50th Anniversary of the Premier of Day of Anger

It was 50 years ago today that saw the premier of “I giorni dell’ira” (Day of Anger). In Germany it premiered on January 12, 1968. Westerns were especially popular in Italy at this time. Among the top 15 films of the year, eight were Westerns. The highest-grossing film of the year was “God Forgives... I Don't!”; the second was “Day of Anger” which grossed a total of 1,997,440,000 Italian lire domestically. The Italian board of censors rated “Day of Anger” as V.M.14, meaning it was forbidden to audiences under 14 years of age. In February 1968, Sansone and Chrosicki submitted another version of the film cutting it down to 111 minutes and 11 seconds opposed to the originals 115 minutes and 18 seconds which toned the violent scenes which passed with a "Per Utti" rating allowing it to be viewed by all audiences.

Day of Anger opened in the United States in 1969 with two different versions: a longer one rated M and another one cut to 85 minutes which was re-titled “The Days of Wrath” and “Gunlaw”.

I giorni dell’ira – Italian title

Der Tod ritt dienstags – German title

Hvem Trækker Først – Danish title

Sormi Liipasimella – Finnish title

Le dernier jour de la colere – French title

On m’appelle saligo – French title

Dni gniewu – Polish title

Gigantes em duello – Portuguese title

El dia de la ira – Spanish title

Días de Ira – Spanish title

En framling kom for att hamnas – Swedish title

Oskenli gunler – Turkish title

Blood and Grit – U.K. title

Gunlaw – U.K. title

Days of Wrath – English title

Day of Anger – U.S.A. title

A 1967 Italian, German co-production [Sancrosiap (Rome), Corona Film (Berlin), KG Divina Film (Munich)]

Producer: Enrico Chrosciscki, Alfonso Sansone

Director: Tonino Valerii (Antonio Valerii)

Story: “Der Tod ritt diemstags” by Ron Baker (Rolf O. Becker)

Screenplay: Ernesto Gastaldi, Renzo Genta, Tonino Valerii (Antonio Valerii)

Cinematography: Enzo Serafin (Vincenzo Serafin) [Technicolor, Techniscope]

Music: Riz Ortolani (Riziero Ortolani)

Song: ‘It’s Time to Go” sung by Christa Linder

Running time: 115 minutes

Story: A scruffy garbage boy becomes the pupil of a famed gunfighter, and the stage for confrontation is set when the gunman becomes unhinged and overruns the boy's town through violence and corruption. The tables are turned when Scott Mary uses the lessons taught to him by Frank Talby against his teacher.

Cast:

Frank Talby - Lee Van Cleef (Clarence Van Cleef, Jr.)

Scott Mary - Giuliano Gemma

Murph Allan Short - Walter Rilla

Gwen/Betty - Christa Linder (Crista Linder)

Vivien Skill/Steel - Yvonne Sanson

Judge Cutcher/Cutchell - Lukas Ammann

Abel Murray - Andrea Bosic (Ignazio Bosic)

Wild Jack - Al Mulock (Alfred Rogers)

Killer - Giorgio Gargiullo

Blind Bill - José Calvo (José Salgado)

Turner - Ennio Balbo

Deputy Sam Corbitt - Hans-Otto Alberty

Ellie/Eileen Cutcher - Anna Orso

Owen White - Benito Stefanelli

Marshal/Sheriff Nigel - Nino Nini

Slim - Franco Balducci

Bowie Cantina owner - Ricardo Palacios (Ricardo Diez)

Deputy Cross - Paolo Magalotti

Mr. Barton - Virgillio Gazzolo

Old Man Perkins - Vladimir Medar

Mackenzie Perkins - Mauro Mannatrizio

Hart Perkins - Romano Puppo

Wild Jack’s henchmen - Sergio Mendizabal (Hermengildo Mendizabel), Alvaro De Luna (Alvaro Blanco)

Turner’s assistant - Fulvio Mingozzi

Mrs. Barton - Eleonora Morana

Barber - Ferruccio Viotti

Stagecoach driver - Antonio Danesi

Saloon patrons - Mirko Baiocchi, Raniero Dorascenzi

Gamblers - Margherita Horowitz, Enzo Mondino, Fulvio Esposti, Franz Colangeli

Townspeople - Enrico Marciani and Dolores Calò

Henchmen – Omero Capanna, Giancarlo Bastianioni, Angelo Susani.

With; Christian Consola, Ferrucico Viotti, Gianni Di Segni, Nazzareno Natale (Natel Nazzarino)