Friday, January 17, 2025

Today is the 50th anniversary of the opening of “The White, the Yellow, and the Black”

 

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the premier of “Il bianco, il giallo, il nero” (The White, the Yellow, and the Black) directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Guliano, Tomas Milian and Eli Wallach. It tells the story of  Sakura (Tomas Milian) a young, aspiring samurai, who goes on the trail of a sacred pony, that the Emperor of Japan sent as a gift to a colony of Japanese immigrants in the West, and that fake Indians, the henchmen of the dishonest banker Butler (Jacques Berthier) kidnapped to provoke a war against the redskins, who oppose the passage of a railroad within their territory. For his ransom the evildoers ask for a million dollars, which, kept in a box, is entrusted for delivery by sheriff Black Jack (Eli Wallach). Attracted by the big money is an unscrupulous scoundrel Italian-Swiss, Blanc de Blanc Giuliano Gemma), who tries to capture Sakura and Black Jack. Divided in purpose, the three are forced by events to join forces to repel the attacks of Butler’s henchmen - and especially a greater fool a former Confederate Major (Manuel de Blas) determined to prevent the discovery of the pony. The trio finally eliminates their opponents, unmask Butler, then go on go on their own separate ways: Sakura with his pony; Blanc de Blanc with a rich premium paid by the Japanese for the discovery of the horse and Black Jack empty-handed.

The film made 1,897,807 lire upon release and is ranked the #16th highest grossing Spaghetti western of all time.

Il bianco, il giallo, il nero – Italian title

El blanco, el Amarillo, y el negro – Spanish title

Le blanc, le jaune et le noir – French title

Samurai – Canadian title

Stetson – Drei Halunken erster Klasse – German title

Ο άσπρος, ο μαύρος και ο κίτρινος – Greek title

Ο καλός, ο κακός και ο κίτρινος – Greek title

Dispara primeiro… pergunta depois – Portuguese title

El blanco, el Amarillo, y el negro – Spanish title

Samurai Kid – English title

Ring Around the Horse’s Tail – English title

Shoot First… Ask Questions Later – English title

The White, the Yellow and the Black – English title

 

A 1974 Italian, Spanish, French film co-production [Tritone (Rome), Mundial (Madrid),

     Filmel (Paris)]

Producer: Solino Norberto

Director: Sergio Corbucci

Story: Marcello Coscia, Antonio Troiso

Screenplay: Mario Amendola, Renee Asseo, Luis G. de Blain, Sergio Corbucci, Santiago

     Moncada

Cinematography: Luis Caudrado (Luis Encinar) [Technicolor, CineScope]

Music: Guido & Maurizio De Angelis

     Songs: “White, Yellow and Black”, “Bump” sung by Dilly Dilly (Guido & Maurizio

                 De Angelis)

Running time: 112 minutes

 

Cast:

Blanc de Blanc/Stetson/Swiss – Giuliano Gemma

Sakura – Tomas Milian (Tomás Rodríguez)

Sheriff Edward ‘Black Jack’ Gideon – Eli Wallach

Major Donovan – Manuel de Blas

Kelly Butler – Jacques Berthier

Kady – Romano Puppo

Sergeant – Neno Zamperla (Nazzerano Zamperla)

Yamoto/Osaka – Hideo Saito

Console Giapponese – Frank Nuyen

Robson/Robinson brothers – Cris Huerta (Crish Brieva), Tito Garcia (Pablo González),

     Joaqin Solas (Joaquin Solis del Cerro), Alfonso de la Vega, Beni Deus (Veancio

     Mejuto), Luis Induni (Luigi Radici), Edy Biagetti (Eduardo Biagetti), Scott Miller

Deputy in jail - Ernesto Váñez (YANEZ)

Clementine Gideon – Maria Isbert (Maria Sorriano)

Grampa Gideon - Pasquale Barrachina

Redheaded saloon girl – Mirta Miller (Mirta Chatard)

Saloon girls – Denise Bataille

Prisoners – Victor Israel (Josep Vilanova)

Prisoner priest - Ricardo G. Lillo

Albino – Dan van Husen (Daniel van Husen)

Chief Muchaco – Jose Villasante

Comanchero – Rafael Albaicin (Ignacio Escudero)

Army officers – Franco Tocci, Lorenzo Robledo

Watson brother – Scott Miller

Donovan henchmen - Jose Panizo, Fernando San Jose, Lisardo Iglesias

Soldier – Aldo Dell’Acqua (Arnaldo Dell’Acqua)

Soldier guard on train – Franco Tocci       Franco Tucci

Indian squaws - Carla Mancini, Ana Farra (Anita Farra)

With: Giovanni Petti, Lorenzo Piani, Pietro Torrisi, Jose Villasante

Stunts: Antonio Ramirez Pequeño Oso, Pietro Torrisi


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