The Civil War has ended, but the fighting hasn’t out West. Bands of ex-Rebel soldiers are still terrorizing the countryside.
Capt. Jeff Madison (Alan Steel) is on one of the best at bringing those renegades to justice.
Now he’s on the trail of one of the most notorious, Machedo (William Berger).
Machedo’s men set an ambush for Madison; only he and a sergeant survive. They return to Fort Mason, to find Machedo’s men have captured it as well.
Madison flees, but is caught. Rather than putting him to death, Machedo has him staked out, fires two bullets into his gun hand, and then leaves him for dead.
Only Madison doesn’t die. Though his gun hand is permanently crippled, he’s rescued by Indians, including a pretty maiden named Swanna.
Two years later, when Machedo’s men steal a small fortune in gold coins from a bank, Madison returns.
First, he hijacks the hearse being used to sneak the gold out of town. Then he hides the gold in a ghost town called Blackston Hill in order to lure Machedo and his gang there to dole out his revenge.
But the odds will be long. Especially for a man who isn’t the gunman he once was.
Sergio Ciani (Alan Steel) as Jeff Madison in Fasthand (1973)
William Berger as Machedo in Fasthand (1973)
Review:
Far from classic, but certainly more watchable than many of the comedy Westerns being churned out in Italy around the same time.
The plot is thin, but director Mario Bianchi pours on the violence. One Union officer is forced to drink ink before being drilled repeatedly by Machedo’s six-gun.
A couple of characters are tortured with red-hot irons. And there’s an extended fight scene between Madison, armed with a pitchfork, and Quincy, armed with an axe.
And Madison keeps having flashbacks to the day he was crippled. He was tied to stakes in a kneeling position, hands on the ground. Machedo’s men rode tight circles around him, spitting in his face, until Machedo fired the crippling bullets into his right hand.
A decent store helps.
Celine Bessy as Swanna in Fasthand (1973)
Francisco Sanz as Smart in Fasthand (1973)
Directed by:
Mario Bianchi (as Frank Bronston)
Cast:
Sergio Ciani … Jeff Madison
(as Alan Steel)
William Berger … Machedo
Frank Brana … Quincy
Fernando Bilbao … Diego
Gilberto Galimberti … Raul
(as Gill Rolland)
Celine Bessy … Swanna
Francisco Sanz … Smart
Welma Truccolo …. Mary Ann Cruz
(as Karin Well)
Ettore Ribotta … Bank manager
Francesco D’Adda … Bank employee
Aldo Cecconi … Sheriff
Runtime: 89 min.
aka:
Fasthand
Mulligan
Mi chiamavano ‘Requiescat’… ma avevano sbagliato
Score: Gianni Ferrio
Title song:
“That Man,” by Ann Collin
Gilberto Galimberti as Raul in Fasthand (1973)
Fernando Bilbao as Diego in Fasthand (1973)
Memorable lines:
Union cavalryman: “Damn war. Even when it’s finished it ain’t finished. The more of them you kill, the more show up. Four lousy years and my throats so full of anger and dust, I can hardly spit.”
Machedo, to a Union major being questioned: “I think you better get smart before I get mad.”
Woman: “I guess someone really hates you Machedo.”
Machedo: “That’s impossible. I’m not a person to hate. Why I’m a very loveable guy.”
Joe Smart, when Machedo’s men scoff at his handmade gun: “The cemetery is full of disbelievers.”
Madison: “I owe my life to you.”
Swanna: “I only wish to be near you. And love you.”
Madison: “You’re very sweet. I’ll try not to hurt you.”
Madison: “I’ve been waiting around for you, Machedo. I’m gonna shoot you now.”
Machedo: “How you gonna shoot me with that (crippled) hand? Huh?”
Madison: “I’m not gonna shoot you with a hand. I’m gonna shoot you with a gun.”
Frank Brana as Quincy in Fasthand (1973)
Welma Truccolo as Mary Ann in Fasthand (1973)
Trivia:
Steel was better known for the films he made during Italy’s sword and sandals craze, starring as Samson, Hercules and other muscle-bound characters. His first two films were Hercules movies as a body double for Steve Reeves. He then starred as Hercules three times, including in “Hercules Against the Moon Men” (1964) and “Hercules and the Masked Rider,” a Zorro-like tale released in 1963.
Celine Bessy, who plays the Indian girl who rescues our hero here, has just three film credits, all in 1973. Welma Truccolo appeared in about two dozen films and played the lead role in a number of sexploitation films, including “Dirty World” (1978), “Eros Perversion” (1978) and “Erotic Family” (1980).
Filippo Perego as the Union major, forced to drink ink for signing death warrants for Rebel renegades in Fasthand is Still My Name (1973)
Sergio Ciani (Alan Steel) as Jeff Madison in Fasthand (1973)
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