Pleasant Spaghetti Western with a Peplum usual , Steve Reeves , as starring and writer . An Italian production full of action , exaggerated characters, shootouts and lots of violence . This is the story of a man with an only obsession ¨Live for kill¨ . For money, for pleasure, for revenge , he doesn't care why he kills or how ¡ ... Some rustlers rob horses from Sturges family . The oldest son named Mike (Steve Reeves ) Sturges (homage to John Sturges ?) and his brother Roy set out in pursuit the thieves . While they are looking for the outlaws Mike sees as the Southern Pacific Railways blows up and they are accused for robbing the cash , being framed by a corrupt sheriff (Dick Palmer , aka Mimmo Palmara ) who executes a ¨Pestaggio¨ against Mike as hitting , punch and kicking . They are incarcerated in Yuma Penitentiary . There Roy doesn't bear the mistreats and humiliations , but Mike gets to getaway and seeks vendetta against nasties . He escapes and sees the atrocity over his family and the Sturges ranch is destroyed , then executes a single-handedly revenge, as he slashes, ravages and murders each person involved in the killing . Mike encounters hints about the bandits in Dragon Pass Coach Station and a box of Niagara dynamite , plus an Abisian Desert Companion bottle , all of them lead his enemies. Mike is relentless in his vendetta , deadly in his violence. The conflict is a simple one between avenger Mike Sturges , and oppressors, nasties bandits commanded by cruel sheriff and his underlings. Then Sturges is submitted a tempestuous trap and is caught and he faces the vicious bandits. Finally , in a coach station takes place a deadly showdown between Mike and his enemies .
It's an exciting western all'Italiana with breathtaking showdown between the protagonist Steve Reeves against the heartless Dick Palmer and his merciless gunfighters . Steve is fine, he runs , ravages the screen, shoots, hit and run and kills but also receives violent knocks , punches , kicks and wounds . In the film premiere attained bit success , nowadays is best valued and I think it turns out to be an acceptable Spaghetti Western. Steve Reeves played ¨Hercules¨ and ¨Hercules¨ and ¨Hercules and Queen of Lydia¨ and many others muscle-men epics . He also acted in adventure genre as ¨Sandokan¨, swashbuckling as ¨Morgan the pirate¨ and fantasy as ¨The thief of Bagdag¨ . Reeves was almost retired when starred and wrote ¨ Viovo per la tua morte¨, unfortunately for Mr. Universe the picture was a failure . His riding scenes were usually carried out by the habitual stunt and double Giovanni Cianfriglia or Ken Wood . Frustrated Steve Reeves returned US and nothing more else , as he retired in his ranch . The secondary Nello Pazzafini as a cruelly warden role is terrific , he bears a hysterical and mocking smile , subsequently the would play similar characters .In the picture appears ordinary secondaries from Spaghetti as Gino Lollobrigida (or Lee Burton , Gina Lollobrigida's brother) , Ivan Scratuglia , Franco Fantasia , Enzo Fiermonte , Spartaco Conversi , and the Eurotrash goddess Rosalba Neri , and also uncredited Aldo Sambrell as a brutal bounty hunter . The film packs violence , gun-play , explosion, high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining. There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shootouts or stunts every few minutes. There are many fine technicians and nice assistants as Remo De Angelis , habitual master of arms and stunts in numerous Spaghetti Western . Good production design creating an excellent scenario with luminous outdoors , dirty and rocky landscapes under a glimmer sun and a fine set on the town . The musician Carlo Savina, composes a nice soundtrack and well conducted ; it's full of guttural sounds, sensible songs and a haunting musical leitmotif . Catching song at the beginning and ending titled ¨Go West young man¨ by Powell and Savina . Striking cinematography by Enzo Barboni - Trinity and Bambino film's director- with negative well processed and perfect remastering . Interior filmed at Elios Studios and outdoor sequences filmed in Spanish outdoors located in Almeria , Spain.
Camilo Bazzoni's direction -under a pseudonym named Alex Burks , an usual cameraman- is middlingly crafted , here he's less thought-provoking and broody and more inclined toward violence and too much action , though he's an expert on cinematography . Rating : 5 acceptable and passable . The picture will appeal to Spaghetti Western fans.
