Giù la testa (1971)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Sergio Leone

Writers:

Sergio Leone (story) and
Sergio Donati (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 October 1971 (Italy)

Genre:

Adventure | Western | Action | War

Tagline:

Rod Steiger and James Coburn will blow you apart in "A Fistful of Dynamite" ("Duck You Sucker") by the master of adventure Sergio Leone

Plot:

An IRA explosives expert on the run in Mexico meets an amoral Mexican bandit; together they get drawn into the Mexican revolution.

Plot Keywords:

Explosive | Mexico | Mexican | Revolutionary | Mexican Revolution

Awards:

1 win

Cast

James Coburn	...	John H. Mallory
Rod Steiger	...	Juan Miranda
Romolo Valli	...	Dr. Villega
Maria Monti	...	Adelita, woman in stagecoach
Rik Battaglia	...	Santerna (as Rick Battaglia)
Franco Graziosi	...	Governor Jaime
Antoine Saint-John	...	Gutierez / Col. Günther Reza (as Jean-Michel Antoine)
Vivienne Chandler	...	John's girlfriend (flashback)
David Warbeck	...	John's friend Sean Nolan (flashback)
Giulio Battiferri	...	Miguel
Poldo Bendandi	...	Executed Revolutionary
Omar Bonaro
Roy Bosier	...	Landowner
John Frederick	...	American
Amato Garbini
Michael Harvey	...	Yankee
Biagio La Rocca	...	Benito
Furio Meniconi	...	Executed Revolutionary
Nazzareno Natale
Vincenzo Norvese	...	Pancho
Stefano Oppedisano	...	Revolutionary
Memè Perlini	...	Peon (as Amelio Perlini)
Goffredo Pistoni	...	Nino
Renato Pontecchi	...	Pepe
Jean Rougeul	...	Priest
Corrado Solari	...	Sebastian
Benito Stefanelli
Franco Tocci
Rosita Torosh
Antonio Casale	...	Notary on Stagecoach (as Anthony Vernon)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sergio Calderón	...	(uncredited)
Franco Collace	...	Napoleon (uncredited)
Simon van Collem	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Luis Morris	...	Man who spits at poster (uncredited)
Aldo Sambrell	...	Member of firing squad (uncredited)
Conrado San Martín	...	Stagecoach driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Sergio Leone

Writing credits
Sergio Leone		(story) and
Sergio Donati		(story)
Luciano Vincenzoni		screenplay and
Sergio Donati		writer and
Sergio Leone		writer

Produced by
Claudio Mancini	....	associate producer
Fulvio Morsella	....	producer
Ugo Tucci	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Giuseppe Ruzzolini

Film Editing by
Nino Baragli

Art Direction by
Andrea Crisanti

Set Decoration by
Dario Micheli

Costume Design by
Franco Carretti

Makeup Department
Paolo Borselli	....	hair stylist (as Paolo Borzelli)
Amato Garbini	....	makeup artist
Rocchetti	....	wig maker

Production Management
Claudio Mancini	....	production supervisor
Camillo Teti	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Brandt	....	assistant director (as Antonio Brandt)
Alberto De Martino	....	second unit director (as Martin Herbert)

Art Department
Ezio Di Monte	....	set dresser
Franco Velchi	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Fausto Ancillai	....	sound mixer
Michael Billingsley	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Antonio Margheriti	....	special effects
Giovanni Corridori	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Benito Stefanelli	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Franco Delli Colli	....	lighting camera operator: second unit
Roberto Forges Davanzati	....	assistant camera
Massimo Massimi	....	chief electrician
Angelo Novi	....	still photographer
Alessandro Ruzzolini	....	assistant camera
Idelmo Simonelli	....	camera operator
Franco Tocci	....	head grip
Claudio Sabatini	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Luisa Buratti	....	wardrober
Tirelli	....	costumes

Editorial Department
Gino Bartolini	....	assistant editor
Rossana Maiuri	....	first assistant editor
Olga Sarra	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Ennio Morricone	....	conductor

Other crew
Eros Bacciucchi	....	arms and explosions (as Baciucchi)
Serena Canevari	....	continuity
Cimino	....	set
Giovanni Corridori	....	armorer
Raffaello Forti	....	production accountant
Nino Lembo	....	jewels
Vasco Mafera	....	production secretary
Tonino Palombi	....	armorer
Rancati	....	set
Luciano De Ambrosis	....	voice dubbing: John Frederick (uncredited)
Pino Locchi	....	voice dubbing: Rik Battaglia (uncredited)
Anna Miserocchi	....	voice dubbing: Maria Monti (uncredited)
Bruno Persa	....	voice dubbing: Jean Rougeul (uncredited)
Cesare Polacco	....	voice dubbing (uncredited)
Giuseppe Rinaldi	....	voice dubbing: James Coburn (uncredited)
Carlo Romano	....	voice dubbing: Rod Steiger (uncredited)
Benito Stefanelli	....	master of arms (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Euro International Film (EIA)
• Rafran Cinematografica
• San Miura

