50th Anniversary of the premiere of “His Name was Holy Ghost”

 Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the premier of “His Name was Holy Ghost”. It was directed by Anthony Ascott and starred Gianni Garko, Chris Huerta. Itells the story of a group of Mexican peasants who are being rounded with some being killed by the soldiers of General Ubarte/Ruiz (Poldo Bendandi). They are searching for a certain Don Firmino Mendoza (George Rigaud) who along with Ubarte claims to hold the presidency of Mexico. Ubarte arranges for Mendoza’s execution but The Holy Ghost 9Gianni Garko) arrives in the nick-of-time and massacres the soldiers with an odd looking machine-gun. Quickly honored as a Saint the Mexican peasants want him to help them fight the revolution. The Holy Ghost is only interested in a treasure map he has won in a card game and he’s trying to find a person who knows about where the treasure is buried because part of the map is missing. The treasure is buried beneath the fort of General Ubarte. The Holy Ghost teams up again with his old pals Chicken (Chris Huerta) and Preacher (Victor Israel) and together they go after the gold. After a series of funny adventures, they eventually locate the buried gold.

 

Uomo avvisato mezzo ammazzato…parola di Spirito Santo – Italian title

Lo chiamarono Spirito Santo – Italian title

Y le llamaban El Halcón – Spanish title

El Halcón de Sierra Madre – Spanish title

Espírito Santo, O Justiceiro – Brazilian title

Gringo nimeltä ‘Pyhä Henki’ – Finnish title

On l’appelle Spirito Santo – French title

Ein Halluja für Spirito Santo – German title

Zwei wie Blitz und Donner – German title

Kormia pou stazoun aima – Greek title

O Seu Nome é Espírito Santo - Portuguese title

Mannen utan namn – han kallades Holy Ghost – Swedish title

Ime mu je bilo Sveti Duh – Yugoslavian title

Forewarned, Half-Killed…the Word of the Holy Ghost – English title

His Name was Holy Ghost - U.S.A. title

They Call Him Holy Ghost - U.S.A. title

Blazing Guns – U.S.A. title

 

A 1971 Italian, Spanish film co-production [Lea Film (Rome), C. C. Astro (Madrid)]

Producer: Luciano Martino

Director: Anthony Ascott (Giuliano Carnimeo)

Story: Tito Carpi

Screenplay: Tito Carpi, Federico De Urrutia, Giuliano Carnimeo

Cinematography: Miguel Fernández Mila [Eastmancolor, Cinemascope]

Music: Bruno Nicolai

     Song: “Libertad” sung by Giulia De Mutis (Giulia Rei)

Running time: 94 minutes

 

Cast:

Harold/Holy Ghost/Spirito Santo - Gianni Garko (Giovanni Garkovich)

Preacher - Victor Israel (José Vilanova)

Carezza/Chuck/Chicken - Chris Huerta (Crisanto Brieva)

General Ubarte - Poldo Bendandi (Leopoldo Bendandi)

Don Firmino Mendoza - George Rigaud (Pedro Delissetche)

Don Jaime - Alfonso Sarlo

Juana Mendoza - Pilar Velázquez (María Lorente)

Samuel Crow/Crohn/Bull - Paul Stevens (Paolo Gozlino)

Colonel Matadodos/May - Fortunato Arena

Brother John - Aldo Barberito

Captain Fiesta - Carlo Gaddi

Captain Garcia - Furio Meniconi

Colonel Cortacabeza -Nello Pazzafini (Giovanni Pazzafini)

Lawyer/Engineer - Franco Pesce

Lieutenant - Tomás Rudy (Tomás Rudi)

Madam Mae - Dada Gallotti (Alda Gallotti)

Molly - Evy Farinelli (Evi Farnelli)

Soldiers - Furio Meniconi, Riccardo Petrazzi, Pietro Torrisi, Sergio Ukmar, Angelo

     Casadei, Matvrllo Meconizzi

Barman - Mimmo Poli (Domenico Poli)

Whore - Maria D'Incoronato

Poker player - Claudio Ruffini, Roberto Dell'Acqua, Luigi Ciavarro

Mexican Captain - César Ojinaga

Vern Crow/Crohn - Rick Boyd (Federico Boido)

Ollie Crow/Crohn - Pasquale Coletta, Pietro Ceccarelli

Crow/Crohn brothers – Maurizo Tocchi

Captain Ortega - Fredy Unger (Goffredo Unger)

Boxing coach - Moisés Augusto Rocha

Coby 'The Bull' - Juan Fairen

Esteban - Juan Torres

Gunman – Lino Coletta

Dove – Eagle

Holy Ghost messenger - Altiero Di Giovanni

Holy Ghost’s/Spirito Santo’s henchmen - Salvatore Baccaro, Gildo DiMarco, Gianclaudio

     Jabes, Amerigo Santarelli, Juan Claudio Jabes (Gianclaudio Jabes)

Saloon worker, soldier - Rinaldo Zamperla

Mexican wife - Maria De Sisti

Woman spitting on Don Firmino – Lina Franchi

Townsman - Fulvio Pellegrino

With: Monica Altomonte, Lina Ferri, Itala Guitto, Gianni Pulone (Giovanni Pulone), Carla Mancini, Roberto Dell’Acqua, Massimo Serato (Giuseppe Serato), José A. Maya, Mario Gas (Mario Gas Cabré), Damian Thorton, H. Ortega, Rodolfo Santamaria