Content: As a small cortege of lepers passes through a neat little town, the citizens aren’t really amused about it. The amusement even grows as the alleged invalids produce their guns and attack the bank in a bloody coup. During their flight the bandidos split up, to reunite in their hideout. But the booty of half a million dollar has vanished, because one of the gang-members plays double-cross and has stashed the money away shortly after the raid. In the meantime an anonymous gunslinger offers his service to the robbed citizens: For a fee of 10K dollars he will get back the stolen dough. Willy-nilly town’s notabilities accept the offer, whereas the bandits settle down in a stagecoach station, after killing nearly all attendants. Only William (Roberto Camardiel), carrier of the station, and young Bill (Giuseppe Cardillo) survive, because the rogues need someone as kitchen police. Furthermore some girls have to stay in the station for amusement, you know. But inside the gang dominates a tense mood, because it’s still to clarify, who is the traitor. Getting worse are the intrigues of ruthless gang member Kate (Sarah Ross), who tries to get her money’s worth and doesn’t stop for nothing. And finally we have William, who sits in his kitchen, thirsting for revenge, because Blacky (Alfonso Rojas), leader of the pack, has killed his wife.
| The Gunslinger says: It’s a film of missed chances, amigos. Because most of the budget probably was blast off literally in the action-packed opening sequence, nearly two thirds of the flick take place in the stagecoach station. Director Klimovsky actually could build on good premises: a good basic idea and a cast, consisting in the main part out of proved Spanish actors. But unfortunately he doesn’t make enough of the claustrophobic situation, in which it ought to crinkle because of several reasons. So specially the potential interesting middle part of the flick dabbles along without any heights and depths, leading into a final, which is not adequately motivated and actually displaced.
With a tighter direction and a script, insisting more on the psychological aspects and a certain logic, primarily concerning the final, the result could have been an above average SW. But this film isn’t as bad as it is often made at all. The actors, except weak Giuseppe Cardillo, are passable and Alfonso Rojas is really good. Even if the camera hardly leaves the “American position”, there are some really nice shots. Furthermore the b/w flashbacks to illustrate the bank robbery out of the individual position of each bandido, are a fine stylistic device.
| Rating: $$$-
| Bodycount: ca 20 Gringos; 4 women
| Explicit Brutalities: - The citizens lynch a caught and wounded bandit without legal action
- As they occupy the stagecoach station, the bandits kill nearly all attendants, obviously having fun. After the massacre they put the corpses in a stagecoach and send them away
| Luv': Despite or because of the exeptional circumstances Bill and “dancing” girl Eliana (Diana Sorel) approaching heavily: 2/10
| Gore: 2/10
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| OT:
Quinto: non ammazzare
AT:
El Valor de un Cobarde (SP)
Year: I/SP 1969
D: León Klimovsky
S: Dino de Rugeris, Manuel Martinez Remis
C: Giuseppe la Torre
M: Piero Umiliani
with: German Cobos, Alfonso Rojas, Sarah Ross, Giuseppe Cardillo („Steven Tedd“)
 | Not the KKK, but a bunch of "lepers", ...
|  | .... who are at once bright eyed and bushy tailed
|  | Sarah Ross one time twisting Alfonso Rojas around her
finger, ...
|  | ... the other time Alfonso de la Vega
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