50th Anniversary of the premier of “Dig Your Grave Friend… Sabata’s Coming”

 

Today mark’s the 50^th Anniversary of the premier of “Dig Your Grave Friend… Sabata’s Coming” directed by Juan Bosch under the pseudonym of John Wood and starring Richard Harrison and Fernando Sancho. The film tells the story of James Miller, a rich mine owner, who aims to increase his holdings by forcing the neighboring farmers to sell him their lands at low prices. He's already murdered George McGowan who refused his offer. Miller is now in the gunsights of McGowan's son Steve who has returned from the Civil War with the bandit Leon Pompero. After Steve disposes of Miller's henchmen, Miller hires the famous gunfighter Sabata with the assignment to hunt down the two. After a series of encounters the two rogues capture Helen, Miller's intended fiancé. Helen falls in love with Steve and decides to help them out. Steve and Leon are captured but with Helen's help they escape and dispose of Sabata and Miller in a final showdown.

 

Sei già cadavere amigo…ti cerca Garringo – Italian title

Abre tu fosa, amigo, llega Sábata revient – Spanish title

Sabata tegen Gringo – Dutch title

Kaiva hautasi, amigo – Sabata tulee – Finnish title

Creuse te tomba, garringo, Sábata revient – French title

Sur la tombe de Sabata – French title

Zwei Halleluja für den Teufel – German title

Skapse ton tafo sou…erhetai o Sabata – Greek title

Sabata, chega e mata - Portuguese title

Gräv dig grav-Sabata kommer! – Swedish title

Gringo vs Sabata – English title

Dig Your Grave Friend… Sartana’s Coming – English title

Dig Your Grave Friend… Sabata’s Coming – English title

 

A 1971 Italian, Spanish film co-production [Devon Film (Rome), IFISA Film (Madrid)]

Producer: Luciano Martino, Ignacio F. Iquino (Ignacio Feres Iquino)

Director: John Wood (Juan Bosch)

Story: Jackie Kelly (Juliana de la Fuente), Steve McCoy (Ignacio Iquino), Luciano

     Martino

Screenplay: Steve McCoy (Ignacio Iquino), Sauro Scavolini

Cinematography: Luciano Trasatti, Floriano Trenker (Florian Trenker) [Eastmancolor,

     Panavision]

Music: Henry Soteh (Enrique Escobar)

Running time: 90 minutes

 

Cast:

Steve McGowan - Richard Harrison

León Pompera - Fernando Sancho (Fernando Les)

James Miller - Alejandro Ulloa

George McGowan - Gustavo Re

Sábata - Raf Baldassarre (Raffaele Baldassarre)

Sheriff of Tombstone - Luis Induni (Luigi Radici)

Helen Kendall - Joan Rubin (Tania Alvarado)

Todd - Indio González (Gaspar González)

Murdy - Joaquín Blanco (Joaquín Calvache)

Miguel - Fernando Robio (Fernando Rubio)

Morgan - Ricardo Moyán

Tom - Esteban Dalmases

Stagecoach driver - Jarque Zurbano (Francisco Zurbano)

Stagecoach passenger - Carlos Ronda

Store owner - Luis Oar

José - Isidro Novellas

Mexican driver - Manuel Bronchud

Mexican peasant - Juan Velilla (Joan Velilla i Alcaraz)

Tailor - Juan Torres

Bob Tatum - Tomás Torres

Chica – Fanny Grey

Telegrapher - Juan Fernández

Stagecoach driver - Francsico Jarque (Francisco Zurbano)

Innkeeper - Irene D’Astrea

With: Leontine May (Leontina Mariotta) [Italian credits only], Brizio Montinaro