Tuesday, April 10, 2018

50th Anniversary of Beyond the Law


Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the premier of “Beyond the Law” in Rome, Italy. Lee Van Cleef had reached star billing because of this previous roles in “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and “The Big Gundown” the year before and up and coming western actor Antonio Sabato who had previously appeared the previous year in “Hate for Hate”. Lee plays a veteran outlaw who is reformed through his friendship with young mining engineer Ben Novak, who has recently arrived from Europe. Most of Van Cleef’s Euro-western would follow a similar path where he would play a father figure and teacher of younger characters ab out the West and how to stay alive and cope with all they will face in a harsh and rugged land.

Lee plays thief Billy Joe Cudlip an outlaw who decides to change his life and become one of the good guys. But when he's named sheriff, he finds himself torn between the forces of good and evil, uphold the law or succumb to the temptation of a shipment of silver worth a fortune?

The film found very limited release in the U.S.A. and for many years I believed it was never released in the United States until I found an press book and an ad mat which came from Oregon. I myself never saw the film until it popped up one day on television. I had heard of the film but it had not yet come out on video so it was a pleasant surprise to watch Lee play a different and like Jaroo in “El Condor” a vulnerable character. It is also curious because of the presence of Bud Spencer in a beardless role as James Cooper.                                                       

Die letzte Rechnung zahlst du selbst – German title
Al di là della legge – Italian 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 film 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, Inge Hilger,
     Giorgio Stegani
Cinematography: Enzo Serafin (Vincenzo Serafin) [Technicolorl Techniscope]
Music: Riz Ortolani (Riziero Ortolani)
     Song: “How Much You Miss Me” sung by Katyna Ranieri
Running time: 110 minutes

Story: An outlaw decides to change his life and become one of the good guys. But when he's named sheriff, he finds himself torn between the forces of good and evil, uphold the law or succumb to the temptation of a shipment of silver worth a fortune?

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/Lola - Ann Smyrner (Rohde Nielsen)
Hotel owner - Adriana Facchetti
Sheriff John Ferguson - Enzo Fiermonte (Vincenzo Fiermonte)
Mr. Davis/Abe Pik - Hans Elwenspoek
Denholm/Eustaccio - Herbert Fux
Lola - Valentina Arrigona
Lem – Romano Puppo
Diego – Salvatore Billa
Boyd – Carlo Gaddi
Burton henchman - Günther Stoll, Michele Branca
Miners - Alberigo Donadeo, Angelo Casadei
Red-bearded miner - Giuseppe Castallano
Stagecoach passenger – Nino Nini
Shoot out victims - Enrico Chiappafreddo, Giovanni Ukmar, Sergio Ukmar, Sergio Testori
School teacher - Renate Kasche
Keg server - Dolores Calò
Saloon patron - Virgilio Ponti
Squeezebox player - Mirko Bajocchi
With: Sergio Ferrero, Ferdinando Poggi, Ivan G. Scratuglia (Ivan Giovanni Scratuglia), Mickey Knox


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