Mercenario, Il

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Il mercenario (Italy · Spain 1968) is the second of two revolutionary westerns by director Sergio Corbucci.

Also known as

English titles A Professional Gun | Professional Gun | The Mercenary | Revenge of a Gunfighter | Germany Die Gefürchteten Zwei | Mercenario - Der Gefürchtete | Spain Salario para matar | El mercenario | Jaguar | Portugal O pistoleiro profissional | Finland Ammattitappaja | Sweden Gringo-Professionell Pistolero | France Un tueur professionnel | Brazil Os Violentos Vão para o Inferno | Japan 豹/ジャガー Hyo Jaguar | Žoldnéř (Czech Republic) | Наемникът (Bulgaria) | Партньори по оръжие (Bulgaria VHS title)
The Mercenary movie poster

Synopsis

During the Mexican revolution mine owner Colonel Alfonso Garcia (Eduardo Fajardo) hires Sergei Kowalski (Franco Nero) a Polish mercenary to protect seven tonnes of silver being transported to the US. Kowalski arrives only to discover the repressed peasant workers, led by Paco Roman (Tony Musante), have taken control of the mine by force. Always eager to make good his losses Kowalski persuades Roman, now in a tight spot with Garcia's army bearing down on him, to hire his services. A sadistic homosexual mercenary called Curly (Jack Palance), wanting the silver himself tries to ambush Kowalski, but Roman thwarts his plans and Curly's men are killed. Kowalski renews his partnership with Roman and after liberating a town the bandits are joined by Columba (Giovanna Ralli) an idealist who's farther was hung for being a revolutionary. With the promise of making Roman as famous as Pancho Villa and all the gang rich in exchange for a hefty daily fee plus expenses, under Kowalski's guidance Roman earns the reputation of a great revolutionary liberator. Garcia's army still desperate to capture the bandits are joined by Curly in their search. Kowalski's financial demands for guidance increase but Roman now married to Columbia sees the true importance of the revolution to the Mexican people. Realising his responsibility for his fellow countrymen Roman reneges on the deal and takes all Kowalski's money for the great cause. The bandits keep Kowalski tied up as a prisoner, but in a devastating attack by Garcia's army he escapes. Kowalski tracks Roman to a rodeo where he is in hiding working as a clown, Curly also trails him there and the scene is set for the final showdown. --The Halitosis Kid 11:08, 27 May 2007 (CEST)

Credits

  • Cast (Italian credits): Franco Nero (Sergei Kowalski), Tony Musante (Paco Roman), Franco Giacobini (Pepote), Eduardo Fajardo (Alfonso Garcia), Franco Ressel (Studs), Alvaro de Luna (Ramon), Raf Baldassarre (Mateo), Giuseppe Frisaldi [as Joe Kamel] (Sebastian), Ugo Adinolfi, Jack Palance (Riccioli / Curly), Giovanna Ralli (Columba)
  • Additional Spanish credits: Lorenzo Robledo (firing squad captain), José Riesgo (Garcia brother), Vicente Roca (Elias Garcia), José Canalejas (Lerkin / Rafael), Guillermo Méndez [as Gillermo Mendez] (captured captain), Enrique Navarro (notary at trial), Simón Arriaga (Simon), José Luis Zalde [as Jose L. Zalda] (innkeeper), Francisco Nieto (Antonio), A. Jiménez Castellanos, Tito García (Garcia mine foreman)
  • Uncredited actors: Remo De Angelis (Hudo), Herman Reynosa (Curly henchman), Adolfo Thous (Mexican at judgment), José Luis Lluch (missing tooth rebel), Enrique Fernández (dwarf circus clown), Felipe Urmeneta (bartender)

Reviews

Trivia

  • During the production, the cameraman thought he spotted a UFO, continued filming it and subsequently the team even sent pictures to NASA

Versions and runtimes

  • Runtime: 107 min

Release Dates

  • December 20, 1968 (Italy)

Filming locations

  • Cabo de Gata
  • Cuenca - La Mancha
  • El Casar - Madrid
  • Madrid: Manzanares el Real - The Bullring
  • Almeria: Pechina - Paco buried
  • Madrid: Nuevo Baztan - Fighting
  • Madrid: Colmenar Viejo - The Church

Production and business

External Links

Find this movie elsewhere:

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