The Big Gundown [La resa dei conti] **** (1966, Lee Van Cleef, Tomas Milian, Walter Barnes) – Classic Movie Review 9830

Western cult stars Lee Van Cleef and Tomas Milian give great workouts for their practised, long-polished turns in director Sergio Sollima’s tough-toned 1966 European Western film The Big Gundown [La resa dei conti] about a Texan bounty hunter/ lawman, ‘Colorado’ Corbett (Van Cleef), going gunning for a Mexican bandito, ‘Cuchillo’ Sanchez (Milian), who has raped and killed a girl.

Although everything is exactly as expected in the story, the film is still richly entertaining for Spaghetti Western action fans, and it is distinguished by the care evident in its production, with top-quality Ennio Morricone music and Carlo Carlini Technicolor cinematography.

The original title La resa dei conti translates as The showdown.

There are several versions: 110 minutes, 80 minutes (edited), 89 minutes (original U.S. theatrical release) and 95 minutes (Blu-ray extended special edition).

Quentin Tarantino named it his favourite Spaghetti Western and one of the all-time top five Westerns.

Also in the cast are, Walter Barnes, Nieves Navarro, Gérard Herter, María Granada, Roberto Camardiel, Ángel del Pozo, Luisa Rivelli, Benito Stefanelli, Nello Pazzafini, Antonio Casas, José Torres, Tom Felleghy, Calisto Calisti and Fernando Sancho.

It was shot in Almería, Andalucía, Spain, and Cinecittà Studios, Rome.

It is written by Sergio Donati and Sergio Sollima from a story by Franco Solinas and Fernando Morandi.

The Tomas Milian role was originally intended for Gian Maria Volonté.

Sergio Sollima was born on April 17, 1921 in Rome and died on July 1, 2015 in Rome, age 94. He also directed Violent City (1970) with Charles Bronson.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9830

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