California
California (Italy, Spain 1977 / Director: Michele Lupo)
Contents:
- Runtime: 96 min
- Release Date: 16.7.1977
Also known as
California addio (Italy) | Lo chiamavano California (Italy) | Spiel mir das Lied von Californien (German censored version) | Der Mann aus Virginia (Germany) | Adios California (France) | El Californiano (Spain) | Califórnia Adeus (Brazil) | California - mies ilman lakia (Finland) | Mannen utan lag (Sweden) | Kalifornia (Greece) | Kalifornia, antio (Greek reissue title) | Stin koilada tou thanatou (Greece) | Kalifornie (Czech Republic) | Kalifornia (Poland) | Chamavam-lhe Califórnia (Portugal) | Opgøret i Dakota (Denmark)| کالیفرنیا (Iran)
Cast and crew
- Cast: Giuliano Gemma (Michael 'California' Random), William Berger (Mr. Preston), Raimund Harmstorf (Rupp/Rope Whitaker), Miguel Bose (Willy Preston), Paola Bose (Helen Preston), Chris Avram (Nelson), Claudio Undari (as Robert Hundar)(Eric Plummer), Romano Puppo (Gary Duke), Malisa Longo, Dana Ghia (Mrs. Preston), Ferdinando Murolo, Franco Ressel (Full), Tom Felleghy (colonel), Franco Fantasia (army recruiting officer), Alberto Dell'Acqua (Confederate soldier), Paolo Magalotti (Confederate soldier), Piero Leri, Mario Novelli, Enzo Fiermonte, Alfio Caltabiano, Manuel Pereiro, Diana Lorys, Elsa Zabala, Nazzareno Zamperla, Andrea Aureli, Piero Morgia
- Story: Franco Bucceri, Roberto Leoni
- Screenplay: Franco Bucceri, Nico Ducci, Roberto Leoni, Mino Roli
- Cinematography: Alejandro Ulloa [Technicolor, Techniscope 2,35:1]
- Music: Gianni Ferrio
- Producer: Manolo Bolgnini
Synopsis
At the end of the Civil War, a Union soldier is released from prison and travels with a fellow prisoner to Missouri where his travelling companion is shot and hung for horse stealing. California decides to take the dead companion's belongings to his family's ranch, where he falls in love with his friend's sister. But then the "ghosts" of the war return in an unexpected way haunting him again.
Comment
Tired and incoherent attempt to make a serious SW when the genre was already dead. The first half is set in a struggling post war scenario, with not much interesting to say or show. It leads into a short romantic bridging section, just before the film turns into more familiar SW stuff with the revenge story of the second half. The film mostly ends the story elements too hastily, just before they can become interesting or really dramatic, and suffers from a cliched way of lighting (which still has its atmospheric moments) and an inappropriate soundtrack. But it should be mentioned that California is liked by many of the SW community.
by Stanton
External Links
- 1977
- Italy
- Spain
- Giuliano Gemma
- William Berger
- Raimund Harmstorf
- Michele Lupo
- Gianni Ferrio
- Claudio Undari
- Alfio Caltabiano
- Franco Ressel
- Malisa Longo
- Dana Ghia
- Tom Felleghy
- Andrea Aureli
- Diana Lorys
- Alberto Dell'Acqua
- Paolo Magalotti
- Enzo Fiermonte
- Alejandro Ulloa
- Chris Avram
- Romano Puppo
- Mario Novelli
- Nico Ducci
- Mino Roli
- Carlo Simi
- Twilight Spaghetti Westerns