Six Bounty Killers for a Massacre (1973)

Donald O’Brien is Frank O’Shaughnessy, a man who has set himself up as ruler in the town of Abilene.

He decides who comes and who goes. Outlaws are welcome, as long as they follow his rules.

If they don’t, they’ll discover that he’s judge, jury and executioner in Abilene.

Oh, and he pays off miners for their gold in his own script, then demands that they spend it in his town.

He also has a sideline: kidnapping women. And his latest victims — the governor’s wife and daughter — could fetch a handsome reward.

But instead of paying that reward, the governor and his advisors decide to assemble a band of six famed bounty killers to rescue the women.

They include Steve McGowan (Robert Woods), Cemetery (Attilio Dottesio), Hercules (Victor Stocchi), Kid “Whistler” Frazier, Doctor Lord and his sidekick Monk.

Each of the six has been given part of a warrant so they determine the identity of the other five. Put that warrant together, and it’s worth $300,000.

Review:

There are lots of Spaghetti touches here, plus a dash of The Magnificent Seven (1960) as the bounty killers assemble.

For instance, Cemetery places gold crosses on his victims. McGowan carries around a music box salvaged from his burned-out home and plays it to announce himself.

But it’s all poorly executed in a low-budget Spaghetti marked by flat performances, no spark of any sort and odd pacing.

We’re 50 minutes into the film — and two brawls featuring Hercules — before the bounty killers all come together.

There’s a twist at the end, but it makes little sense. Why would a villain so interested in money kidnap a woman and her daughter, hold them for years and years and never tell the person most likely to pay for their release?

On the plus side (?), this is probably the only Spaghetti in which a bounty killer posing as a doctor gains entrance to the villain’s stronghold by promising to cure a hangnail, then is filmed doing just that.

Director:
Franco Lattanzi

Cast:
Robert Woods … Stephen McGowan
Donald O’Brien … Frank O’Shaughnessy
Attilio Dottesio … Cemetery
George Wang … Messinas
Mauro Mannatrizio … Kid “Whistler” Frazier
Maria Luisa Sala … Linda McGowan
Giovanna Mainardi … Governor’s wife
Victor Stocchi … Hercules
Fiorella Mannoia …Rosella McGowan
Ivan Greeve … Monk
Antonio Dimitri … Rinaldo

Also with: Nello Palladino, Alessandro Perrella, Lorenzo Piani, Barbara Betti, Armando Visconti, Ivan Greeve, Nicola Mozzillo, Maurizio Mannoia, Mario Dardanelli, Gianni Cardello, Michele Branda, Luciano Conti, Benito Pacifico

Runtime: 83 min.

aka:
Sei bounty killers per una strage
Pay or Die
The Judgment of God

Music: Piero Piccioni

Memorable lines:

O’Shannesy: “The law after you, kid?”
Kid “Whistler” Frazier: “No, not quite. But almost, I’d say.”

O’Shannesy, sitting behind a desk in the bank: “You don’t seem very surprised to see me here.”
Kid Frazier: “I wouldn’t be surprised to see you singing at a prayer meeting. You sure get around.”

Messinas to Hercules: “Strong as an ox, but a little weak in the head.”

O’Shannesy: “You need an army to attack me. Not a bunch of chicken thieves.”

Trivia:

Director Franco Lattanzi helmed just four films. They included two other Spaghettis — 1973’s “The Executioner of God” and 1975’s “Tiger from the River Kwai.”

This film does offer Attilio Dottesio a chance to be part of the action. So often cast as a helpless villager or in a secondary role, he plays Cemetery. Dressed all in black, he carries around a packet of posters of wanted men and a pouch of gold crosses to place on the chest of his victims.