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10 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Another Spaghetti Western that hits the mark, 14 October 2000 Author: jbpott from Portland, OR. U.S.A.
I first read about this film in a great book about Spaghetti Westerns wherein every Italian western was presented in complete detail. It was a scholarly approach to the genre and has made me a fan for years. Known in the U.S. as A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL, it has a darker mood than Sergio Leone's DOLLAR trilogy and his masterpiece, DUCK, YOU SUCKER! (a.k.a. FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE), more angst ridden than Sergio Corbucci's A PROFESSIONAL GUN (a.k.a. THE MERCENARY) and more bleak than Corbucci's masterpiece, DJANGO (which spawned countless sequels that had nothing to do with the original and the only one worth mentioning is: DJANGO KILL!) which is difficult since the western was awash in a sea of mud that was the stage where the characters ruthlessly slaughtered each other.I love the Italian approach to westerns because they create an atmosphere where John Wayne is not welcome. If the Duke were to enter their world, he would be shot in the back by some crazed revolutionary/bandit who wouldn't wait for a showdown in the street. Plus the Duke probably wouldn't be fast enough on the draw. A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL has plenty of mood, crazed revolutionaries/bandits, double-crossings, contempt for "gringos" (which makes me wonder about how the Italians think of us--are these films suppose to be "political statements" too?), gun fights and endless desolate landscapes that would make Sam Peckinpah drool with delight. There is no happiness to be found in this film and every fan of Spaghetti westerns would revel in it's excess.A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL is great on this level and should have multiple viewings (check out Klaus Kinski as the bible thumping revolutionary who spouts credo with gunfire and Lou Castel as the cold-hearted gringo who doesn't drink, smoke, look at women but LOVES money). The only Spaghetti Western regulars missing from this one are: Franco Nero and Lee Van Cleef. Director Damiano Daminani has made a Spaghetti western cult classic in his own right. I want to see his other westerns. See it and you won't be sorry.
7 out of 7 people found the following review useful: Mexican bandit antics with a difference!!!!!!!, 8 March 2004 Author: nora_nettlerash from Ruritania
In Damiano Damiani's first stab at the spaghetti westernGian Maria Volonte (veteran of Sergio Leone films) plays Chuncho, leader of a Mexican Bandit gang who sell arms to the revolutionaries. Lou Castel is a calm, smooth American, who tags along with the bandits, eventually exerting an influence on them. There is also a strong performance by another spaghetti western regular, Klaus Kinski, as a slightly crazed Christian revolutionary. As time goes by the relationships between them change and become more complex, revealing the characters' true colours. Along the way there is plenty of Mexican Bandit action - train holdups, raids on forts, peasant liberation - to keep up the pace of the film.To be fair, the first hour or so was pretty average - there were a few good moments (such as an attack on a landowner's mansion), but nothing really exceptional. However, as the plot begins to come to a head things really start to pick up, with issues of betrayal, trust and ideology coming to the fore. The final scene really makes an impact, as Chuncho is forced to choose between a wealthy and comfortable future in the states and his loyalty to the revolutionary cause. Needless to say he makes the right choice, and he makes it in style, resulting an ending which manages to be at the same time funny, exciting and emotional.One of the cleverest things about this film is that in many ways it is a role reversal of the typical spaghetti western. We see the cool, collected Yankee stranger as the villain and the scruffy Mexican bandit as the hero, as far as those concepts exist in the genre. The casting of Volonte here is particularly apt, since in Leone's films he WAS that Mexican bandit villain.Overall, £Quien Sabe? is well above average, combining action, politics and a good storyline into one excellent movie.
