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Vamos a Matar, Companeros
Companeros
Lasst uns töten, Companeros / Zwei Companeros
Italy/Spain/West Germany 1970
produced by Antonio Morelli for Atlántida Films, Tritone Cinematografica, Terra Filmkunst
directed by Sergio Corbucci
starring Franco Nero, Tomas Milian, Fernando Rey, Jack Palance, Iris Berben, José Bódalo, Eduardo Fajardo, Karin Schubert, Gino Pernice, Álvaro de Luna, Jesús Fernández, Claudio Scarchilli, Lorenzo Robledo, Giovanni Petrucci, Gérard Tichy, Gianni Pulone, Simón Arriaga, Tito García, Víctor Israel, Vicente Roca
story by Sergio Corbucci, screenplay by Sergio Corbucci, Massimo De Rita, Fritz Ebert, Arduino Maiuri, music by Ennio Morricone, conducted by Bruno Nicolai
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Available on DVD! To buy, click on link(s) below and help keep this site afloat (commissions earned) |
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Flix.com
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When arms dealer Peterson (Franco Nero), called the Swede, comes to
revolution-torn Mexico to make a deal with General Mongo (José Bódalo) -
who like him is really only after the money in the vault of the bank of
San Bernadino -, he almost immediately is at odds with the General's
Commandante El Vasco (Tomas Milian) - which eventually ends with him
buried in theground to the neck and being stomped to death by the
'Commandante's horses ... but ultimately the two of them not only have to
realize they are fighting on the same side (more or less), they are also
teamed up to go to Yuma, USA to free Professor Xantos (Fernando Rey), who
is actually Mongo's opponent and who preaches non-violence - but he is
also the only one who knows the combination to the San Bernadino vault.
Now freeing the Professor as such isn't much of a problem, the Swede
and El Vasco just set Fort Yuma on fire to do so, but getting him back to
Mexico is, since John (Jack Palance), the Swede's former business partner
turned enemy, is after the Swede for some sadistic personal vendetta, and
he doesn't mind if a few others are killed along the way as well (actually
he prefers it), American soldiers are looking for the Swede, American and
Mexican soldiers are looking for the Professor, and the Professor's
revolutionaries led by Lola (Iris Berben) are looking for him too, and
they are not too happy that he is in the clutches of General Mongo's men.
Somehow however, El Vasco and the Swede make it back to Mexico, and
they can persuade the Professor's men not to kill them and actually join
forces ... when Mongo sets up a trap for the Professor, who is only just
saved by El Vasco and the Swede, while Mongo is gunned down by the
Professor's men who don't take his pledge to non-violence too seriously.
Somehow, the Swede persuades the Professor to tell him the
combination to the vault, but he finds it empty but for a few corncobs
sympolizing the wealth of Mexico. To not leave San Bernadino empty-handed,
the Swede then steals a statue of San Bernadino - much to the dismay of El
Vasco, who even threatens to kill him for that ... but then the two have
to gang up once more to fight off John and his henchmen, a showdown that
is ultimately only resolved when the Professor dies a hero's death and
John is blown up with the Swede's wagonload of weapons ...
The Swede, an armsdealer out of money and goods, decides to stay with
El Vasco and the ÖProfessor's revolutionaries, to wait for his next big
chance ...
A light-hearted, light-footed, good-natured and pretty violent epic
about the Mexican revolution. Sure, it's not quite as good as Sergio
Leone's Duck You Sucker, which didn't come out until one year later
but which would quickly become the film allother epics about the Mexican
revolution would be judged by, but then again, Companeros is an
extremely well-crafted and very entertaining film, carried by plenty of
exciting action as well as great performances by Franco Nero, Tomas Milian
and especially Jack Palance as the mad-as-a-hatter sadistic gunman, a
persormance that has to be seen to be believed.
Definitely recommended !
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