Panhandle .38 (1972)

Keenan Wynn is Billy Bronson, once known as the Terror of the West, once a feared and wanted gunman.

He’s older now, but he’s been chosen for a dangerous mission by Sheriff Jones in the town of Kartny.

That mission: Deliver two chests full of gold to a Gen. Briscott at Fort Edward, the Southern headquarters.

The sheriff suggests Bronson pick a trustworthy and capable sidekick to assist him.

The former outlaw figures his son Jesse (Scott Holden) will be perfect for the job.

At least that’s his thinking until Jessie arrives in Kartny, fresh off 20 years in a convent, perfumed and insisting on calling him daddy. Billy fears his son has turned into a dandy.

Then Bullseye Joe’s gang, having heard about the chests of gold, visits Billy’s home. Jesse interrupts the visit and rescues his dad with a combination of skillful fisticuffs and quick thinking.

And so a newly proud daddy and his son head off to Fort Edward. It’ll be a perilous journey, because Bullseye Joe is hardly the only one who’s heard about the gold.

Scott Holden as Jessie Jerusalem Bronson, ready to give Bobo Bison advice on women in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Keenan Wynn as Billy Bronson, watching Bobo try to make off with the gold in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Review:

Another of those tiresome Spaghetti comedies that rely on bathroom humor and cleverly (?) choreographed fight scenes for many of its laughs.

In one of the latter, the film’s requisite strongman, named Bobo Bison, takes on a passel of the most inept Indians you’ll ever find. Including one named Pink Cloud who frets that the tussle will muss his hair.

There are plots twists too, though some of those — including the fate of the gold — are likely to leave viewers scratching their heads.

The best thing about the film is Delia Boccaro as Connie, the school teacher who catches the eye of both Jesse and Bobo. Boccardo lights up the screen in every closeup and plays a much more active role in the plot than the top-billed female in most Spaghetti Westerns.

Delia Boccardo as Connie, the school teacher turned gold seeker in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Giorgio Trestini as Bobo Bison, the strongman with a soft spot for Connie and gold in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Directed by:
Antonio Secchi

Cast:
Scott Holden … Jesse “Jerusalem” Bronson
Delia Boccardo … Connie
Keenan Wynn … Billy Bronson / Kile Richards
Giorgio Trestini … Bobo Bison
Mimmo Palmara … Sheriff Jones
as Dick Palmer
Giorgio Penna …. Doc
as Giorgio White
Gino Marturano … Fernand
Nello Pazzafini … Bullseye Joe
Remo Capitani … El Tornado
Franco Fabrizi … Chief Black Eagle
Philippe Leroy … Gen. Briscott
Renzo Pevarello … Pink Cloud

Also with: Carla Mancini, Osiride Pevarello, Alberto Dell’Acqua, Riccardo Donzelli, Roberto Dell’Acqua, Bruno Ukmar, Pietro Torrisi, Calogero Azzaretto, Franco Ukmar, Antonio Marcolini

Music: Frano Micalizzi
Song: “When Spring is in the Air”
performed by Annibale

aka:
…e alla fine lo chiamarono Jerusalem l’implacabile
Panhandle Calibre 38
Panhandle Caliber .38

Nello Pazzafini as Bullseye Joe, the first bandit to try to get his hands on the gold in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Gino Marturano as Fernand, the Frenchman trying to get his hands on the gold in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Memorable lines:

One of El Tornado’s men to another: “Hey, Pampero, you fell in shit. How do you feel?”
Pampero: “Shitty, my friend.”

Billy Bronson, pulling out his vest to dress for his mission: “Look at that. No holes. I made a lot of holes, though … They used to call me the greatest hole-maker in Ohio.”

Billy Bronson to Bullseye Joe, about his son Jesse: “They call him Oregon’s locomotive. He’s got hands of steel. Arms of bronze. Do you drink whiskey? My son washes himself with whiskey.”

Billy Bronson, about how his son turned out after 20 years n the convent: “I gave him a villain’s name — Jesse the Kid. Jesse! And what does he call himself? Jerusalem!”

Billy Breman: “I don’t trust anyone in the world since Jack Mortimer shot me after I had disarmed him. The bastard hid a gun between his butt cheeks.”

Connie: “Three partners. Three scams. I’m tired. From now on, I’ll do everything by myself.”

Keenan Wynn as Billy Bronson with Remo Capitani as El Tornado, the Mexican bandit after the gold in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Philippe Leroy as Gen. Briscott, the half-mad commander who’s supposed to receive the gold in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Trivia:

* Scott Holden was the son of film stars William Holden and Brenda Marshall. The same year this film was released, he appeared alongside his dad in “The Revengers.” He died of lung cancer in 2005 at age 58.

* Italian born Delia Boccardo made her film debut in a Spaghetti Western, 1967’s “Death Walks in Laredo.” This marked her only other outing in the genre. She continued acting into the 2000s. Among her other film’s was 1983’s “Hercules” opposite Lou Ferrigno.

* This marked the only directing credit for Toni Seechi, cinematographer on a number of Spaghetti Westerns, including “Blood for a Silver Dollar” (1965), “The Hills Run Red” (1966) and “A Bullet for a General” (1967)

Mimmo Palmara (Dick Palmer) as Sheriff Jones, the lawman with two chests full of gold on his hands in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Franco Fabrizi as Chief Black Eagle, lured into helping Fernand in his quest for the gold in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Delia Boccardo as Connie, hugging Bobo and planning her next move in Panhandle .38 (1972)

Scott Holden as Jesse ‘Jerusalem’ Bronson, pretending to be cooperative again in Panhandle .38 (1972)