviously intelligent Volonte' evolves into a genuine criminal mastermind (his 'moment of truth', as it were, is brilliantly achieved by having him 'take' the woman he desires in the absence of her man, whom he later confronts and kills!); Milian, on the other hand, seeing his role as leader of the gang being disputed and also by observing The Professor's increasing megalomania, eventually develops a conscience!
The climax is, once again, magnificent: Berger - who has seen the error of his ways and had earlier turned down the chance to lead the posse himself (as had the captured Milian) - faces off with Sambrell, with the former emerging triumphant; the by-now deranged Volonte' comes forward to finish Berger off but Milian intervenes and shoots Volonte' instead (who expires regretting not being able to accomplish the many heists he had been devising!); Milian is all ready to give himself up to Berger, but the latter lets him go because, as he tells Milian, "the old Beauregard is no more". Besides, Ennio Morricone contributes yet another wonderful - and gloriously dissonant - score.