50th Anniversary of Heads or Tails

June 4^th 1969 saw the premier of “Testa a croce” (Heads or Tails ) in Rome, Italy. It starred John Ericson and Sheyla Rosin and was directed by Peter E. Stanley (Piero Pierotti). It tells the tale of Shanda (Rosin), who is the star attraction of the Plata City saloon and is accused of killing the banker Burton. To keep her from being lynched by the Quaker women in the area, the sheriff sends Shanda, with two of his deputies to Phoenix for trial, during the journey, they encounter a shady character named Bear, the three rape the saloon girl and leave her in the desert. The young woman is found by an outlaw named Black Talisman (Ericson), who takes her to an abandoned town where he has taken refuge along with two Indians. Here Shanda recovers her health, while the bandit falls in love with her. Talisman returns to Plata City to try and exonerate Shanda. He pretends to be a gambler and kills the two deputies, then goes in search of Bear. Sybille, the widow of the banker confesses that she was the one behind the killing of her husband by Bear. Talisman goes to the hut of Bear, where he forces him to sign a statement admitting his guilt, but at that moment Sybille arrives and threatens to kill Talisman and Bear. They manage to disarm and leave her stunned in the hut which catches fire from a fallen lamp. The sheriff is given the confession of Bear. Talisman tells the sheriff that according to his desire, if he is ever killed or captured the reward on his head is to be paid to Shanda. Concluding the pact, Talisman returns to the abandoned town and Shanda.

  

Testa a croce - Italian title

Munt of kruis voor de la laatste kugel - Dutch title

Cara o cruz - Spanish title

Black Talisman - Filipino title

La dernière balle à pile ou face - French title

Blutrache einer Geschändeten - German title

Nacht der Rache - German title

Cara o cruz - Spanish title

Krona eller klave - Swedish title

Tail You Lose - English title

Heads or Tails - English title

A 1968 Italian production [Tirrenia Studios (Livorno), Golden Gate Film (Rome)]

Producer: Jolanda Benvenuti

Director: Peter E. Stanley (Piero Pierotti)

Story: Piero Pierotti

Screenplay: Piero Pierotti

Cinematography: Fausto Zuccoli [Tecnhnicolor, widescreen]

Music: Carlo Savina

     Song: "Arizona’s Waiting" sung by Raoul (Ettore Lo Vecchio)

Running time: 99 minutes

Cast:

Will Hunter/Bill Abilene/William Huston/Black Talisman – John Ericson (Joseph Meibes)

Shanda Lee - Sheyla Rosin

Sybille Burton - Daniela Surina

Sheriff – Franco Lantieri

Manuela - Edwige Fenech (Edwige Sfenech)

Serpent/Bear/Buck Loren – Pasquale Basile

Deputy Hold/Holt - Isarco Ravaioli (Isacco Ravaioli)

Rhett/Red – Franco Daddi

Minoa - Silvana Bacci

Doc - Renato Navarrini (Renato Navarini)

Boccadirosa/Rosebud – Loris Gizzi

Roderick/Roland Burton – Ugo Paglia

Misery - Pinuccio Ardia (Rodolfo Ardia)

Lilly - Dada Gallotti (Alba Gallotti)

Miss Phils - Maria Teresa Piaggio

Saloon girl - Antoinetta Fiorito

Stranger - Gilberto Galimberti