50th Anniversary of Death Rides a Horse

“Death Rides a Horse” premiered in Rome, Italy 50 years ago today. Regarded along with “The Big Gundown” as one of Lee Van Cleef’s best films it is also highly regarded as one of the best non-Leone westerns. Van Cleef reprises his roles as the father figure of a young man out for revenge against the men who killed his family 14-years before. Similar in style to “For a Few Dollars Before”, where Colonel Mortimer teams with Manco to track down Indio and his gang for the rewards on their heads. Law even resembles Eastwood and his costume. Here this is strictly revenge for both lead characters as Van Cleef as Ryan was set up as the scapegoat and spent a decade and a half in prison. Now he is out for revenge and payment from the gang leaders for their transgression but finds the young Bill Mecita dogging his trail in order to seek his own revenge. Eventually the two join forces when they find themselves trapped in a Mexican village in order to survive.    

Da uomo a uomo – Italian title

Vita, morte e vendetta – Italian title

La muerte viaja a caballo – Argentinian title

De dood kwam op tijd – Belgium title

La mort était au rendez-vous – Belgium title

A morte anda a cavalo – Brazilian title

Смъртта язди на кон – Bulgarian title

Smurtta yazdi na kon – Bulgarian title

La muerte viaja a caballo – Chilean title

La muerte viaja a caballo – Colombian title

Døden til hest – Danish title

De dood kwam op tijd – Dutch title

De hombre a hombre – Spanish title

Kosto odottaa – Finnish title

La mort était au rendez-vous – French title

D’homme à home – French title

Von Mann zu Mann – German title

Die Rechnung wird mit Blei bezahit – German title

Οι 5 σημαδεμένοι του Ελ Βιεντο – Greek title

Oi 5 simademenoi tou El Viento – Greek title

Férfi a férfihoz – Hungarian title

Marg bar khaenin mitazad – Iranian title

Shin yûhi no ganman/Fukushû no tabi – Japanese title

La muerte viaja a caballo – Mexican title

Døden rider hest – Norwegian title

Śmierć jeździ konno – Polish title

A morte vem a cavalo Portuguese title

Moartea călăreşte un cal – Romanian title

Смерть скачет на коне – Russian title

Smert' skachet na kone – Russian title

Sastanak sa smrću – Serbian title

Hamndens timme – Swedish title

Öldürmeye yeminliyim – Turkish title

La muerte viaja a caballo – Venezuelan title

Sestanek s smrtjo – Yugoslavian title

Viva Django, Man to Man – English title

Two Deadliest Guns Alive – English title

Death Rides a Horse – English title

A 1967 Italian production [P.E.C. (Rome)]

Producer: Al Sansone (Alfonso Sansone), Henry Chorscicki (Henryk Chorscicki)

Director: Giulio Petroni

Story: Luciano Vincenzoni

Screenplay: Luciano Vincenzoni, Giulio Petroni

Cinematography: Carlo Carlini [Technicolor, Techniscope]

Music: Ennio Morricone

     Song: “Death Rides a Horse” sung by Raoul (Ettore Lo Vecchio)

Running time: 120 minutes

Story: Having witnessed the brutal murder of his entire family by bandits at the age of 5, Bill Meceita has spent 15 years planning his vengeance. Finding a kindred spirit in Ryan, an experienced gunslinger seeking his own revenge on those who framed him, the two team up to find and kill Walcott, a fearsome bandit on the loose. But Bill soon discovers that Ryan may know more about his tragic past than he has let on.

Cast:

Ryan - Lee Van Cleef (Clarence Van Cleef Jr.)

Bill Meceita - John Phillip Law

Walcott - Luigi Pistilli

Manina/Bert ‘4 Aces’ Cavanaugh - Anthony Dawson

Pedro - José Torres

Betsy - Carla Cassola

Negro soldier - Archie Savage

One-Eye - Mario Brega

Manuel - Guglielmo Spoletini

Paco - Angelo Susani

Sheriff - Giuseppe Castellano

Lyndon City Sheriff - Franco Balducci

Lyndon City Deputy - Romano Puppo

Mr. Meceita - Ennio Pagliani

Mrs. Meceita - Elena Hall

Bill Meceita’s sister – Vivenne Bocca

Walcott’s bartender - Bruno Corazzari

Member of Pedro’s gang - Natale Nazzareno (Nazzareno Natale)

Marita - Felicita Fanny (Felicita Fanni)

Minister - Ignazio Leone

Minister’s wife - Nerina Montagnani

Holly Spring’s station master - Carlo Pisacane

Card player - Nino Vingelli, Giuseppe Lauricella

Member of the gold escort - Remo Capitani

Cavanaugh henchman - Giovanni Scarciofolo

Walcott henchmen - José Terron (José Peñaranda), Mario Mandalari, Giovanni Petrucci

Quarry guard - Luigi Scavran

Warden - Claudio Rufini

Kindly sheriff - Richard Watson

Townswoman – Alba Maiolini