BEYOND THE LAW

Al di là della legge – Italian title
Die letzte Rechnung zahlst du selbst – German title
Um Colt Paraos Filhos do Diabo – Brazilian title
Más allá de la ley – Spanish title
Los indomables – Spanish title
O dia da Lei – Brazilian title
Turpa tukkoon – Finnish title
Pas de pitie pour les salopards – French title
Pio pera apo ton nomo – Greek title
I Teleftaia sfaira gia ton serifi – Greek title
Az utolso szamlat te fizeted – Hungarian title
Utenfor loven – Norwegian title
Do diabla z prawem! - Polish title
À Margem da lei - Portuguese title
Bortom lagen – Swedish title
Sheriffen i Silvertown – Swedish title
Bloodsilver – U.K. title
The Last Bill is Yours – U.K. title
The Outrider – U.K. title
The Good Die First – U.S.A. title
Beyond the Law – U.S.A. title

A 1967 German, Italian co-production [Roxy Film GmbH (Munich), Sancro Siap
(Rome)]
Producer: Alfonso Sansone, Enrico Chrosciki
Director: George Finley (Giorgio Stegani)
Story: Warren Kiefer (Lorenzo Sabatini)
Screenplay: Fernando di Leo, Mino Roli (Erminio Pontiroli), Warren Kiefer (Lorenzo
Sabatini), Inge Hilger, Giorgio Stegani
Cinematography: Enzo Serafin (Vincenzo Serafin) [Technicolorl Techniscope]
Music: Riz Ortolani (Riziero Ortolani)
Song: “How Much You Miss Me” sung by ?
Running time: 110 minutes

Cast:
Billy Joe Cudlip - Lee Van Cleef (Clarence Van Cleef, Jr.)
Ben Novak - Antonio Sabato
Burton - Gordon Mitchell (Charles Pendleton)
“Preacher” - Lionel Stander
Al - Al Hoosman (Alston Hoosman)
James Cooper - Bud Spencer (Carlo Pedersoli)
Sally Davis - Graziella Granata
Betty - Ann Smyrner (Hanne Smyrner)
hotel owner - Adriana Facchetti
Sheriff John Ferguson - Enzo Fiermonte (Vincenzo Fiermonte)
Mr. Davis/Abe Pik - Hans Elwenspoek
Denholm - Herbert Fux
Lola - Valentina Arrigari
Burton henchman - Romano Puppo, Carlo Gaddi, Salvatore Billa, Günther Stoll
red-bearded miner - Giuseppe Castallano
with: Sergio Ferrero, Nino Nini, Ferdinando Poggi, Ivan G. Scratuglia (Ivan Giovanni Scratuglia)

This film is an ambitious attempt to fuse two storylines into one: the conventional tale of the reluctant hero and the tale of a band of ruthless killers up against a nearly unstoppable anti-hero. Billy Joe Cudlip (Lee Van Cleef) seems to be particularly amused by the role: as, an aging rapscallion and saddle-tramp who suddenly becomes the local hero, Van Cleef relaxes into a role that actually avoids violence whenever possible, and makes comments like, "And no gun play!" Preacher (Lionel Stander) is excellent as Cudlip’s old friend and partner-in-crime: his tongue in cheek performance simultaneously masquerades the "Preacher" roles of the classic Westerns and illustrates the tightrope that these minor villains constantly walk, the line between loyalty to each other (and the general desire to do good to most others) and self-interest. Al Hoosan as Al, is also quite good as the third member of the gang (a sort of low-key "good, bad, and ugly")--an African American whose race is clearly a non-issue to his friends.

The central theme of the film is one of community vs. outcast and the pain (as well as freedom) that goes with the latter category. Van Cleef is constantly reminded of his marginal status; what separates him from his two companions is the fact that they don't want to become part of community, that the idea of group values are anathema to their sense of a passing time of freedom. But Van Cleef slowly invests in the community throughout the film (most notably through his growing friendship with Antonio Sabato, who plays mining engineer Ben Novak a rather naïve émigré from Europe, thus, the film's external violence (represented by a "Wild Bunch" of ruthless bandits, led by Gordon Mitchell as Burton, who want to steal all of the silver in Silver Town. Van Cleef and his friends were content with only a few thousand dollars' worth, which, to their chagrin, they never even get that to enjoy, is a reflection of Van Cleef's internal struggle: stick with your old friends (and the values they represent) or join a "lawful" community? – Ray Rice


You Tube link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sWEatQ4eDw

*Al Hoosman was an American prize fighter who during WWII was stationed in Munich, Germany and remained there after the war was over. He appeared in several films and television shows before his death in 1968 not long after the completion of “Beyond the Law”. For more information on Al see the following link:
http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/usarmy/boxermtisa.htm