Today marks the 50th anniversary of the
premier of “Il bianco, il giallo, il nero” (The White, the Yellow, and the
Black) directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Guliano, Tomas Milian and Eli
Wallach. It tells the story of Sakura
(Tomas Milian) a young, aspiring samurai, who goes on the trail of a sacred
pony, that the Emperor of Japan sent as a gift to a colony of Japanese
immigrants in the West, and that fake Indians, the henchmen of the dishonest
banker Butler (Jacques Berthier) kidnapped to provoke a war against the
redskins, who oppose the passage of a railroad within their territory. For his
ransom the evildoers ask for a million dollars, which, kept in a box, is
entrusted for delivery by sheriff Black Jack (Eli Wallach). Attracted by the
big money is an unscrupulous scoundrel Italian-Swiss, Blanc de Blanc Giuliano
Gemma), who tries to capture Sakura and Black Jack. Divided in purpose, the
three are forced by events to join forces to repel the attacks of Butler’s
henchmen - and especially a greater fool a former Confederate Major (Manuel de
Blas) determined to prevent the discovery of the pony. The trio finally eliminates
their opponents, unmask Butler, then go on go on their own separate ways:
Sakura with his pony; Blanc de Blanc with a rich premium paid by the Japanese
for the discovery of the horse and Black Jack empty-handed.
The film made 1,897,807 lire upon release and is ranked
the #16th highest grossing Spaghetti western of all time.
Il bianco, il giallo, il nero – Italian title
El blanco, el Amarillo, y el negro – Spanish title
Le blanc, le jaune et le noir – French title
Samurai – Canadian title
Stetson – Drei Halunken erster Klasse – German title
Ο άσπρος, ο μαύρος και ο κίτρινος – Greek title
Ο καλός, ο κακός και ο κίτρινος – Greek title
Dispara primeiro… pergunta depois – Portuguese title
El blanco, el Amarillo, y el negro – Spanish title
Samurai Kid – English title
Ring Around the Horse’s Tail – English title
Shoot First… Ask Questions Later – English title
The White, the Yellow and the Black – English title
A 1974 Italian, Spanish, French film co-production
[Tritone (Rome), Mundial (Madrid),
Filmel
(Paris)]
Producer: Solino Norberto
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Story: Marcello Coscia, Antonio Troiso
Screenplay: Mario Amendola, Renee Asseo, Luis G. de
Blain, Sergio Corbucci, Santiago
Moncada
Cinematography: Luis Caudrado (Luis Encinar)
[Technicolor, CineScope]
Music: Guido & Maurizio De Angelis
Songs: “White,
Yellow and Black”, “Bump” sung by Dilly Dilly (Guido & Maurizio
De
Angelis)
Running time: 112 minutes
Cast:
Blanc de Blanc/Stetson/Swiss – Giuliano Gemma
Sakura – Tomas Milian (Tomás Rodríguez)
Sheriff Edward ‘Black Jack’ Gideon – Eli Wallach
Major Donovan – Manuel de Blas
Kelly Butler – Jacques Berthier
Kady – Romano Puppo
Sergeant – Neno Zamperla (Nazzerano Zamperla)
Yamoto/Osaka – Hideo Saito
Console Giapponese – Frank Nuyen
Robson/Robinson brothers – Cris Huerta (Crish Brieva),
Tito Garcia (Pablo González),
Joaqin Solas
(Joaquin Solis del Cerro), Alfonso de la Vega, Beni Deus (Veancio
Mejuto), Luis
Induni (Luigi Radici), Edy Biagetti (Eduardo Biagetti), Scott Miller
Deputy in jail - Ernesto Váñez (YANEZ)
Clementine Gideon – Maria Isbert (Maria Sorriano)
Grampa Gideon - Pasquale Barrachina
Redheaded saloon girl – Mirta Miller (Mirta Chatard)
Saloon girls – Denise Bataille
Prisoners – Victor Israel (Josep Vilanova)
Prisoner priest - Ricardo G. Lillo
Albino – Dan van Husen (Daniel van Husen)
Chief Muchaco – Jose Villasante
Comanchero – Rafael Albaicin (Ignacio Escudero)
Army officers – Franco Tocci, Lorenzo Robledo
Watson brother – Scott Miller
Donovan henchmen - Jose Panizo, Fernando San Jose,
Lisardo Iglesias
Soldier – Aldo Dell’Acqua (Arnaldo Dell’Acqua)
Soldier guard on train – Franco Tocci Franco Tucci
Indian squaws - Carla Mancini, Ana Farra (Anita Farra)
With: Giovanni Petti, Lorenzo Piani, Pietro Torrisi, Jose
Villasante
Stunts: Antonio Ramirez Pequeño Oso, Pietro Torrisi
