SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Kidskycom It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

hrkepler 'China 9, Liberty 37' is last of Monte Hellman's westerns, and his weakest attempt in that genre. The film tries to combine elements of spaghetti western with Hellman's usual existential vision. Although entertaining and thrilling at moments, the film falls into mediocrity as there isn't enough spaghetti nor existentialism.Clayton Drumm (Fabio Testi) is a gunslinger waiting to be hanged, but is given last minute pardon when men from railroad company hire him to kill Matthew Sabinek (Warren Oates) who used to work as a hired gun for same men years ago. Sounds interesting? Clayton rides into the farm where Matthew lives with his young wife Catherine (Jenny Agutter). The younger and faster gunslinger, who has grown weary of the killing, decides not to complete his mission when he starts to like Matthew and two men become sort of friends. And then enters farmer's gorgeous looking wife.There is the feel of growing tension in the first quarter of the film, that promises to become tense thriller, but then falls flat as generic love triangle and revenge story. Fabio Testi's lack of charisma against the talents and gravely looks of great Warren Oates becomes obstacle that doesn't allow proper chemistry to evolve between two main characters. Monte Hellman's other westerns (or western type movies) weren't always very thick and original on plot either, but they were executed with fascinating ways and ideas.Recommended to the fans of Warren Oates and Monte Hellman, and when you do, try to get the uncut version as there are some meaty lines (an nudity) to juice things up a little bit.Also, another great western director Sam Peckinpah treats the fans of the genre with wonderful cameo as an author Wilbur Olsen who wants to write story based on Clayton's life.

atlasmb "China 9, Liberty 37" sounds like the final score of a high school girls' basketball game, but it is the American title of this spaghetti western. Fabio Testi plays the part of Clayton Drumm, a gunslinger who avoids the hangman's noose by agreeing to take on a job--the murder of a man, Matthew Sebanek (Warren Oates), whose land is desired by the railroad. He rides to the man's property and insinuates himself into the household. Like Clint Eastwood, he is the quiet, deadly type and the lady of the house, Catherine (Jenny Agutter) takes a hankering to him.During his stay on the property, Drumm's emotions are stirred and he questions his decision to murder the man.A large part of the story is a romance. But most of the characters are driven by pride or greed, so you know love will probably suffer in the crossfire.Better known for such films as "Walkabout" and "Logan's Run", Jenny Agutter does a credible job as the object of men's desires. Nudity is a sizable part of her role. Testi, as the strong silent type is enough to stir a frontier woman's imagination. Oates, as usual, plays a scruffy, steely-eyed guy.I found the story interesting, but technical issues--like imbalanced sound and choppy editing--sometimes get in the way.

kevin olzak This 1978 Italian-Spanish Western was directed by the enigmatic American Monte Hellman, who has made few features during his 50-year career. Its recent airing on the Western Channel confirmed its cult status, as it stars Warren Oates, that fine underrated actor frequently used by Hellman, this being their final collaboration before Oates' untimely death at age 53 in 1982. Not having seen it since the early 1980s, and perusing the other 11 reviews on IMDb, I can attest that this is the full, uncut 102 minute version, with all the nudity and some of the most frank, shocking lines you're likely to hear in a Western. The other comments gripe about the poor quality of all available prints, and the accent of leading man Fabio Testi. I have two major complaints myself, in that the film seems much longer due to its meandering script, but what is unforgivable is that the soundtrack, from the footsteps to the chickens, even the music, simply drowns out much of the dialogue. The photography is excellent, the acting is good, and Hellman works wonders with his material, I just couldn't recommend it to anyone hard of hearing. The frustration is eased by Warren Oates, who manages to gain sympathy as the wronged husband, and the lovely Jenny Agutter, who supplies the film's bold nude scenes as the supposedly shy wife who becomes a whore. As the gunman who falls in love, Fabio Testi's accent makes his line readings a real chore to decipher, while small cameos are provided by Sidney Lassick and Sam Peckinpah, the latter playing a wealthy author manufacturing tales of the Old West. There is also an extremely brief appearance by European cult beauty Helga Line as a hotel proprietor. The 15-year heyday of the Spaghetti Western (1964-1979) was nearing its end, and this frank and occasionally bloody example continues to wallow in obscurity, but isn't that a typical fate for any movie directed by Monte Hellman? My favorite Hellman feature remains his first, "Beast from Haunted Cave," a 1959 collaboration with Gene and Roger Corman.

stewardia I remember seeing this movie in a revival house in the late seventies. I was a teenager and couldn't suspend disbelief enough to sit through the whole movie. I just couldn't buy the Fabio Testi character. I couldn't handle the accent. In my mind, the American West didn't have people like this although in reality it probably did.I very much remember Jenny Agutter's love scenes. I felt sorry for the Warren Oates character although he wasn't very sympathetic.I've recently seen a heavily edited for TV version of this movie and there's a lot of bad stuff in the movie: very low budget sets, embarrassingly under-written scenes, under-developed plot and sketchy acting. But there's quite a few good elements that are mentioned in some of the other reviews.Now that I know Jerry Harvey wrote this movie along with his pal, Doug Venturelli and worked alongside some of his heroes like Warren Oates, Monte Hellman and Sam Peckinpah not to mention some of the Italian folks who made all those great Westerns - I sure wish the uncut film that I rejected as a kid in that movie house was available on DVD.Jerry Harvey himself appears in a bordello scene as a tipsy customer.It'd be nice if this mixed yet positive achievement was around to brighten, if only a little, Jerry Harvey's tortured legacy.Maybe one day.