The Cold Killer (1966)

Philippe March is Jose Desmet, a man with a death to avenge, and a grand scheme to execute once he’s done so.

Desmet is working as a butler for a mine owner named Salazar, who was once a judge and condemned Desmet’s outlaw father to death.

When Salazar is stricken by an attack of some sort, Desmet refuses to give him his medicine, gleefully watching him perish instead.

Then he heads to the town of Anaconda, where Salazar’s gold mine is located, and passes himself off as a businessman, using money he’s stolen from his former boss to do so.

Miss Becket (Lilian Faber), owner of the local saloon, is in financial trouble. He pays off her creditors. He earns more friends by agreeing to cover the cost of a new bell for the town’s church.

Next, he plans to romance Ellen Salazar (Rita Farrell), the pretty daughter of his former boss. After all, she’s the heir to that gold mine.

And if she resists, he’ll still try to cheat her out of her holdings by convincing her that her father’s land is worthless.

She resists, partly because she’s attracted to a handsome stranger named Bill Gregor (Bruno Piergentili as Dan Harrison), who’s been hanging out in the saloon.

But Gregor’s time as a barfly is about to end. He shoots a man in self-defense, is thrown in jail, but quickly bailed out by Desmet.

Now he has to work for Desmet to pay off his debt.

Turns out, Desmet’s a man with more than one secret he’ll kill to keep from getting out.

Review:

An odd film, carried by fourth-billed Phillippe March as the cold killer of the title. And if the English titles for some Spaghetti Westerns seem ill-fitting, this one is dead on.

So what’s odd about it?

Well, we’re 22 minutes into the film before we catch a glimpse of our hero, hat pulled down over his eyes as he nurses on a beer in the town saloon.

And we’re well over a half hour in before he springs into action, showing off his markmenship during a shooting contest between Desmet’s four henchmen.

Even then, it’s just a hunch that he’s going to become a key player in what will follow.

Then there’s all those cheerful saloon tunes, performed by The Wilder Brothers. They’re in English, even in the Italian prints of the film.

Let’s just say they don’t exactly fit the mood of a film in which the villain will gun down a female saloon owner and the town doctor without batting an eye.

Directed by:
Guido Celano
as William First

Cast:
Bruno Piergentili … Bill Gregor
as Dan Harrison
Rita Ferrel … Ellen
Lilian Faber … Miss Becket
Philippe March … Jose Desmet
Luigi Barbieri …. Carson, piano player
as Luis Barber
Amedeo Trilli … Priest
as Amid Trail
Guido Celano … Anaconda sheriff
as Guy W. Ceylon
Mario Feliciani … Salazar

Also with: Bill Reed, Claudio Mealli, Giorgio Bandiera, Ennio Pagliani, Luciano Odorisio, Attilio Dottesio, Cladio Ruffini

Runtime: 87 min.

aka:
Uccideva a freddo
The Killer

Music; John Ireson and Weyman L. Parham
Songs, by the Wilder Brothers: “He Wore a Silver Star,” “Pickin’ and Grinnin’,” “Lovely Girl,” “Welcome Song.”

Memorable lines:

Miss Beckett, the deep-on-debt saloon owner: “So, in giving me another thousand (dollars), you’d become the boss of everything? Of the saloon? Of the tannery? And me?”
Desmet: “Oh, I’m already sick and tired of you.”

Carson, after a stranger walks into the saloon and shows off his skill with a six-gun: “Bravo. My boy, you’re very expert. But take my advice: File the pistol sight.”
Stranger: “Why?”
Carson: “Because, brother, one of these fine days, the customers are going to get angry and they’ll deprive you of your pistol and shove it in your ear. And the pistol sight hurts real bad.”

Sheriff: “Mr. Desmet is putting on bail for you, provided you promise to work for him.”
Bill Gregor: “He’s crazy. I’m a big eater and don’t like to work. I hate work. Besides which, I drink two bottles of whiskey per day.”

Trivia:

* The Wilder Brothers were actual brothers, Warner, Walter and George, who released several songs beginning in the 1950s. They were also responsible for the title track (“The Golden Gun”) for “The Man Who Came to Kill” (1965). George was also the second of actress Doris Day’s four husbands.

* This film and “Gun Shy Piluk” (1968) were the only movies directed by longtime actor Guido Celano. And, yep, he also plays the role of sheriff.

* This marked the only Spaghetti for Phillipe March and the only screen role for Rita Ferrell and Lillian Faber, according to IMDb.