Carambola (1974) - Once Upon a Time in a Western

Antonio Cantafora and Paul L. Smith are Coby and Len, respectively, quarrelling partners roped into solving a mystery for the U.S. Army.

Someone has invented a deadly new pistol. The government wants to find out who. And what their plans are for the weapon.

So Coby and Len find themselves doing jail time on trumped up charges. Of course, they’ll be freed if they agree to cooperate.

Ah, but the Army isn’t the only one after the weapon. So is a man named Clydeson (Horst Frank), who has a band of henchmen to do his bidding.

And if staying out of trouble with the Army, the law and Clydeson’s men isn’t enough of a challenge, Coby and Len aren’t exactly the most trusting — or trustworthy — partners.

Antonio Cantafora (Michael Coby) as Coby, Len’s partner, in Carambola (1974)

Paul L. Smith, the strongman Len Rothman in Carambola (1974)

Review:

At about the one-hour mark of the film, Clydeson pronounces himself tired of Len and Coby’s antics.

Yep, tiresome is a good way to describe this Trinity rip-off, with a thin plot wrapped around lots of choreographed action scenes focusing on Smith’s brute strength and Coby’s quickness and wit.

Oh, and don’t think to long about what little plot there is.

Let’s see, Coby and Len spend much of the film trying to evade capture by Clydeson’s men. Then they decide to let themselves be captured so they can find the important people behind the secret weapon?

As for the jokes, some might make you smile. More will make you groan.

Like Len carrying his tired horse rather than the other way around. Or Len crushing one glass of milk after another before he can take even a sip because his grip is so strong.

Horst Frank as Clydeson, the other man after the gun, in Carambola (1974)

Frank Fantasia as Professor Max Lager in Carambola (1974)

Directed by:
Ferdinando Baldi

Cast:
Paul L. Smith … Len Rothman
Antonio Cantafora … Coby
as Michael Coby
Horst Frank …. Clydeson
Guglielmo Spoletini … Kelly
as William Bogart
Pino Ferrara … Sheriff
Luciano Catenacci … Capt. Howard Jackson
Frank Fantasia … Professor Max Lager
Ignazio Spalla … Mexican revolutionary
Melissa Chimenti … Pamela

Also with: Gaetano Russo, Pietro Torrisi, Carla Mancini, Nello Pazzafini, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Pietro Ceccarelli, Mike Morris, Luigi Antonio Guerra, Remo De Angelis, Fred Robsahm, Claudio Ruffini, Angelo Susani, Benjamin Lev, Roberto Dell’Acqua, Angelo Boscariol, Roberto Messina, Artemio Antonini, Vladamiro Daddi, Enrico Chiappafreddo, Giovanni Bonadonna, Sergio Testor, Elio Bonadonna, Giglio Gigli, Lina Franchi, Paolo Sceusan

Runtime: 99 min.

aka:
Strange Adventures of Coby and Ben

Music: Bixio-Frizzi-Tempera
“”You Can Fly” and “Milk Serenade” sung by Dream Bags

Guglielmo Spoletini (William Bogart) as Kelly, Clydeson’s oft-abused second in command in Carambola (1974)

Pino Ferrara as the frustrated sheriff in Carambola (1974)

Memorable lines:

Clydeson to Len and Coby: “Alone, you’re a couple of bad renegades with a price on your heads.”

Coby, freeing Len from the post he’s tied to: “There’s only the chain. Should I shoot it off.”
Len: “No, thank you.” Then he breaks the chain with his superior strength.

Coby, quarrelling with his partner again: “Len, will you listen to me a minute.”
Len: “Sure. You can tell me after you’re dead.”

Coby, to a tied-up Len: “Hang tight. I’ll be back.”

Luciano Catenacci as Capt. Howard Jackson, the man who hires Len and Coby, in Carambola (1974)

Benjamin Lev as the cantina worker who can’t seem to shake Len in Carambola (1974)

Trivia:

Antonio Cantafora made his film debut with an uncredited role in “Dirty Outlaws” and played supporting roles in a number of Spaghettis before starring in a series of five Trinity-type films with Paul L. Smith as his sidekick from 1974-76.

Our quarrelling duo reprised the roles from this film in 1975’s “Carambola’s Philosophy: In the Right Pocket.” Their other three films together weren’t set in the West.

Some gags in this film are lifted straight from the Trinity movies. For instance, there’s a draw-slap sequence similiar to that made famous in “My Name is Trinity.” This time, Cantafora’s character is the slapper; and Horst henchman Guglielmo Spoletini the slap victim.