The Bang, Bang Kid (1967)

The town of Limerick, Montana, has a big problem. Bear Bullock (Guy Madison) has been in a snit for two years and has the town under his thumb with the help of a paid killer named Killer Kissock.

He rules like a king; he lives in a castle. He forces the townsfolk to work in his mine for a pittance.

His only soft spot: the mayor’s daughter Gwenda Skaggel (Sandra Milo), a pretty blonde with a nasty attitude.

He wants to make Gwenda his; Gwenda rejects his every advance and can’t wait for the day Bear’s knocked off his throne.

The mopey townsfolk think a sheriff — their own hired gun, of sorts — might be the answer.

But Killer Kissock dispatches of Six-Finger Sykes, the dressed-all-in-white Texas Kid and a far less cleanly wanna-be lawman in succession.

They try an evangelist next, thinking the words of Garrett Emerson Langtry might sooth the beasts who rule the town. No such luck.

Then Meriweather Newberry (Tom Bosley) arrives, complete with a gunfighter robot named CXA107, who bears his likeness and is dubbed the Bang-Bang Kid by the townsfolk.

Bang-Bang doesn’t quite live up to his billing. He forgets to pull his six-gun at key moments.

Nevertheless, with Gwenda strutting her stuff and Meriweather Newberry under her spell, brighter days might be ahead for the good folks of Limerick.

Review:

A surprisingly charming little film. Heck, how can you go wrong with a Spaghetti Western that includes a medieval castle, a gunfighter robot, two lovely actresses and a spaceship?

Unfortunately, the video version runs only 75 minutes; most sites list the film as 87-88 minutes in length. Which leaves me to wonder what we’re missing.

Still, give it a spin. It’s far more entertaining than the Trinity style Spaghetti comedies that would soon follow.

Sandra Milo is worth the price of admission all by herself, and Nico Fidenco supplies a theme song too.

Directed by:
Stanley Praeger
and Luciano Lelli

Cast:
Tom Bosley … Meriweather Newberry
Guy Madison … Bear Bullock
Riccardo Garrone … Killer Kissock
Sandra Milo … Gwenda Skaggel
Jose Caffarel … Mayor Skaggel
Dyanik Zurakowska … Betsy Skaggel
Ben Tatar … Leech
Eugenio Galadini … Old timer in town
Federico Boido … Six-Finger Sykes
as Rick Boyd
Umberto Raho … Rev. Langtry

Also with: Giustino Durano, Luciano Bonanni, Pino Ferrara, Renato Chiantoni, Ennio Antonelli, Mimmo Poli, Natale Nazzareno, Mario Dani, Jeanine Nardell

aka:
Il Bang Bang Kid
Bang Bang

Score: Nico Fidenco
Song: “Bang Bang Kid”

Runtime: 87 min. (75 min. video version)

Memorable lines:

Mayor Skaggel, upon learning the robot’s name: “CXA107? What’s that mean?”
Meriweather Newberry: “That means I had a lot of trouble the first 106 times.”

Bear Bullock: “Somebody takes the order, somebody’s gives them. I give them.”
Gwenda Skaggel: “Yeah, by pointing a pair of guns that you ain’t even holding.”

Mayor Skaggle as he pins a sheriff’s badge on Merriweather: “It sure is a noble thing you’re doing. And we won’t forget you in the cemetery if it should go bad.”

Meriweather Newberry, as word of Killer Kissock’s approach arrives: “Where’s everybody going?”
Mayor Skaggle: “We wouldn’t want to disturb you during the delicate arrest period. Good luck.”

Killer Kissock to Meriweather: “You sure are a plucky little corpse, drummer.” Killer pulls his gun. “How do you want it?”
Meriweather: “Do I have to have it?”

Narrator: “In the hands of a woman, even a broken machine sometimes can do better than an ordinary man.”

Other tidbits:

American Sidney Pink co-produced this film. He directed three of his own in Europe: “The Tall Women” (1966), “Christmas Kid” (1967) and “Finger on the Trigger” (1965).

Tom Bosley had already appeared in several movies and TV shows before heading to Europe to star in this, his only Spaghetti Western. He gained fame, of course, in the mid-1980s as Howard Cunningham on the TV show “Happy Days.”

Sandra Milo had starred in a pair of films by Federico Fellini, “8 1/2” (1963) and “Juliet of the Spirits” (1965). Her only other Spaghetti role came opposite John Ireland and George Hilton in “Dead for a Dollar” (1968).