REFERENCE: FILM - IL MERCENARIO (1968)

IL MERCENARIO (1968)
Directed by Sergio Corbucci
Also Known As: A Professional Gun , Revenge of a Gunfighter (USA) , Salario para matar (Spain) , The Mercenary (USA)
Cast: Franco Nero as Sergei Kowalski, the Polish, Jack Palance as Ricciolo ('Curly'), Tony Musante as Paco Roman, Franco Giacobini as Pepote, Eduardo Fajardo as Alfonso García
Runtime: 110’
Country: Italy/Spain
Color (Technicolor)
Sound Mix: Mono

Paco (Tony Musante) is a dim-witted peasant who leads his comrades into rebellion against the oppressive Mexican military government. He hires a Polish gunfighter (Franco Nero) to help him. The two clash over tactics and a beautiful, feisty woman (Giovanna Ralli) along the way. Jack Palance is a gunfighter who is out for revenge off and on throughout the film.

This is simply one the funniest spaghettis out there. It's nothing big and bold; just an entertaining two-hour buddy flick. Franco Nero and Musante have great chemistry as two completely different men thrown into a situation together, in which each makes the best of things for himself. Palance is an ultra-weird gunslinger, who's trying to steal some gold. He doesn't know the rebels are holding it, though, and there's a very embarrassing moment after they capture him. The climactic gunfight in a bullring had me cheering. Eduardo Fajardo makes an obligatory, but wonderfully evil villain. Watch for Raf Baldassarre as a Mexican who gets a match lit on his teeth, and an almost unrecognizable Lorenzo Robledo as a firing squad officer during the climactic escape sequence.

There's not much of a plot here, just a string of evens, which push the characters further and further. Corbucci relies on some really good performances and a great script to keep viewers on the edge of their seat. There's a lot of funny dialog, including a great scene involving a pair of dice. There's some religious references: twelve rebels and Nero, their "Jesus"; Nero strapped to a cross when captured; rebels masquerade as monks during a religious assembly to surprise the enemy, etc.
Ennio Morricone's music comes out full force in this film, with a great rousing opening theme, and some truly epical-sounding brass in the climactic gunfights near the end.

There are also a number of slam-bang action scenes set amid desolate villages and such, with lots of Mexican soldiers getting machine-gunned and plenty of big explosions. It's also so rapidly edited that I can't help but be drawn into the action. These are all filmed with a decent amount of extras and in a number of authentic-looking Almeria locations.

The film has been beautifully restored, with fresh, accurate and intense colours and a nicely remastered soundtrack. It's also great to see in widescreen, the only way to capture the scope and immensity of some scenes.

Unfortunately the DVD, titled PROFESSIONAL GUN, has a terrible quality.