Wow! What a great find this was. It was released in Europe in ‘71, but the US in ‘72. And it was, in part, this year – in which I was born – that lead me to have a look.
Bronson’s face, physique, and whole demeanour are wonderful; like the flinty granite of Jack Palance, but with crystal veins of wit and charm shot through the igneous rock.
This Euro-collaboration is – as far as my limited knowledge goes – unique and unusual (and ahead of its time?) in not only having Frenchman Alain Delon as suavely evil bad guy, Gauche, but also Toshirō Mifune, as a ‘last of the Samurai’ type warrior.
So it’s a kind of proto-hybrid-spaghetti/noodle Western, I guess?
We have Capucine and Arsula Undress giving a bit of Yin to the Yang (or is it t’other ways about?), quite literally.
It’s helmed by British director Terence Young (Dr No, [?]), who does a terrific job.
Rather than synopsise the interesting and unusual plot, I’ll content myself with observing that there are lots of terrific locations, some excellent camera work, which, when added to an unique (if formulaic) story and solid (if formulaic) acting, produce a very beguiling whole.
The chemistry between Bronson and his fellow actors, esp’ Mifume, is great, allowing such hackneyed motifs as revenge, and grudging respect turning to camaraderie, to blossom afresh in the somewhat different setting.
There are even Injuns. But once again, even though they occupy a similar niche to that they habitually occupy, it’s all done – thanks massively to the long grass setting – in a refreshing way.
Maybe not a top tier movie. But a very solid compelling and surprisingly fresh take on timeworn themes. Deserving, I think, of cult status.