Grande silenzio, Il

From The Spaghetti Western Database

Il Grande silenzio (1968 / Director: Sergio Corbucci)

More on this film: See pictures Soundtrack Information DVD information DVD Review (dt. / Oz.) Forum topic

Also known as

The Great Silence (U.S.A.) | Leichen pflastern seinen Weg (Germany) | O Grande Silêncio (Portugal) | O silêncio da morte (Brazil) | Człowiek zwany Ciszą (Poland) | Suuri hiljaisuus (Finland) | Den tyste hämnaren (Sweden)

Cast and crew

• Cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant (Silenzio/Silence, Klaus Kinski(Tigrero/Loco), Vonetta McGee (Pauline Middleton), Frank Wolff(Sheriff Gideon Burnett), Luigi Pistilli(Henry Pollicut), Mario Brega (Martin), Carlo D'Angelo (Governor of Utah), Marisa Merlini (Regina), Maria Mizar, Marisa Sally, Raf Baldassarre (Sanchez/Schultz), Spartaco Conversi (Walter), Remo De Angelis (false sheriff), Mirella Pamphili (saloon girl), Fortunato Arena (outlaw), Bruno Corazzari (Charlie), Loris Loddi (Silence as a boy), Benito Pacifico (stagecoach driver), Mimmo Poli (barman), Claudio Ruffini (bounty killer), Luciano Rossi (bounty killer) Giulia Salvatori (child on sled), Jacques Toulouse

• Story: Sergio Corbucci

• Screenplay: Sergio Corbucci, Vittoriano Petrilli, Mario Amendola, Bruno Corbucci

• Cinematography: Silvano Ippoliti (Eastmancolor 1,66:1)

• Music Ennio Morricone

• Producer: Sergio Corbucci

• Runtime: 105 min
• Release date: 19.11.1968

Synopsis

Silence (Jean-louis Trintignant) is a mute gunfighter with an sense for justice. He is hired by a woman whose husband has been killed to take revenge on Loco (Klaus Kinski), one of the bounty hunters hired to hunt down homeless poormen around Snow Hill. A new sheriff (Wolff) and the local judge (Pistilli) make the matter a little complicated.

Review

Italian filmmaker Sergio Corbucci directed this serious-minded populist spin on the spaghetti western, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant as Silence, whose vocal cords have been slashed by sadistic bounty-hunters. Silence joins with local hillfolk in fighting the corrupt and tyrannical authorities in the town of Snow Mill. Corbucci's sympathies are clearly with his bandit heroes, who are only doing what they must to survive, while the law is represented by a corrupt sheriff, who lets his wealthy patrons run wild, and sadistic scum like Klaus Kinski, who kills the poor because he enjoys it. Politically charged in a way that only a film of its time could be, Il Grande Silenzio's themes of class struggle and violent revolution were a bit too hot for an American release in 1968. Vonetta McGee co-starred with genre regulars Frank Wolff, Luigi Pistilli, and Raf Baldassare.

Soundtrack

• Music: Ennio Morricone

Buy the Soundtrack at the US | German | UK | French | Canadian Amazon

Click here for more information

DVD

Available uncut in:

• Germany (Kinowelt) (Amazon.de mit Altersverifikation)| USA (Fantoma) (Amazon.com) | Australia (Raptor) | UK (Eureka) (Amazon.co.uk) | France (Canal+) (Amazon.fr)
• For all the DVD information click here

External Links

• Review at Fistful of Pasta
• Internet Movie Database
• Marco Leone Review
• Shobary's review
• Schnittbericht zwischen ungeprüft VHS - FSK 18 DVD auf Schnittberichte.com