10 out of 13 people found the following review useful: My favourite non-Sergio Leone spaghetti western., 22 February 2004 Author: Infofreak from Perth, Australia
'A Bullet For The General' is my favourite non-Sergio Leone spaghetti western. It actually has some connection with Leone as it was directed by Damiano Damiani, who Leone later co-directed 'A Genius, Two Friends and an Idiot' with, and stars Gian Maria Volonte who fans will recognize from 'A Fistful Of Dollars' and 'For A Few Dollars More'. On top of that the legendary Klaus Kinski, who was also in 'For A Few Dollars more' (as well as many other spaghetti westerns) plays Volonte's brother. One thing I should point out is that despite Kinski getting second billing, and having his photo alone splashed all over the cover of the video I watched, he's not in the movie all that much, so be warned. Volonte's REAL co-star is Lou Castel, best known to me from his work in 'Orgasmo' and 'Killer Nun'. Castel plays "Gringo" a mysterious American who ingratiates himself into a gang of bandits led by El Chuncho (Volonte) after a train robbery. El Chuncho takes an immediate liking to Gringo and they joins forces, selling weapons to Mexican revolutionaries. Volonte and Castel make a terrific duo, as good as Eastwood and Wallach in 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly'. Klaus Kinski as I say has little screen time, but is always a pleasure to watch, and plays an unusual role for him, the saintly El Santo. Added to that is the presence of the stunning Martine Beswicke ('One Million Years BC', 'Dr Jekyll And Sister Hyde'), one of the most beautiful actresses of all time. Boy, do I never get tired of looking at her! 'A Bullet For The General' works as exciting entertainment, but the relationship between the two main characters is interesting, and the atmospheric background of the Mexican Revolution (this is two years before 'The Wild Bunch' remember) makes this recommended viewing. Finally, the ending is a killer, and El Chuncho's parting lines are unforgettable. If you've seen Leone's best westerns and 'The Wild Bunch' put 'A Bullet For The General' right at the top of your "to see" list. You won't regret it.
3 out of 3 people found the following review useful: watch as political film, 23 February 2006 Author: jam55 from United States
I agree with the other viewers how wonderful this film is. However they seem to miss the real point of the film. Made in 1967 during the Vietnam war, this film is really a comment on US policies in the world. It is a classic of the genre of euro intellectual leftist anti imperial US films of the time, beautifully done. Damiano in his films obviously likes and respects Americans, just not the imperial thing.Regardless of your politics it is important to see this film for what it is really is. For an old lefty like me I kept thinking "where was this film in the early 70's when I was in college". I would have loved it then, as much as I loved seeing it now, almost 30 years after it birth.
4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: A movie about conflict between ideals of a man and his desire for money., 7 March 2000 Author: Mîtiu Ioan Angelo (i.mitiu@invision.ro) from Timisoara, Romania
I believe this is one of the greatest movies I ever seen. It is centrated on personality of El Chuncho. In the past he was a revolutionar soldier, fighting with Elias soldiers for great ideas: freedom and plenty for peasants. Now times are changed and he is just an outlaw who rob trains and lordly houses for money with a clique of man without other ideals. The old general Elias is now hiding in a far and poor village, fighting a desperated guerrilla war. During one action he capture an american passenger, Bill Tate.Bill has a great influence on El Chuncho. Bill is tidy and educated, reject inutile violence, and for this El Chuncho, deep in his mind invidiates and admires him. Maybe when El Chuncho figth in revolution he dreamed a time when all the peasants look like Bill Tate. So he protected Bill. But the "boy" is in fact a killer, hired by Mexican Government and when he killed the general El Chuncho realised he was hoaxed by Bill Tate, so he want now to revenge. He find Bill Tate, but, surprising this want to share with El Chuncho the reward and together go in States and begin a new life. But in train station, looking to poor people, El Chuncho realised that his place isn't there, and in a romantical moment ( maybe not so real, but very touching ) kill Bill Tate, drop the money and run to freedom and to fight for his youthful ideas ...Particullary I remember the last sentence of the movie, addressed to a poor mexican guy who take his money : " Man! Use that money not for buying bread, but for buying dynamite !"
5 out of 7 people found the following review useful: Well regarded spaghetti western lives up to its reputation, 12 November 2005 Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York
In revolutionary Mexico American John Tate hooks up with a band of outlaws lead by Chuncho. They are "collecting" guns for the revolution. Tate, called Nino by his new friends, tags along as they get guns, free the poor and attempt to get paid for their efforts.Thats wildly simplified and doesn't do the complexity of this film justice. What is going on in the film is often not apparent until you get to the very end of the movie. No one is who they seem to be and everyone has some sort of other motive for what they are doing. Its a complex film that you have to stay with since you can never be certain what is going on.For a long stretch of the film I wasn't certain what I thought of it. As I said, this is a story that is ever changing and evolving as it goes, and which you can't say whether you like or not until you get to the very end. It seems like an enjoyable mean but slightly confused western for most of its running time. Our nominal hero, Nino, rapidly evolves into something else. He is always up to something and rarely is it any good. He's hard to root for, or even to like. You instead you have to root for Chuncho, which is a bit odd at first since he's a "bandit" and the "bad guy". By the end you're rooting for Chuncho, while you're still not sure about Nino. In the end though it all comes together, and it reveals itself to be a quite special movie.This is a movie to see if you like westerns, or even good movies for that matter. Its a film that engages you and moves you and your emotions. Its nice that an entertaining film such as this can also have other things on its mind yet not get lost on those other things or lose the enjoyment factor (there's a good deal of political satire woven into the story).Definitely recommended.
