Tuesday, December 13, 2011

KILL OR BE KILLED

Uccidi o muori – Italian title
L’uomo che ussise Ringo – Italian title
Ringo, draeb eller do! – Danish title
Ringo contre Johnny Colt – French title
Für eine Handvoll Blei – German title
Viva Ringo – Greek title
Ta dyo pistolia tou Vorra – Greek title
Ringo – döda eller dödas – Swedish title
Ringo Against Johnny Colt – English title
God Holds the Bullet – English title
Kill or Die – English title
Kill or be Killed – U.S.A. title

A 1966 Italian production [Regalfilm (Rome)]
Producer: Luigi Rovere
Director: Amerigo Anton (Camillo Boccia)
Story: Mario Amendola
Screenplay: Mario Amendola
Cinematography:Aldo Giordani [Technicolor, Techniscope]
Music: Carlo Rustichelli
Song: “I Must Go” sung by Cifiello (Enzo Cifiello)
Running time: 94 minutes

Cast:
Jerry/Johnny Colt/Johnny Ringo – Robert Mark (Roger Francke)
Linda/Lisa Drummont – Elina DeWitt
Ringo/Baltimore Joe – Gordon Mitchell (Charles Pendleton)
Sheriff – Andrea Bosic (Ignazio Bosic)
Chester Griffith – Albert Farley (Alberto Quaglini)
Petrack – Benjamin May (Beniamino Maggio)
Jonathan Griffith – Men Fury (Furio Meniconi)
Spott Griffith – Fabrizio Moroni
Steve Drummont – Tony Rogers
Granny – Mary Land
Doctor – Renato Terra (Renato Caizzi)
Deputy – Remo Capitani (Renato Capitani)
Cowboy – William Conroy
With: Amerigo Anton (Camillo Boccia), Mara Carisi, Antonio Fidone (Antonio Fidoni), Ivan Giovanni Scratuglia, Stelio Tanzini, Violetta Chiarini, Franco Dolbeck, Piero Fumeli (Pietro Fumelli), Roco Lerro, Mimmo Maggio, Antonio Pagano, Marco Alcide Pasquini, Virgilio Ponti, Franca Rosi


  In a small town in the American West, a deep resentment divides the Griffith family, headed by old Jonathan and their feud with the Drummont family. Then Ringo arrives, a gunman looking for redemption, disguised as a violin player. Ringo, is not even recognized by the sheriff, but immediately comes under attack by Spott Griffith, and reacts by killing him. Ringo happens to stop at the ranch of the Drumonts and meets Lisa, the only one who has the courage to stay alone with her grandmother and cousin Steve. The encounter turns to sympathy between the two, and Lisa tells him about the abuses suffered at the hands of the Griffiths. Meanwhile, Jonathan decided to take revenge, after a hired gunman, Baltimore, Joe, tries to kill Ringo. Chester the eldest Griffith son convinces Lisa to marry him, and then manages to severely injure Ringo in the course of an ambush. Ringo however, is saved and hidden by Old Petrack and helped by the sheriff who is now in possession of evidence against Griffith. Ringo intervenes in the course of the marriage between Chester and Lisa, and manages to kill all the Griffiths and their henchmen.


2 comments:

  1. Robert Mark did two Spaghetti Westerns. This one, "Kill Or Be Killed" in 1966, where he played Ringo, and "Kill The Wicked", in 1967, where he played Randall. I've seen them both and like them both equally. But if I had to choose between "Kill Or Be Killed" and "Kill The Wicked", I would pick "Kill The Wicked" because it has much more of a psychedelic vibe and feels like a real Western while although I like "Kill Or Be Killed", it's rather too campy. I mean, where did Ringo learn how to play the violin and for how long? What MADE him wanna play the violin? And if he wasn't self-taught, then who taught him? Now Randall on the other hand, his story sounds like one you can closely follow. A gunfighter without a home. No ifs, ands, buts, or damns given. Not even a rat's ass. Has little friends if any. Doesn't trust Braddock, Lester, or Shelley but rides with them because he needs them. Uses a gun like he was born with it. Rides a horse like the devil. And fights like an Irishman. No doubt he's an outlaw. And if you really knew him, you'd stay out of his way. I like that about Western movie characters. Some of them let you know they are there without telling you. And that's why I like this film. There's just something about it. I don't know but there just is. Maybe it's the essence maybe it's the vibe itself who knows. All I know is that it makes for one great Spaghetti Western. And you can't go wrong there. Long live the Westerns. And cowboys too.

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