Rob Steiger is Juan Miranda, a Mexican bandit with gang consisting of a passel of sons and an old man he believes is his father.
When Juan encounters explosives expert John Mallory (James Coburn), he thinks it’s divine intervention.
After all, he’s always dreamed of robbing the gold-filled bank at Mesa Verde. Mallory, with his bag of explosive tricks, is just the man who could make it possible.
After some coaxing and an explosion that kills the mine boss he was supposed to be working for, Mallory agrees.
After all, there’s a revolution brewing in Mexico, and a doctor named Villega stirring things up in Mesa Verde.
So Juan gets to break into the bank of his dreams. But instead of gold, he finds political prisoners.
And, before long, he finds he’s a hero of a revolution he doesn’t give a damn about.
Of course, that might change in time. Especially with Mallory, a former Irish revolutionary, by his side.
Rod Steiger as Juan Miranda comes face to face with Irish revolutionary John Mallory for the first time in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
James Coburn as John Mallory, meeting Juan Miranda and his bandit relatives in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
Review:
Steiger turns in a fine performance as Juan; Coburn, with a heavy Irish accent, is less of a plus as John Mallory, haunted by a past revolution in his native Ireland.
And though nothing is spared in terms of special effects — a church and a bridge are blown up; then two trains collide in the finale — this is easily the least enjoyable of Sergio Leone’s Westerns.
A wonderfully staged stage holdup by Juan and his family opens the film, but the meeting of Juan and John that follows is way too drawn out.
And the playful original title, “Duck You Sucker,” is hardly in tune with the massacres taking place in the name of the revolution and by those trying to put it down.
Romolo Valli as Dr. Villega, the revolutionary captured by Col. Gunther Ruiz in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
Domingo Antoine as Col. Gunther Ruiz, eats an egg while awaiting the execution of Juan Miranda in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
Directed by:
Sergio Leone
Cast:
Rod Steiger … Juan Miranda
James Coburn … Sean / John H. Mallory
Romolo Valli … Doc. Villega
Rik Battaglia … Santerna
Franco Graziosi … Gov. Huerta
Antoine Saint-John … Col. Guittierez / Reza
Vivienne Chandler … Colleen, John’s girlfriend in flashbacks
David Warbeck … Nolan, John’s friend in flashbacks
Maria Monti … Adelita
Also with: Goffedero Pistoni, Roy Bosier, John Frederick, Antonio Casale, Jean Rougeul, Vincenzo Norvese, Corrado Solari, Biacio LaRocca, Renato Pontecchi, Franco Collace, melio Perlini, Michael Harvey, Furio Meniconi, Alvaro de Luna, Aldo Sambrell, Poldo Bendandi, Luis Bermudez
aka:
Giu la testa
Duck You Sucker
Once Upon a Time … the Revolution
Score: Ennio Morricone
Runtime: 157 min.
David Warbeck as John’s fellow revolutionary friend back in Ireland during flashback scenes in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
James Coburn as a young John Mallory in happier days with his Irish girlfriend (Vivienne Chandler) and his best friend (David Warbeck) during a flashback scene in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
Memorable lines:
Priest, about peasants, after Juan boards the stagecoach: “I hate saying it, but you should hear them in the confessional. You would never imagine. Did you know that they …”
Adelita, woman in stagecoach: “I can imagine, Father. I can imagine. Living in such promiscuity. All of them in one room, male and female together, lying in a heap, like rats in a sewer. At night, when the lights are out, all their inhibitions disappear. You never know who’s next: mother, sister, daughter… goat.”
Stage passenger: “You’ll pay for this, you bastard. I’m a citizen of the United States of America.”
Pappa: “To me, you’ll just a naked son of a bitch. Understand, Yankee?”
John Mallory: “Where there’s a revolution, there’s confusion.”
Juan Miranda: “What are you talking about? Revolution? Confusion?”
John: “Where there’s confusion, a man who knows what he wants stands a good chance of getting it.”
Juan Miranda: “Don’t tell me about the revolution. I know what I’m talking about when I’m talking about the revolutions. The people who read the books go to the people who can’t read the books and say, ‘We have to have a change.’ So the poor people make the change. And then the people who read the books, they all sit around a big polished table and they talk and talk and talk and they eat and eat and eat. But what has happened to the poor people? They’re dead. That’s your revolution.”