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful: A bullet for the General, 28 April 2008 Author: chaos-rampant from Greece
I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of the political spaghettis revolving around the Mexican revolution that came out during the late 60's. It was a trend that coincided with the general left-ist sentiment that prevailed in Italy at that time and gave directors like Sollima and Damiani in this case a perfect opportunity to speak their views. However I'm a sucker for a good spaghetti western.A Bullet for the General starts out fantastic with a train hold up by the Mexican bandit El Chucho (Gian Maria Volonte). The whole setting and the moral dilemma the captain of the train faces is just right on the money. For the next hour though the movie takes a sudden downturn in quality. There's plenty of shooting action, but it's uninteresting for the most part. We watch El Chucho's gang as they attack different posts to steal arms for a revolutionary general called Elias. There's a running sociopolitical commentary throughout the movie, but what really takes it down a notch is the heavy handed dialogue. The English dubbing is absolutely awful and the translations probably don't do justice to the original material. Some of them are so cringe-worthy that the ideas they're supposed to convey become caricatures.The good thing is that the second hour is better as it focuses more on character drama and conflict. The last 20 minutes in particular elevate the movie from just OK and are worth the price of admission. The cinematography by Damiani is excellent, the desolate terrain becoming another character in the movie. The performances are solid for the most part, with Volonte stealing every scene he's in as the greasy Mexican bandito with a heart of gold. His change of heart during the end is a joy to behold.Overall if it weren't for the atrocious dubbing and occasionally silly dialogue, this would be a classic. As far as political spaghettis go, Sollima's Faccia a Faccia is still the undisputed king. In the Mexican revolution-era adventure department, it doesn't top Corbucci's Companeros. However it's still very good as it is, combining bits and pieces from both worlds into an entertaining story. Recommended viewing for fans of the genre.
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful: Excellent Political Spaghetti Western By Damiano Damiani!, 20 October 2006 Author: Benjamin Gauss from Salzburg, Austria
Damiano Damiani's masterpiece "El Chuncho Quién Sabe?" aka. "A Bullet For The General" of 1967 is a very political Spaghetti Western set in the Mexican Revolution. A quite brutal tale about ideals, greed, friendship and selfishness, is not only a very entertaining Spaghetti Western, but also a unique study of an idealistic man's struggle between his greed and desire for wealth on the one hand, and his beliefs and ideals on the other hand.El Chuncho (Gian Maria Volontè) is a bandit and revolutionary with a strong fondness for women, alcohol and cigars. Along with his slightly insane, but religious and very idealistic brother El Santo (Klaus Kinski), he leads a gang of bandits with beliefs, who help the poor and rob the government's army to sell the weapons to the revolutionary army. When the gang is joined by Bill Tate, an American who, due to his youth, is just referred to as "El Nino" by El Chuncho and his fellow Mexican bandidos, the gang leader starts to befriend with the gringo. El Nino, however is basically almost the opposite of El Chuncho, he doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke and he doesn't waste his time with women, and neither does he believe in any causes or ideals, the only thing he is interested in is quick and good money. His friendship to the baby-faced but selfish and cold-blooded Nino, becomes a breaking test for Chuncho, who is torn between his greed and his ideals.Although Sergio Leone and Sergio Corbucci are two of my favorite directors of all-time, and their movies "Giù La Testa" ("Duck You Sucker", Leone) and "Il Mercenario" ("The Mercenary", Corbucci), are two awesome movies, and furthermore there are quite a few more excellent Mexican Revolution Spaghetti Westerns , I would name "A Bullet for the General" as my favorite of the Mexican-Revolution-themed Spaghetti Westerns. The acting in this movie is superb. Gian Maria Volontè played in four Spaghetti Westerns and each one of them is a masterpiece. After his excellent performances in "A Fistful Of Dollars", "For A Few Dollars More" and Sergio Sollima's "Faccia A Faccia"/"Face To Face", Volontè is superb as El Chuncho, the most lovable Spaghetti Western character he played. Klaus Kinski is great as always, the character of the rather crazy but idealistic El Santo is quite unusual, since Kinski's roles in Italian Westerns were, with a few exceptions, normally those of extremely cold blooded and selfish killers, who didn't think of anybody but themselves. Lou Castel perfectly fits into the role of baby-faced El Nino, and he manages to point out his character's cleverness and selfishness in a very good way. The directing by Damiano Damiani is brilliant and so is the cinematography. I would have rated this 10/10 if it wasn't for he one minor flaw: The score by Ennio Morricone and Louis Bavalov is good, but it is no quite as great as it could have been as it can't compete with the brilliance of other Morricone scores. Nevertheless, an excellent film! A brutal, witty and very political Spaghetti Western, "A Bullet For The General" is an excellent film that genre-fans, and film buffs in general should not miss!
