50th Anniversary of “Sabata the Killer”

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the Rome premier of “Sabata the Killer”. Directed by Tulio Demicheli it starred Anthony Steffen, Peter Lee Lawrence and Eduardo Fajardo.

The film tells about a bank robbery and how it changes the lives of the three hold-up men. With the help of Peter (Peter Lee Lawrence), a dishonest bank employee, two crooks, Sabata (Anthony Steffen) and Mangosta (Eduardo Fajardo), rob a small country bank in the West. Before they can proceed to the division of the spoils, Mangosta runs away with all of the money, and flees to Mexico, where he buys a large farm and hires a group of gunmen to defend against any attempts at revenge by his ex-gang members. Peter and Sabata, discover the refuge of Mangosta and attempt to penetrate it but are captured by the outlaw’s henchmen. The money from the robbery is also of interest to Garfield (Alfredo Mayo), the most powerful and feared man in the area, who leads his men on an attack of the farm, with the ensuing fight resulting in a real slaughter. Sabata and Peter, manage to escape and eliminate all of Garfield’s men. They recovered the booty and then fight amongst themselves for the money but only end up killing each other.

Arriva Sabata! – Italian title

Reza por tu alma… y muere – Spanish title
Viva Sabata! – Brazilian title
Vedä aseesi Sabata! – Finnish title
Y muere ou los bandidos del ford – French title
Los bandidos del ford – French title
Arriva Garringo – German title
Galgenvögel sterben einsam – German title
Sabata der Killer – German title
I sfagi arhise sto El Paso – Greek title
Hé barátom, megint itt van Sabata – Hungarian title
10000 dolares por Sabata – Portuguese title
Mitt namn ar Sabata – Swedish title
Hé barátom, megint itt van Sabata – Swedish title
Sabata vadiler hakimi – Turkish title
Sabata prihaja – Yugoslavian title
Dollars to Die For – U.K. title
Viva Sabata – English title
Sabata the Killer – U.S.A. title

A 1970 Italian, Spanish co-production [Tritonefilmindustria (Rome), Producione

     Cinematograficas, DIA S.A. (Madrid)]
Producers: Salvatore Alabiso, Miguel Tudela
Director: Tulio Demicheli (Armando Demicheli)
Story: Nino Stressa (Sigfrido Tumbu)
Screenplay: Nino Stressa (Sigfrido Tumbo), Florentino Soria (Florentino Heredia), Tulio

     Demichel(Armando Demicheli)
Cinematography: Aldo Ricco [Eastmancolor, ReversalScope]
Music: Marcello Giombini
Running time: 95 minutes

Cast:
John/Garringo/Sabata – Anthony Steffen (Antonio de Teffe)
Mangosta – Eduardo Fajardo
Peter – Peter Lee Lawrence (Karl Hirenbach)
Garfield – Alfredo Mayo (Alfredo Martinez)
Sheriff – Alfonso Rojas (Alfonso Melquiades)
Patricia – Rossana Rovere (Luigina Rovere)
Manolito – María Villa
Butch Garrett – Alfredo Santacruz
‘Little Brother’ Fuller – Tito García (Pablo Gonzalez)
‘Big Brother’ Fuller – Cris Huerta (Crisanto Brieva)
Charlie McKenzie – Luis Induni (Luigi Radici)
Man in sheriff’s office – Lorenzo Robledo
José – Rafael Albaicin (Igancio Escudero)
Pedro - Guillermo Méndez
Clemens - Antonio Moreno
Change/Chaco – José Canalejas
Gambler – Miguel Del Castillo, José Riesgo
Garfield henchmen – Spartaco Conversi (Espartaco Conversi), Alfonso de la Vega, Simón Arriaga, Joaquín Parra
Mnagosta henchman – Álvaro de Luna (Álvaro Blanco)
Townsman - Emilio Rodríguez
Telegrapher Xan das Bolas
Gordita - Marisa Porcel
Mexican - Nazzareno Natale
Stunts: Miguel Pedregosa