Beyond the Law (1968)

Lee Van Cleef plays Billy Joe Cudlip, one of a trio of bandits who swipe a mine payroll from young Ben Novack (Antonio Sabato) by the most devious of means.

But the young Novack, new to America and the West, is determined to redeem his good name, especially with mine owner James Cooper (Bud Spencer). Cudlip finds himself standing up for the youngster.

Novack, in turn, shows confidence in Cudlip, convincing him to help guard a second payroll destined for Silver Town. When bandits of a more vicious variety attack, Cudlip and his sidekicks — Preacher (Lionel Stander) and Al (Al Hoosman) — help fight them off.

That puts Cudlip in even better standing with Novack and the good folks of Silver Town. But while he’s less and less eager to pull another heist, his partners are just as insistent on doing so.

And when Cudlip pins on a sheriff’s badge, they start wondering how they can capitalize on his new position of power. After all, there’s $100,000 in silver that will soon be shipped from Silver Town to Greenstone.

Of course, the silver also has the attention of a ruthless outlaw named Burton (Gordon Mitchell), who won’t hesitate to kill women and children to get it.

Lee Van Cleef as Billy Joe Cudlip in Beyond the Law (1968)

Graziella Granata as Sally Davis in Beyond the Law (1968)

Review:

Better than average Spaghetti with a clever opening and Van Cleef in one of his more interesting roles, as a bandit and rascal guilted into doing good.

Lionel Stander and Al Hoosman play his impatient partners and provide some comic relief along the way; they can’t resist mischief and can’t believe their friend has really changed.

Meanwhile, Bud Spencer is beardless and serious in his role as the mine owner. And Graziella Granata makes for a fetching female lead in her only Spaghetti. She plays the woman whose stew is too salty, but whose curves Cudlip appreciates almost as much as a horse named Caeser that he insists on having before he’ll pin on a badge.

As the villain of the piece, Gordon Mitchell isn’t allowed to do much but look mean, a blessing considering his tendency to overact.

Lionel Stander as Preacher in Beyond the Law (1968)

Al Hoosmann as Al in Beyond the Law (1968)

Directed by:
Giorgio Stegani

Cast:
Lee Van Cleef … Billy Joe Cudlip
Antonio Sabato … Ben Novack
Gordon Mitchell … Burton
Lionel Stander … Preacher
Al Hoosman … Al / Sampson
Bud Spencer… James Cooper
Graziella Granata … Sally Davis
Herbert Fux … Eustaccio
Carlo Gaddi … Bandit
Ann Smyrner … Lola
Enzo Fiermonte … Sheriff Ferguson
Hans Elwenspoek .. Mr. Davis
Andriana Facchetti … Hotel owner
Romano Puppo … Sam, Burton bandit
Gunther Stoll … Burton’s henchman

Runtime: 113 min.

aka:
Bloodsilver
The Good Die First
Al di la della Legge

Music: Riz Ortolani

Antonio Sabato as Ben Novack in Beyond the Law (1968)

Bud Spencer as mine owner James Cooper in Beyond the Law (1968)

Memorable lines:

Cudlip: “I never seen nor heard so many bastards in all my life … The kid just got here. He ran into bad luck and you treat him like a dog. Who the hell do you think you are? You act like you all got hit in the head with a horse.”

Preacher, proposing a second holdup, of a wagon guarded by the sheriff: “Remember, death is the freedom of the sinner. And I’m sure the sheriff is a sinner.”

Preacher: “If anyone had told you your best friend would become a sheriff, would you have believed it?”
Al: “I swear, I would kill anyone who said that about my best friend.”
Preacher: “That’s what’s so wonderful about life. A thing like that happens and you suddenly realize having a sheriff for a friend can be useful.”

Preacher: “There’s an old proverb that says, ‘If a friend chooses a strange career, be content. Because sooner or later it can mean bukoo silver for you.”

Cudlip: “Sally, I want you. I’ve wanted you right since that first moment I saw you with that salty stew. But I can’t have you. There are some things even soapy water can’t wash away.”

Gordon Mitchell as Burton in Beyond the Law (1968)

Hans Elwenspoek as Mr. Davis in Beyond the Law (1968)

Trivia:

Lionel Stander, who plays one of Lee Van Cleef’s sidekicks in this film, was backlisted after being exposed as a Communist Party member in the 1950s. He went to work as a broker on Wall Street before reviving his career as a character actor in the mid-1960s.

Al Hoosman was a heavyweight boxer who served in Germany during World War II. He started acting in German-made films in the 1950s. This was his last screen appearance; he died at age 50 the same year it was released. He has a large role as one of Cudlip’s sidekicks, but his name appears neither in the opening credits nor in movie posters promoting the film.

Enzo Fiermonte as Sheriff Ferguson in Beyond the Law (1968)

Ann Smyrner as Lola in Beyond the Law (1968)

Graziella Granata as Sally Davis in Beyond the Law (1968)

Lee Van Cleef as Billy Joe Cudlip in Beyond the Law (1968)