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful: Who knows? Could be classic spaghetti., 31 March 2002 Author: Chris from United States
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
DON'T READ THE OTHER COMMENT! It's a spoiler."A Bullet for the General" is a thoroughly enjoyable Western from beginning to end and does not leave you disappointed. Chuncho, played by Volonté, is a variant on the psychopathic bandit Indio from "For a Few Dollars More" and Ramón Rojo from "Fistful of Dollars", but with a pinch of ingrained revolutionary thrown in. The gringo is played superbly. He awes both Chuncho and the audience with his mystique, flawless planning, and supreme confidence ala "The Man with no Name". This plays very well into the shattering of caricatures at the end of the film. The soundtrack is also good including the very recognizable theme song.This film, with its comedy, extremes, and original situations, is in the same subgenre as the Eastwood spaghettis, rather than moodier westerns like "The Great Silence" or Eastwoods American westerns. I don't understand its low rating here. It's a lot more fun than "Compañeros" which was rated higher.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful: Solid, not great, 10 July 2007 Author: funkyfry from Oakland CA
Pretty amusing spag western actually... Gian Maria Volontè is at his absolute best, and Klaus Kinski also does some great character work as a revolutionary religious man who does the Lord's killing for Him. Lou Castel's performance as "Nino" was relatively underwhelming – it's one of those cases where the director apparently thought less is more. I just find the character somewhat one-dimensional and Castel didn't do anything to make it hold up. Martine Beswick gave some good performances in other films I've seen (particularly "Dr. Jeckyll and Sister Hyde") but was nothing special here, just eye- candy with a lot of rogue.The story is an interesting one, although even without the revealing American title its path might have been fairly predictable. I did think it was interesting that the film gradually shifted our sympathies from the Yankee Nino – who obviously has ulterior motives that we more and more suspect are not motivated by morality – to the initially stereotyped "bandito" El Chucho, played by Volonte. Basically this shift in our sympathies, if it works, represents the film's main political statement. The film plays with our expectations that the white man with a hidden agenda will turn out to be the good guy. I think after he accomplishes his task we're supposed to begin hating him, but I for one found the portrayal of the General to be overly static, as if the director wanted to present him as a kind of god-like figure. So in the end I wouldn't have had a problem with El Chucho going to America with El Nino, which means in some respects the film just did not work for me. I thought Kinski's priest character was twisted and I couldn't get upset about what happened to him either. So while my sympathies definitely shifted towards El Chucho, I didn't buy into the revolution he was supposed to be rejoining and I wish he had simply decided to go off on his own path, with or without El Chucho, instead of returning to that tarnished idealism.The directing is solid but unexceptional, reaching its peak during the action sequences early in the film. I've heard the film compared to Leone's films or the best of Corbucci's Westerns. Although it bears some comparison to Leone's "Duck, You Sucker" and Corbucci's "The Mercenary", I personally didn't feel the action was quite as intense, nor the characters as interesting as in those films. For one thing, this film really only has one convincing or intriguing character, El Chucho. Kinski's priest "El Santo" is fun to watch but utterly without dimension, and Castel's Nino was neither fun to watch nor interesting. In contrast "The Mercenary" and "Duck, You Sucker" each have at least 2 compelling characters, and the relationship between the American and the Mexican isn't nearly as interesting as what Leone did with the Irishman and the Mexican in his film about the Mexican Revolution.Still, if you forget about perhaps superior Westerns or superior Spag-westerns that you've seen, and just take the movie on its own merits, it's at least a reasonably entertaining picture and has some interesting surprises if you don't sit and think about it too much while you're watching it.
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