Face to Face (1967)

Brad Fletcher (Gian Maria Volonte) is a tubercular professor in Boston forced into retirement in Texas for his health. He’s shown little ambition in life. Now he’s waiting to die.

That’s before he’s taken hostage by a vicious bandit named Beauregard Bennet. Fletcher winds up nursing Bennet back to health, then tagging along when he returns to his hideout.

Soon, Fletcher decides that this carefree, take-everything-you-can life is more exciting than anything he’s ever known.

And, with his brain and Beauregard’s gun and reputation, he figures the two of them can make history of the type he’s used to teaching.

As Fletcher becomes more violent, Beauregard becomes more thoughtful.

Before long, he winds up in jail; Fletcher winds up leading his old gang.

To complicate matters, both men are being sought by a Pinkerton named Charlie Sirringo (William Berger).

Review:

One of the better non-Leone Spaghetti’s. With a unique plot, a fine Ennio Morricone score and a neat ending, Sergio Sollima (“The Big Gundown”) has delivered another Spaghetti definitely worth watching.

Tomas Milian is particularly effective as Beauregard Bennet, the shoot-first, think-last bandit who doesn’t particularly like what he sees as he watches Fletcher transform into an image of himself.

The little heaven of a hideway Bennet and his raiders live in is another nice touch and plays a key role in the film’s climax.

You do have to wonder what wound up on the cutting room floor. Linda Veras’ character suddenly winds up by Fletcher’s side. We never even learn her name.

Directed by:
Sergio Sollima

Cast
Tomas Millan … Beauregard Bennet
Gian Maria Volonte … Brad Fletcher
William Berger … Charlie Sirringo
Jolanda Modio … Maria
Carole Andre … Cattle Annie
Aldo Sambrell … Zachary
Linda Veras … Cathy, Fletcher’s blonde
Gianni Rizzo … Williams
Angel del Pozo … Maximilian de Winton

Also with: Nello Pazzafini, José Torres, Antonio Casas, Frank Braña, Guy Heron, Rosella D’Aquino, Ivan Scratuglia, Lidia Alfonsi, Lorenzo Robledo, Francisco Sanz, Calisto Calisti , Osiride Pevarello, Guillermo Mendez, Antonella Della Porta, Alfonso Rojas, Joaquín Parra, Guglielmo Spoletini, Federico Boido

aka …
Faccia a faccia
Cara a cara

Score: Ennio Morricone

Runtime: 106 min.

Memorable lines:

Professer Fletcher to his students: “You are 20 years old. You will have to chose many times between just and unjust, truth and untruth. Always, the answers can only be found within you.”

Head professor to Fletcher, as he prepares to leave Boston for Texas: “That’s just the problem. You have no ambition. That’s why you’ve never been promoted. In this country, there’s no limits to the man who fights, fights.”

Beauregard to Fletcher, shortly after they’ve: “Yeah, you’re right, why kill a dead man? Anyway, I might need an extra bullet sometime.”

Fletcher: “Too slow? I’d say you were a pretty fast draw.”
Beauregard: “There’s plenty of space in boot hill for pretty fast draws.”

Beauregard, after shooting a rabbit for dinner: “What’s the matter? Didn’t you ever eat rabbit back East.”
Fletcher: “Yes, of course, though we have someone else do the killing for us and we don’t think about it. Besides, out here in the West, it’s difficult to distinguish the instinct for survival from the lust to acquire power.”
Beauregard: “Why do you want to worry about things like that?”

Siringo, showing off a badge with a bullet hole in the middle: “That’s my good luck charm, from my first sheriff.”

Trivia:

Sergio Sollima was one of the best Spaghetti directors not named Leone, also giving us “The Big Gundown” and “Run, Man, Run.”

Gian Maria Volonte came to fame playing villains in the first two films of Sergio Leone’s “Dollars” trilogy. He died of a heart attack while filming a movie in 1984 at the age of 61.

If the blonde who suddenly appears by Fletcher’s side in the latter part of the film looks familiar, it might be because she played the part of Jane in the first Sabata film. Her name is Linda Veras, and she appeared in at least five Spaghetti films.