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:

Action | Adventure | Drama | War | Western

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

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)

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)

Production Companies

• Rafran Cinematografica
• Euro International Film (EIA) (as Euro International Films)
• San Miura (uncredited)

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)
• Mondo Home Entertainment (2007) (Italy) (DVD)
• Opção (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Tirelli Costumi  costumes and footwear (as Tirelli)
• Ditta Pompei  costumes and footwear (as Pompei)
• Western Costume Company  costumes and footwear (as Western Costume)
• Nino Lembo  jewels
• Cimino  props
• Ditta Rancati  props (as Rancati)
• Rocchetti  wigs
• E. & G. Bacciucchi  guns and explosives (as Baciucchi)
• Nis Film  sound synchronization
• Edizioni Bixio S.A.M.  music editing and recording (as Bixio-SAM)
• International Recording  music re-recording
• Orchestra Sinfonica della U.M.R.  orchestra
• Cinevox Records  original soundtrack published by (as Cinevox-Record)

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 | 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)

Filming Locations:

Almería Railway Station, Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Rafran Cinematografica

Trivia:

The character of John Malloy was written for Jason Robards while Eli Wallach was first choice for Juan Miranda but the studio wanted bigger names for the two leads so Rod Steiger and James Coburn were recruited.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: A close-on shot of one of the convoy's trucks as it rolls through mud shows a modern pneumatic tire and wheel.

Quotes:

[repeated line, right before something explodes]
John H. Mallory: Duck, you sucker!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Gun (2005) (VG)

A typically strong Leone film with added interesting political content

John Malloy is an IRA explosives expert, on the run in Mexico. Juan Miranda is a Mexican bandit with no interest in the political upheaval in his country and only a dream of hitting the large bank his father once failed to rob. When the two meet, Juan sees John's explosives as the way into the ban, but John has no interest and it is only when Juan frames him for the murder of some senior soldiers that John relents. Arriving in the town, the bank looks like a simple hit if they can find some way of distracting the masses of soldiers that now control the small town – luckily the revolution is in full swing and rebels are in great demand; but it is not long before Juan's idea of a simple bank robbery sees him up to his neck in a struggle that he has no interest in.

Many reviewers have said how strong the Leone formula is and I won't be able to add much to their words but for me this is a fine film mainly because it takes apart yet another of the cinema myths of the noble revolutionary fighters and has a fascinating thread of political commentary running all the way through it. It doesn't open this way though, rather it starts with Leone's usual brand of wit and confrontation between John and Juan and it all feels like it will be similar (and just as good) to some of Leone's other westerns. However, about an hour in, it becomes more interesting thanks to the rather shocking portrayal of the revolution (on both sides) and the ripping into the ideas behind it. It only adds to the basic plot and, when it becomes the main focus, the film is stronger for it, although Leone's Marxist views may be a little hard to swallow for some viewers in the west. That said, it does still work as a typical Leone western and fans of his will still love this film.

The cast is good but you gotta wonder how those accents would have been mauled if the film had not been as roundly good – certainly Coburn's attempts at an Irish brogue are not the most convincing I've heard. Other than that though he is good in the lead role, coping well with making an IRA character "likeable" without damaging the cynicism and regret that exists within him. His flashback scenes are convincing even if it is not that important to the main thrust of the film. Steiger is less serious at first but develops his character well, despite having to cope with a "road to Damascus" moment as part of it. He is consistently amusing as a character and he does tend to dominate his scenes to good effect. Support is fine but really these two men are the film and they do it very well, coping with the laughs, tension and political commentary equally well.

Overall, a typically strong film from Leone that has all his usual formula touches as well as plenty of commentary of value. The direction and use of music are as good as always and the cast cope well with the demands of the script. Reviewers who have taken this as an attack on John Ford's idea of the revolutionary Irishman are perhaps a little off since the film only confirms Ford's usual pointing out of "printing the myth" but it still has plenty of value and interesting political commentary.