A couple of years before this, director Sergio Corbucci made the great DJANGO, which is one of my favorite spaghetti-westerns ever. After seeing this one, in it's revamped, restored and re-beautified version, at a recent theatrical showing in NYC, I'm thinking this actually tops it. Perhaps it's Klaus Kinski's standout performance, though all the acting in this is pretty top-notch, or the snowy setting which reminded me of THE CUT-THROATS 9, another favorite. Most of all though it's probably the bleak ending that makes this one really stand out for me though it's probably not everyone's cup of tea. . Corbucci drives home quite the anti-capitalist message here which I'm not even sure I totally agree with but it's all done so well that it's hard to find any other faults here.
There's an alternate cut of this that actually has a happy ending which I think really reduces the films power and effect.
The hot and sexy Vonetta McGee would go on to be in BLACULA and that women-in-prison flick THE BIG BUST OUT. This was only her second role and while everyone blames the movies downer ending on it not getting a release in America or England I can't help but think that her interracial love scene played at least a small part in this being viewed as pretty controversial for the times.
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