Viva la muerte... tua!

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Viva la muerte... tua! (Italy, Germany, Spain 1971 / Director: Duccio Tessari)

  • Runtime: 115 min
  • Release Date: 22.12.1971

Also known as

Long Live Your Death (U.S.A.) | Don't Turn the Other Cheek (U.S.A.) | Zwei wilde Companeros (Germany) | Zwei Galgenvögel geben Zunder (Germany) | Zwei tolle Companeros (Germany) | Das Todeslied der Companeros (Germany) | Três bons inimigos (Portugal) | Uma Dupla de Mestres - Viva a Morte... Tua (Brazil) | Viva la muerte tuya (Spain) | Et viva la revolution! (France) | Leve Döden (Sweden) | En viva de revolutie (Belgium) | Companeros | La Guerilla | 新・脱獄の用心棒 shin datsugoku no yojinbo DVD title (Japan)

Cast and crew

  • Cast: Franco Nero (Prince Dimitri Vassilovich Vladek Orlowsky), Eli Wallach [as Ely Wallach](Alfonso 'Max' Lozoya), Lynn Redgrave (Mary O'Donnell), Horst Janson (Sheriff Randall), Eduardo Fajardo (General Huerta), José Moreno (bespectacled Huerta Captain), Victor Israel (Manuel Mendoza), Gisela Hahn (bride), José Jaspe [as José Jaspes](old prospector), Enrique Espinosa (Migoleto), Gunda Hiller, Furio Meniconi (cantina proprietor), Dan van Husen (Kelly, Randall deputy), Rudy Gaebel (long-haired Randall deputy), Carla Mancini (Yuma telegrapher), Mirko Ellis (Yuma prison warden), Marilu Tolo (Lupita), Lorenzo Robledo (Callahan, mine rep), Luis Marin (hold-up bandit), Tito Garcia (chief holdup bandit), Juan Antonio Elices [as Juan Elices](grateful fiesta Mexican), Carlos Romero Marchent (revolutionary), Antonio Orengo (grateful fiesta peon), José Bastida (blond Randall deputy), Fabián Conde (bridegroom), Ernesto Vañes (revolutionary), Marcelo Gonzalez, Juana Jiménez (Senora Villegas, old woman sewing), Adolfo Thous (mine prison warden)
  • Also with: Rafael Albaicín (El Salvador escort), José Luis Lizalde (2nd telegrapher), Vicente Roca (horse seller), Angelo Boscariol (Yuma prison guard), Agustín Bescos (fiesta peon)
  • Novel basis: "The Killer from Yuma" by Louis B. Patten
  • Screenplay: Marcello Coscia, Massimo De Rita, Dino Maiuri, Duccio Tessari
  • Cinematography: Jose F. Aguayo [Technicolor, Techniscope 2,35:1]
  • Music: Gianni Ferrio
  • Song: "Don't Turn the Other Cheek" sung by Lynn Redgrave
  • Producers: Mickey Knox, Juan De Orduna

Synopsis

Vladek Orlowsky (Nero), an ex-Russian Prince turned adventurer, comes to hear of a buried treasure in Mexico. The old dying Mexican who reveals the secret, explains that nothing can be done until a certain Lozoya has been traced, because he has the map of the place. Lozoya is in prison at Yuma awaiting trial, so Vladek goes there and tries to persuade him to give up the map. Lozoya escapes, and thinking it is thanks to Vladek, joins him when in fact the escape was organised by an Irish journalist, Mary O'Donnel (Redgrave), on behalf of a bandit called "El Salvador". Chased by the Sheriff Randall (Janson), they begin a treacherous partnership and set out after the gold. With all parties having their own agendas, events do not go as planned.

Comment

In the early 70s many SW directors were not sure anymore if they should take their stories seriously or not. Generally a lighthearted action movie with crooks and revolutionaries, Viva La Muerte... Tua! turns some scenes of its treasure hunt story, without any necessity, into unapt comedy. Apart from that it is a lavishly produced star movie which looks sometimes a bit too calculated and therefore lacks freshness. But in the best scenes Duccio Tessari, who replaced Sergio Corbucci for this Companeros follow up, showed at least that he was still a fine director for westerns.

by Stanton

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