After saving a woman and her baby with the help of an Apache remedy, Doc West Terence Hill finds himself back in Holy Sands, determined to use his poker skills to support Estrella, who’s in a boarding school back East, and to help Denise Stark build a hospital.
How to accomplish that? After all, hospitals are expensive.
Well, why not hold a poker tournament with a $32,000 prize in Holy Sands, the Doc and Sheriff Basehart (Paul Sorvino) figure.
Denise (Clare Carey) isn’t so certain, fearful that such a venture will attract all the wrong elements to what is now a peaceful town.
She isn’t far from wrong. Oh, there are some gentile poker players who show up in Holy Sands, like Johnny Boy O’Leary and his lovely lady friend Elizabeth.
But Debra “Tricky” Downing shows up, twists the sheriff around her little finger, then proceeds to ply her cheating ways at the poker table.
Far more vicious and straight-forward is the Flying Dutchman (Mark Siversten), who will stop at nothing to make sure he and Doc meet in the finale and then will stop at nothing to make sure he wins.
Terence Hill as Doc West, entering a poker tournament with a hospital on the line in Triggerman (2009)
Mark Sivertsen as the Flying Dutchman, determined to show up Doc West at the poker table in Triggerman (2009)
Review:
If you didn’t see “Doc West,” you’re likely going to be lost watching this film. Part of the reason is all the time devoted to romantic subplots, like Burt Baker romancing Millie Mitchell despite her dad’s disapproval, Jack Baker falling for an Oriental gal who’s just arrived in town, and Doc’s own romantic jousting/dance with school teacher Dennis Stark.
Of course, when the only tension is the movie is the oft-told tale of a poker match between the most accomplished players in the land, there’s plenty of time to waste on subplots.
Simply put, this isn’t as good as the rather charming first film featuring Doc West. But it’s better than a lot of the Westerns being foisted upon us these days.
Paul Sorvino as Sheriff Basehart, the lawman who befriends Doc West in Triggerman (2009)
Ornella Muti as Debra ‘Tricky’ Downing, a former flame of the sheriff, drawn to Holy Sands by the poker tournament in Triggerman (2009)
Directed by:
Giulio Base, Terence Hill
Cast:
Terence Hill … Doc West
Clare Carey … Denise Stark
Maria P. Petruolo … Millie Mitchell
Fabrizio Bucci … Johnny O’Leary
Evgeniya Chernyshova … Elizabeth
Micah Alberti … Burt Baker
Linus Huffman … Jack Baker
Gisella Maregno … Dana
Mercedes Leggett … Gloria
Boots Southerland .. Nathan Mitchell
Adam Taylor … Victor Baker
Ben Petry … Silver
Paul Sorvino … Sheriff Basehart
Ornella Muti … Debra ‘Tricky’ Downing
Mark Sivertsen … Flying Dutchman
Runtime: 97 min.
Evgeniya Chernyshova as Elizabeth with Fabrizio Bucci as ‘Johnny Boy’ O’Leary in Triggerman (2009)
Clare Carey as Denise Stark, the woman who dreams of building a hospital in Holy Sands (2009)
Memorable lines:
Denise Stark to the sheriff: “It’s obvious. If you fill the town with dynamite, sooner or later one of the sticks is going to go off.”
Denise Stark of holding a tournament to build a hospital: “You can’t go to heaven making deals with the devil.”
Flying Dutchman: “Excuse me, doctor, I’ve got a pain in the neck. I’ve always wanted to be a patient of yours.”
Doc West: “I’m closing shop. Come back tomorrow.”
Flying Dutchman, of the upcoming poker tournament: “I’ll humilate you in front of everyone, Doc.”
Doc West: “The problem isn’t your neck. It’s your head.”
Micah Alberti as Burt Baker, confronting his father at last in Triggerman (2009)
Maria P. Petruolo as Millie Mitchell, flirting with a man her dad disapproves of in Triggerman (2009)
Linus Huffman as Jack Baker, Burt’s brother, finding another lady of interest in Triggerman (2009)
Adam Taylor as Victor Baker, father to Burt and Jack in Triggerman (2009)
Ben Petry as Silver, young friend of Doc West in Triggerman (2009)
Terence Hill as Doc West, getting a letter from the young girl he’s putting through school in Triggerman (2009)
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