Content: Bountyhunter Jim Martin (Maurizio Merli), only called “Blade”, arrives in the muddy village Suttonville to convert his last “booty”, the rogue Burt Craven (Donald O’Brien), into cash. But you can’t get blood from a stone, because in this mudhole, controlled by puritanic mine-owner McGowan, is nothing apart from sludge and sulphur vapours out of the nearby silvermine. So Blade lets Craven go and tenders himself to McGowan, with whom he has to pick an old bone too, as specialist in security questions for 2.000 Dollars a day. McGowan has namely increasing economical problems, since bandits raid the silver transports regularly, whereas his business partners naturally insist on the delivery of the paid silver. But the mine owner rejects Blade’s offer and bank on the service of his right hand George Voller (John Steiner) with his mob. The latter becomes Blade’s enemy as he is has to kiss the muddy earth after a brawl with Blade, ruining his preppy clothes. Meanwhile McGowan is tired because of the abiding hold-ups, naturally committed by the Voller mob, and wants to give up business. As Voller kidnaps McGowan’s beloved daughter Deborah (Sonja Jeannine), this gives him a reality check about his confidant. Now Blade, who advanced his price up to 100 000 Dollar, has to pull the chestnuts out of the fire. But Blade misjudges the wholes situation dramatically, what nearly costs his life and eyesight. Thanks to Craven, who pays back his release, he cheats death and prepares for the final showdown with Voller.
| The Gunslinger says: Wow, whatta great beginning, friends: Craven flees afoot from the mounted Blade through foggy bog scapes. Slow motions and electronically amplified, slightly alienated sounds intensify the mystic aspects of the setting. Finally – WHAM! – Craven is a hand worse off and Blade enriched by a worthy prisoner. “A Man called Blade” atmospherically leans on “Django” (1966) and especially on “The violent Breed” (1976). Even the vocal score, made by the brothers de Angelis like in “Keoma” recalls this antecessor. Atmosphere is dull and lightless: Men drudge in the silver mine like paid slaves, controlled by a bleak despot, who will be succeeded by a much worse one soon. Even Blade’s lust for revenge vanishs in this vale of tears, where death means deliverance. Unfortunately the subplot around the dancing chorus slows down the rhythm of the story too heavily. Otherwise it serves for a really successful scene, in which a massacre after the holdup of a stagecoach is contrasted to a hilarious show in the Saloon. Acting efforts are really good. I was quite impressed by the performance of Philippe Leroy as burned out mogul McGowan and John Steiner as sardonic Voller. Maurizio Merli, better known out of the hard-boiled Italian thrillers, makes a good job within the limits of his possibilities. Even veterans like Rik Battaglia or Nello Pazzafini show up for small appearances. Mentionable is also the great camerawork by Frederico Zanni . This ist he sole western by Maurizio Merli.
| Rating: $$$$
| Bodycount: ca. 70, 2 Women
| Explicit Brutalities: - After the hold-up of the stagecoach Voller’s men kill all passengers, but unfortunately they aren’t as thaaaaat efficiently
- McGowan lets whip the dancing girls, because of their cockish moral-conduct
- Blade is bashed by Voller’s men and roasted in the glowing sun with fixed eyelids
- Voller kills Angela, Blade’s short-time love-interest
| Luv': It could have been love between Angela and Blade, but time is not on their side, folx: 0/10
| Gore: 3/10
| Specials: Blade is excellent in throwing axes, but fast with his colts too. It’s abnormal for people, specialised on exotic weapons, i.e. „Kill him!” (Boomerang), “The big Gundown” (knife), "Adios Sabata” (lead bullets): these men usually use a colt if any only at a push
| Trailer: by ShobaryWesterns
|
| OT:
Mannaja
D, S: Sergio Martino
S: Sauro Scavolini
C: Frederico Zanni
M: Guido & Maurizio de Angelis
with: Maurizio Merli, John Steiner, Sonja Jeannine, Philippe Leroy
 | Maurizio Merli, ....
|  | ... a really hardboiled bountyhunter
|  | Philippe Leroy lets ...
|  | ... Martine Brochard taste the whip by Claudio Ruffini
|  | Walking on corpses: John Steiner
|  | Everything's gonna be allright? Nope! Maurizio Merli, Martine Brochard
|  | John Steiner with his twolegged bag of dollars
|
|
Share this
