CEMETERY WITHOUT CROSSES

Une corde… un colt – French title
Cimitero senza croci – Italian title
Cemitério sem cruzes – Brazilian title
Haudat vailla nimeä – Finnish title
Friedhof ohne kreuze – German title
Kato apo ton ourano tou Texas – Greek title
Una cuerda, un colt – Spanish title
The Rope and the Colt – English title
Death Valley Gunfighters – English title
Cemetery Without Crosses – USA title

A 1968 French, Italian co-production [Loisirs du Monde, Les Films Copernic (Paris), Fono Roma (Rome)]
Producers: Jean Charles Raffini, Jean-Pierre Labatut, Vincenzo Buffolo, Giulio Sbarigia
Director: Robert Hossein (Robert Hosseinoff)
Story: Dario Argento, Claude DeSailly, Robert Hossein (Robert Hosseinoff)
Screenplay: Dario Argento, Claude DeSailly, Robert Hossein (Robert Hosseinoff)
Cinematography: Henri Persin [Eastmancolor, Panavision]
Music: André Hossein (André Hosseinoff)
Song: “A Rope and a Colt” sung by Scott Walker
Running time: 90 minutes

Cast:
Manuel - Robert Hossein (Robert Hosseinoff)
Maria Caine - Michèle Mercier (Joselyne Mercier)
Johanna/Diana Rogers - Anne-Marie Balin
Thomas Caine - Lee Burton (Guido Lollobrigida)
Larry Rogers - Serge Marquand
Sheriff Ben - Pierre Colett (Emile Colett)
hotel clerk - Chris Huerta (Crisanto Brieva)
Eli Caine - Michel Lemoine
Will Rogers - Daniel Vargas (Daniel Pitani)
Bud Rogers - Philippe Baronnet
Frank Rogers - Pierre Hatet
Ben Caine - Benito Stefanelli
Stone Valee - Charly Bravo (Ramon Bravo)
Valee brother - Ivano Staccioli
Sam Valee - Antonio Molino Rojo
Valee brother - Jose Canalejas
Rogers’ henchman - Lorenzo Robledo
barman - Ángel Álvarez (Ángel Fernandez)
saloon girls - Béatrice Altariba, Maria Gustafson
with; Simón Arriaga, Alvaro de Luna (Alvaro Blanco)


French actor director Robert Hossein directed and stars in this 1968 gothic French western. Unique in it's own right this western has plenty of tension, drama and surprises. Manuel who lives in an abandoned ghost town is approached by a woman, Maria, he once loved and lost who asks his help in seeking vengeance against Will Rogers, a land baron who lynched her dead husband. At first Manuel turns her down but she convinces him to help her. Manuel finally concedes and infiltrates the band of men Rogers has hired for ranch work and gun fighting. He kidnaps the Rogers daughter and turns her over to Maria's brother-in-laws for safekeeping. They decide to have their way with the daughter and Manuel makes them pay for their foul deed. He meets Rogers and a few of his men in a final shootout and then when he wishes to end the killing and leave he turns to see the daughter with a gun in her hand who wants to make Manuel pay for his part in her kidnapping. Dario Argento was co-writer and his influence shows throughout the film. Besides the exceptional cinematography, the uniqueness of the story and direction it has one of the best main themes “A Rope and a Colt” sung by Scott Walker. an scores in Euro-western history.

You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T99MUhDv0g