The Great Silence (1968)

Jean-Louis Trintignant plays Silence. As a boy, he saw his mother and father gunned down by bounty hunters.

They slit his throat so he could never tell what he saw.

Years later, he’s in Snow Hill, Utah, killing bounty hunters who prey on the poor and hungry outcasts who live in the snowy hills outside of town and who have been forced into a life of thievery in order to survive.

The vicious Loco (Klaus Kinski) leads the bounty hunters, and his victims include the husband of a black woman named Pauline (Vonetta McGee).

She, in turn, hires Silence to even the score.

American actor Frank Wolff is Sheriff Burnett, who has been dispatched to this desolate town to stop the killing.

Luigi Pistilli is the businessman who gets to decide who lives and who dies and had a hand in the slaying of Silence’s family all those years ago.

Review:

Corbucci’s masterpiece, at least stylistically. All the Spaghetti trademarks are here — maimed characters, a special weapon, flashback sequences, vengeance as a key plot device.

But Corbucci manages to make it all fresh again. The snowy backdrop helps. So does an interracial relationship. Not to mention a stellar performance from Kinski in one of his best Spaghetti roles.

Plus an ending you will not forget.

Directed by:
Sergio Corbucci

Cast:
Jean-Louis Trintignant … Silence
Klaus Kinski … Tigrero / Loco
Frank Wolff … Sheriff Burnett
Luigi Pistilli … Pollicut
Vonetta McGee … Pauline
Mario Brega … Martin
Carolo D’Angelo … Governor
Marisa Merlini … Regina
Mira Mizar … Miguel’s mother
Spartaco Conversi … Walter

Also with: Marisa Sally, Raf Baldassarre, Remo De Angelis, Mirella Pamphili, Bruno Corazzari, Loris Loddi, Adriana Giuffrè, Emilio Messina, Benito Pacifico, Mimmo Poli, Jacques Dorfmann, Pupita Lea Scuderoni, Aldo Ralli, Paolo Figlia, Giulio Baraghini, Fortunato Arena, Rocco Lerro, Giovanni Ukmar, Mauro Mannatrizio, Claudio Ruffini, Clemente Ukmar, Franco Ukmar, William Mayor, Lorenzo Terzon, Fulvio Pellegrino
aka:
Il grande silenzio
The Big Silence

Score: Ennio Morricone

Runtime: 105 min.

Memorable lines:

Bounty hunter #1: “Charlie was fast with a gun, but this one’s faster than the devil.”
Bounty hunter #2: “For all I know, he is the devil.”

Pauline: “Once, my husband told me of this man. He avenges our wrongs. And the bounty killers sure do tremble when he appears. They call him Silence, because wherever he goes, the silence of death follows.”

Pollicut: “When are we going to see some law and common sense around here?”
Regina: “When they hang you?”

Sheriff to Loco, upon his recommendation that they ambush the bandits: “I never did like to hit a man when his hands are tied, but if you make me sick enough, I’ll have to.”

Sheriff: “Loco, now listen: Killing a sheriff will cost you plenty. If I were you, I’d think it over.
Loco: “I don’t need to. You’re on the side of the law. We … we’re on the side of the law of survival – survival of the fittest.”

Trivia:

Franco Nero was Corbucci’s first choice for the lead, but was busy with another project so the role went to Frenchman Jean-Louis Trintignant in his only Western.

This film marked the screen debut of Vonetta McGee, who’s best known role is probably as the love interest of a vampire in “Blacula.” She also appeared in the Western “Thomasine and Bushrod” and had a recurring role on the TV show “Cagney and Lacey.”

An alternate ending was filmed for some markets and is included in the commercial DVD release of the film.

All that snow in the final scene was manmade. In fact, the scene was filmed in the summer in Italy. Subbing for snow: Lots and lots of shaving cream.

The role of Silence as a young boy is played by Loris Loddi, who you might recognize from “The Hills Run Red” or “Ringo and His Golden Pistol.” He got his start as a child actor in Sword and Sandal films and was still active into the 2010s.