John Mallory, as Col. Ruiz and his column of regulars approach: “If it’s a choice I have to make between a chicken thief and ridding the world of a few uniforms, I’ll not be choosing the chicken thief.”
Juan Miranda: “You listen to me, you Irish piece of shit. You think you’re the only man in the world with the balls to stay. Well, you’re wrong. I have the balls. And I stay.”
John Mallory: “When I started using dynamite, I believed in many things, all of it. Now, I believe only in dynamite. I don’t judge you, Villega. I did that only once in my life.”
Franco Graziosi as Gen. Huerta, held at gunpoint by John Mallory as he tries to flee the revolutionaries in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
Maria Monti as stage passenger Adelita, about to learn a lesson about Mexican peasants in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
Trivia:
There are many reports that Sergio Leone didn’t want to direct the film, that he intended for an associate to do so, but was forced to step in when James Coburn and Rod Steiger insisted they were hired to star in a Leone project.
This marked Leone’s last Western. In fact, he would direct just one more film, the four-hour gangster epic “Once Upon a Time in American,” released in 1984, 13 years after this film.
Rod Steiger, with the machine gun he uses to help John Mallory attack the regular forces during a bridge crossing in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
James Coburn as John Mallory, giving the thumbs up to go ahead with an attack on advancing government troops in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
Domingo Antoine as Col. Gunther Ruiz, riding at the head of a column of regulars in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
James Coburn as John Mallory, explaining to Juan Miranda why there were political prisoners, not money, in the bank they attacked in A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
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This one kind of grew on me more the second time around.
I agree there was a bit of a disconnect between the lighthearted comedic introduction of the film vs. all the violence. And Rod Steiger/Miranda didn’t seem to mourn the loss of his first two sons in the bank robbery that didn’t turn out to be a bank robbery.
But I think the film redeemed itself more in the second half as it damned the futility of the “revolutionary” mindset that – in the end – changes nothing.
Can’t remember the direct quote, but near the end, Coburn’s character says that when he first started using dynamite, he believed in many things. But eventually, he only believed in dynamite.
And – ’70s whore that I am – there was something weirdly enchanting about the flashback scenes of a more idyllic and idealist time . . . and people running through fields nearly in leisure suits.
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Thank you very much. Glad you’re enjoying the blog. Lots more movies coming!
Awesome – looking forward to it.
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I agree with Brad. When I first saw this at the theater, I was really disappointed. Steiger’s accent was troubling, and the pacing as stated was very slow in places. Over the years and multiple viewings, especially the complete version with the final flash with Coburn, Chandler and Warbeck I’ve come to a different feeling about it. Morricone’s score has become a favorite also. The scene in the cave where Juan finds his slaughtered family and villagers is terribly touching. It’s gone from one star to four out of five.
The opening sequence in this film gave me very high hopes-fascinating and very base way to start a movie. The acquisition of the coach and subsequent strongly implied rape was a bit disconcerting-yes or no? Was this forced or mutual participation? In the end she was still more dressed than the men on the coach so thats a judgement call ultimately left to the viewer. Interesting introduction of another Leone anti-hero.
Afterwards the first half of the production was borderline comedic with fits and starts of violence amidst the Mexican revolution. Now I know where Al Pacino found the source of his Scarface accent- Rod Steiger for sure.
Starting with the bridge attack on the army the last hour or so was superb and a tour de force by James Coburn-the machine gun massacre and blowing up of the bridge, the realization by Juan of his family’s demise at the hands of the army, his unseen lone wolf attack and capture only reflected in Johns facial expressions, Dr.Villegas betrayal of his comrades, the murdering of the peasant hordes in the trenches by the army, Juans revenge for his family, the doctors redemption and the fiery head on collision of two locomotives. The machine gunning of creepy Colonel Ruiz as revenge for Johns shooting was masterful cinema, reflecting Juans rage of all that had transpired beforehand. The explosive final moments were a fitting goodbye to a former IRA terrorist. By the way…what the hell was up with Johns 3 way friendship seen throughout the movie in flashbacks ? Similar to the earlier possible rape scene we will never no for sure-and thats the way it should be. Sergio Leone was never one to shy away from adult themes. In my opinion the final hour of this production was a masterpiece and stands up to, or in some cases surpasses other work by Leone.