Distributors

• Euro International Film (EIA) (1971) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1972) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1972) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1972) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• United Artists Corporation (1972) (UK) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (new 35mm print reconstructed version)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Opção (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Nathan  costumes
• Nis Films  synchronisation
• Pompei Vidéo  costumes
• Western Costume Company  costumes

Also Known As:

A Fistful of Dynamite (UK) (USA) (alternative title)
C'era una volta la rivoluzione (Italy)
Duck, You Sucker (USA)
Once Upon a Time... the Revolution

Runtime:

157 min | USA:120 min (initial US release) | USA:138 min | USA:154 min (Laserdisc version)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian | Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Brazil:14 | West Germany:16 (nf) (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (nf) (original rating) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:15 (cut) | Norway:18 (1972) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1988) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:PG (original rating) | USA:R (laserdisc rating) (1996)

Filming Locations:

Almería Railway Station, Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Euro International Film (EIA)

Trivia:

Jason Robards and Clint Eastwood were both considered for the role of John; John's friend Sean (David Warbeck) was to be played by Malcolm McDowell.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the deserter is taken from the train to be executed along with two others the wall behind him is shot at and damaged on both sides of the deserter. The following close-up shot of the deserter getting shot in the back reveals no damage to the wall.

Quotes:

John H. Mallory: I used to believe in many things, all of it! Now, I believe only in dynamite.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Once Upon a Time: Sergio Leone (2001) (V)

Sergio Leone's Sad, Funny, Beautiful Epic Western

Coming off the triumphs of his "Man With No Name" series and his frustrations with the cutting of "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" and "Once Upon a Time in the West," Sergio Leone directed the big budget, epic western, originally titled, "Once Upon a Time in the Revolution". Since "...West" had been released by Paramount and United Artists was releasing "...Revolution," some executive decide the rename the movie "Duck! You Sucker!" after the phrase Sean (James Coburn) uses repeatedly before blowing someone or something up with dynamite. Likely the same executive choose an advertising campaign reminiscent of "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly," creating caricatures of Sean and Juan (Rod Steiger) adding the caption "...the master of adventure, Sergio Leone". Well, I doubt many theater audiences knew who Sergio Leone was, since he was yet to be recognized as a directoral genius the equal of John Ford or Howard Hawks. Worse, the advertising implied "Duck! You Sucker! was a laugh romp, a parody of Leone's early masterpieces. This impression was made even worse when the film failed to perform. In any event, "A Fistfull of Dyanmite" was a dismal failure at the box office and Leone never made another big budget western drama.It's too bad, because "A Fistfull of Dynamite" is Leone's trueist work, his most accurate vision of life, politics and revolution. Neither Rod Steiger nor James Coburn were strongly associated with westerns, even though both played strong roles in earlier films (Steiger in "Run of the Arrow" and "Jubal," Coburn in "The Magnificent Seven" and "Ride Lonesome". Worse, Steiger's Juan looked like something of a buffoon and the movies villains were bland and underdeveloped. However, I believe this was Leone's intention: corrupt politicians and Prussian officers are pretty well interchangeable. Kill one and another pops up. This isn't a very satisfying truth, but it is truth, nonetheless. Juan is a peasant, a bandit with a large family of bandits. Sean is a Irish Republican Army terrorist, an explosives expert. In Leone's world, or at least in all his films, there are only two types of people: predators and victims. His major characters are all predators. The only thing that distinguishes his protagonists from his antagonists is that his antagonists start with a large body count and his protagonists usually spare the innocent. That works with a taut enough storyline, but "...Dynamite" covers large areas of real estate and the goal is never clear. Juan didn't plan to become a hero of the revolution, and that is small payment for his losses. When one looks at history, the rewards of revolution and warfare are never worth the sacrifices, for just as we kill one bastard, another takes his place.

I think "A Fistfull of Dynamite" largely reflects Leone's fate as well. Leone proved he was the greatest western director in less than four years with only four major films. Yet, he was hardly appreciated during his short life and only a few films after his magnificent achievement. "A Fistfull of Dynamite" is also Leone's saddest movie. A beautiful, big budget metaphor for a man's talent wasted by underappreciate film executive and smug, self-serving critics.

Coburn should have won an "Oscar" for "Dynamite." With the exception of some tabletop model trains, the effects are convincing and exciting. The color cinematography is phenomenal, clearly the equal of "Once Upon a Time in the West. The sound and music (by Ennio Morricone) is phenomenal, as usual. While not as satisfying as Leone's best films, "A Fistfull of Dynamite" is an exemplary film. I give it a "9".