DAY OF ANGER

When Sergio Leone turned Lee Van Cleef into a major star with FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE and THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, the actor stayed in Italy to make several more spaghetti westerns, including this one from Leone’s former assistant Tonino Valerii that genre aficionados rank amongst the best ever made. Giuliano Gemma (A POSTOL FOR RINGO) plays street cleaner Scott Mary, relentlessly bullied by the people of the small town of Clifton. When legendarily ruthless master gunfighter Frank Talby (Van Cleef) rides into town, Scott seizes the opportunity to lift himself out of the gutter, and possibly even surpass Talby’s own skills. But what is Talby doing in Clifton in the first place?

This lively, intelligent western is highly notable for the chemistry between its charismatic leads, some memorable action set-pieces (including a rifle duel on horseback that has to be seen to be believed), and a jazzy score by Tarantino favorite Riz Ortolani (MONDO CANE, IL SORPASSO, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST!).