50th anniversary of the premier of “Behold the Strange, Stimulating Smell of Dollars”

 

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the premier of “Sentivano… uno strano, eccitante, pericoloso puzzo di dollari” (Behold the Strange, Stimulating Smell of Dollars). Directed by Italo Alfaro and his only Spaghetti western starring Robert Malcolm, Piero Vida and Rosalba Neri. The comedy western tells the story of bounty hunter Bud ‘Charity’Jenkins (Robert Malcolm) who is hired by the Government to protect a shipment of one million dollars meant for railroad construction. But town boss/bank owner Mr. Costello (Luigi Montini) has a scheme to pocket the money for himself. Meanwhile, a wanted man posing as a Reverend (Peter Landers) (with a talking parrot named George Washington!) shows up in town, as does Mr. Costello's prim and proper sister Maria (Rosalba Neri). Needless to say, this complicates everyone's plans a little more.

 

The film made 155,539 lire and is listed as the 366^th grossing Spaghetti western film.

 

Sentivano… uno strano, eccitante, pericoloso puzzo di dollari – Italian title

Ils sentaient une etrange, excitante, dangereuse odeur de dollars… – French title

Der Barmherzige mit den schnellen Fausten – German title

Trinita enantion Samata - Greek title

Sentian… un extrano, excitante, peligroso olor de dolares – Spanish title

Excitante peste de dólares - Spanish title

Bronco Kid går på en blåsning – Swedish title

And They Smelled the Strange, Exciting, Dangerous Scent of Dollars – English title

Charity and the Strange Smell of Money – U.K. title

Behold the Strange, Stimulating Smell of Dollars – English title

 

A 1973 Italian film production [Samy Cinematografica (Rome)]

Producers: Enzo Boetani, Giuseppe Collura

Director: Italo Alfaro

Story: Piero Regnoli

Screenplay: Piero Regnoli

Cinematography: Sandro Mancori (Alessandro Mancori) [Eastmancolor, Techniscope]

Music: Gianni Meccia (Giovanni Meccia), Bruno Zambrini

Running time: 95 minutes

 

Cast:

Bronco Kid - Piero Vida (Pietro Vida)

Butch “Charity” Jenkins - Robert Malcolm (Roberto Rossi)

Al Costello - Luigi Montini

Maria Costello - Rosalba Neri

Colonel – Spartaco Conversi

Ramirez - Salvatore Puntillo

Fernandez - Gilberto Galimberti

Andrew - Attilio Severini

Pablo – Jean Claudio (Gianclaudio Jabes)

Sheriff - Nando Cerulli (Fernando Cerulli)

Alan Wilson - Gildo Di Marco

Reverend Higglethwaite/Higgins – Peter Landers (Piero Scheggi)

Cowboys - Amerigo Castrichella

Bank robber - Roberto Messina, Ottorino Polentini

Ramirez henchman - Renzo Pevarello, Sergio Ukmar

Soldier – Lars Bloch

Railroad workers - Pietro Torrisi, Artemio Antonini, Claudio Ruffini

Costello henchman – Bruno Arie, Rocco Lerro, Riccardo Petrazzi, Franco Ukmar,

     Domenico Cianfriglia, Rinaldo Zamperla, Sergio Testori

Woman in church - Ada Pometti (Nunzia Pometti)

Old man – Dante Maggio

George Washington - Pippo

With; Luigi Meccia, G. Corradi, Alessandro Perrella, Amerigo Castrighella

Stunt coordinator: Attilio Severini