50th anniversary of “When the Devil Grips a Colt”

 

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the premier of “When the Devil Grips a Colt” directed by Gianfranco Baldanello using the alias Frank G. Carrol and starring Robert Woods and William Berger. The film tells the story that at a prison camp in the desert, Jeremy Scott (Attilio Dottesio) saves Roy Coster (Robert Woods) from being shot by an angry warden. Scott dies soon afterwards, but with his dying breath, reveals the name of the place he came from: Silvertown. Coster, after his release from the camp, decides to visit Silvertown and see the family of Scott. However, he finds the town to be rather angry, even Jeremy’s relatives are not happy to see him. Nobody wants to speak to him, the only one who does is hanged and Coster begins to suspect that Scott was innocent, thus the truth about the deed he was sentenced for remains hidden. The town is ruled by Warner (George Wang) and his henchmen, and when Coster starts investigating, he quickly makes a lot of enemies.

 

Una Colt in mano del diavolo – Italian title

Um Revolver na mao do Diabl – Brazilian title

Un colt dans la main du diable – French title

Ena pistoli sto heri tou Diavolou – Greek title

Un pistol en manos Diablo – Spanish title

En colt i djävulens hand – Swedish title

Kolt u Rukama Davola – Yugoslavian title

When the Devil Holds a Gun – English title

When the Devil Grips a Colt – English title

 

A 1972 Italian film production [Mercedes Film (Rome)]

Producers: Giovanni Vari, Victor Stocchi

Director: Frank G. Carrol (Gianfranco Baldanello Merano)

Story: Augusto Finocchi

Screenplay: Gianfranco Baldanello (Gianfranco Merano), Alfonso Brescia, Augusto

     Finocchi

Cinematography: Marcel Mascot (Marcello Masciacchi), Alvaro Lanzo [Technicolor,

     Techniscope]

Music: Piero Piccioni (Gianpiero Piccioni)

Running time: 89 minutes

 

Cast:

Butch Brown/Isaac McCorney – William Berger (Wilhelm Berger)

Wilton/Roy Coster – Robert Woods

Lisa – Mila Stanic

Warner – George Wang (Wang Yie)

Jeremy Scott – Attilio Dottesio

Grace Scott - Fiorella Mannoia

Phillip Scott – Nino Fuscagni

Mister Robins - Giuseppe Tuminelli

Diavolo - José Torres

Jeremy ‘Sulky’ Scott - Artemio Antonini

Sam Dayton - Mario Dardanelli

Martha Scott - Giovanna Mainardi

Lieutenant James - Fred Kent (Federico Chentrens)

Jack Moore – Tony Dimitri (Antonio Dimitri)

Sam Dayton – Mario Dardanelli

Sheriff - Victor Stocchi

Lawyer - Nello Palladino (Aniello Palladino)

Gravedigger – Ivan Greeve

Poker player – Amerigo Castrighella

Warner henchman – Benito Pacifico

Manuel henchman – Alessandro Perella

Innkeeper – Lucanio Conti

Prison guard – Altiero Di Giovanni

Stable boy - J. Paul Getty III (Eugene Paul Getty II)

With: Harry Baird, Romana Rondi, Lorenzo Piani