I was never a fan of the spaghetti western. With the
exception of the few Sergio Leone films I had a chance to see when younger I’d
never really explored the genre. That all changed with Arrow Video. Arrow has
made a point of going back and taking some of the most influential films of the
genre that rarely played the normal theater circuit back when they were
released and issued them in pristine fashion with tons of extras. Now I find
myself drawn to them with major thanks to Arrow. Which brings me to THE GRAND
DUEL their latest release.
As with KEOMA (also just out from Arrow) this is a movie
that’s made the rounds from various companies. For a while it seemed like
anyone who had a company was putting out this movie. It’s even been released as
a double feature with the afore mentioned KEOMA. So I wasn’t sure what to
expect in spite of the fact that it starred one of my favorite western actors
Lee Van Cleef. I needn’t have worried.
Van Cleef stars as Clayton, an ex-sheriff traveling in a
stagecoach that shows up at a stop where a group of bounty hunters is
determined to capture Phillip Wermeer (Alberto Dentice). Wermeer is wanted in
Saxon by the family the town is named after. He’s been accused of killing Ebenezer
Saxon, the patriarch of the family. Wanted dead or alive with a $3000 price on
his head, it’s fortunate for him that Clayton has arrived. With no recourse he
allows the bounty hunters to take Wermeer. Elisabeth, a female passenger who’s
taken a shine to Wermeer, talks to Clayton who tells her that Wermeer is
innocent.
Clayton catches up to the bounty hunters and finds them
questioning Wermeer. It turns out they’re more interested in finding out where
Wermeer’s father hid some silver than the reward. Clayton frees Wermeer and the
pair head for Saxon with Wermeer still a free man.
Arriving in Saxon the pair discover that the sons of
Ebenezer, David, Eli and Adam, are waiting with the hope of hanging Wermeer.
Eli is now the town’s sheriff and he and Clayton don’t see things eye to eye.
Wermeer demands to know who killed his father as he remains accused of killing
Ebenezer. But things aren’t all what they appear and the only one who seems to
know what has really taken place is Clayton. Just who will come out in the end
is up for grabs until the final moments of the film.
Unlike many of the spaghetti westerns released during their
heyday this one offers a deeper plot than most. I don’t recall any having as
much as this one does with perhaps the exception of ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE
WEST. It keeps you guessing and trying to decipher just who was responsible for
the death of not only Ebenezer but Wermeer’s father as well.
There isn’t a bad acting job to be seen here. Van Cleef
remains one of the coolest of characters here just as he did in so many
westerns. Dentice is a match for him as a naïve and strong headed young man
trying to seek justice and stay alive at the same time. Klaus Grunberg as the
slightly effeminate brother Adam is something different to see decked in white
and ready to kill those who oppose the family.
This was only one of three films directed by Giancarlo Santi
which is a disappointment. He does a great job here. His time spent as an
assistant director on movies like THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY, DEATH RIDES A
HORSE, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST and DUCK YOU SUCKER paid off when it came
to directing this film. Why he stopped with three films I couldn’t find out.
Arrow has done a fantastic job with this release starting
off with a hi def 1080p presentation. But let’s face it, when it comes to Arrow
you know that the extras are going to equal the film itself and this time
around is no exception to that rule. The extras on this release include a new
audio commentary track with film critic/historian Stephen Prince, AN
UNCONVENTIONAL WESTERN a new interview with director Santi, THE LAST OF THE
GREAT WESTERNS a new interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi, COWBOY BY
CHANCE an interview with actor Dentice aka Peter O’Brien, OUT OF THE BOX a new
interview with producer Ettore Rosboch, THE DAY OF THE BIG SHOWDOWN a new
interview with assistant director Harald Buggenig, SAXON CITY SHOWDOWN a new
filmed video appreciation with academic Austin Fisher, the original Italian and
international theatrical trailers, an extensive image gallery, a reversible
sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin, TWO
DIFFERENT DUELS a comparison between the original cut and the longer German cut
of the film, GAME OVER an obscure sci-fi short directed by Bernard Villiot
starring Marc Mazza who plays Eli Saxon and MARC MAZZA: WHO WAS THE RIDER ON
THE RAIN? a video essay about the elusive actor by tough-guy film expert Mike
Malloy.
This is a movie that everyone can enjoy and a western that
fans should make a part of their collection. Not just fans of spaghetti
westerns but westerns in general. It was a movie that can be watched and
enjoyed with repeated viewing and I know it is a welcome addition to my shelf
here, one to be revisited time and time again.
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