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Giù la testa
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Giù la testa (1971) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   8,409 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Sergio Leone (story) and
Sergio Donati (story) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Duck, You Sucker on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 October 1971 (Italy) more
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. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
1 win more
User Comments:
Probably the best unknown movie ever made. more (87 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Rod Steiger ... Juan Miranda

James Coburn ... John H. Mallory
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 Domingo Antoine)
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)
Vivienne Chandler ... John's girlfriend (flashback) (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)
David Warbeck ... John's friend Sean Nolan (flashback) (uncredited)
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Directed by
Sergio Leone 
 
Writing credits
Sergio Leone (story) and
Sergio Donati (story)

Luciano Vincenzoni (screenplay) &
Sergio Donati (screenplay) &
Sergio Leone (screenplay)

Roberto De Leonardis (dialogue adaptation) &
Carlo Tritto (dialogue adaptation)

Produced by
Claudio Mancini .... associate producer
Fulvio Morsella .... producer
Ugo Tucci .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
Ennio Morricone 
 
Cinematography by
Giuseppe Ruzzolini (director of photography)
 
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
 
Production Management
Claudio Mancini .... production supervisor
Camillo Teti .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Brandt .... assistant director
Alberto De Martino .... second unit director (as Martin Herbert)
 
Art Department
Giovanni Corridori .... construction coordinator
Ezio Di Monte .... assistant art director
Tonino Palombi .... construction coordinator
Franco Velchi .... assistant art director
 
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 .... director of photography: second unit
Roberto Forges Davanzati .... assistant camera
Massimo Massimi .... gaffer
Angelo Novi .... still photographer
Alessandro Ruzzolini .... assistant camera
Idelmo Simonelli .... camera operator
Franco Tocci .... key grip
Claudio Sabatini .... assistant camera (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Luisa Buratti .... key costumer
 
Editorial Department
Gino Bartolini .... assistant editor
Rossana Maiuri .... first assistant editor
Olga Sarra .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Ennio Morricone .... conductor
Federico Savina .... music editor
Federico Savina .... music recordist
 
Other crew
Serena Canevari .... script supervisor
Raffaello Forti .... production accountant
Vasco Mafera .... production secretary
Giuseppe Rinaldi .... dubbing director
Benito Stefanelli .... master of arms
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)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

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
more
Runtime:
157 min | USA:120 min (initial US release) | USA:138 min | USA:154 min (Laserdisc version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Iceland:16 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Brazil:14 | West Germany:16 (nf) (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (nf) (original rating) | South Korea:15 | Italy:T | 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)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
According to Sergio Leone, Sam Peckinpah agreed to direct this film after Peter Bogdanovich had turned the project down, but for financial reasons was turned down by United Artists. Leone's collaborators (especially writers Sergio Donati and Luciano Vincenzoni), noting the director's frequent embellishment of the facts concerning his films, claim that Peckinpah did not even consider it - Donati claimed Peckinpah was "too shrewd to be produced by a fellow director". more
Goofs:
Continuity: The dynamite Sean hands Juan before the bank raid is several sticks in a bundle, with a single fuse and cap in the center, but when Juan dynamites the vault door, he uses two single sticks, individually fused and capped. more
Quotes:
Juan Miranda: What's that?
John H. Mallory: A map.
[Juan puts it under his head]
John H. Mallory: Hey, that's your country you're lying all over, there!
Juan Miranda: Not my country. My country is me and my family.
more
Movie Connections:
References Lawrence of Arabia (1962) more

FAQ

A Note Regarding Spoilers
Is this movie based on a book?
What is a "spaghetti western"?
more
64 out of 75 people found the following comment useful.
Probably the best unknown movie ever made., 20 July 1999
10/10
Author: SquirePM from Birmingham, Alabama

Here is a tragedy -- a great film doomed by a terrible title.

I saw this movie as "Duck, You Sucker" in the theater in 1972 or '73. I still have images and haunting music burned in my brain from it. It has, for one thing, one of the biggest real explosions ever filmed, an absolutely awesome blast using real high explosives that makes today's fiery spectacles pale. I think the whole production company was stunned by it, certainly Sergio Leone was, because he gives it the full treatment: multiple cameras and angles, wide shots, lots of screen time giving us lots of looks. And it's worth it. If you're not a war veteran, you've never seen anything like this.

But this film is much more than its fx. It's a deep, moving story told on the grand scale, with Oscar-class cinematography. It is both a major outdoor adventure and a small, intimate story. It has some of the quirkiest scenes, blackest humor and darkest betrayals, too.

Don't look for it on TV, unless Turner Classic Movies shows it "uncut." It was horribly mutilated in editing for television, and therefore unpopular and rarely shown. Get the original theatrical version, and watch it undisturbed. A party atmosphere would ruin it for you.

It's on my top-20 all time list!

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Giù la testa (1971)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Why does he have to shoot right at the mole to kill his friend c4rter
Is this worth seeing? bcherry-3
What an incredibly misinterpreted, misunderstood and overlooked film korn12788
That was really sad (SPOILERS) billybutts
Brilliant film cellery
This film would be one of Leone's greats.... Rainy_Dog
more

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