Richard Wyler is Billy Walsh, a man who rides into a town where Ted Shore (Conrado San Martin) is boss and El Bicho (Fernando Sancho) does his dirty work.
With the Mexican bandit and his men providing the muscle, Shore has taken over nearly all the mines in the territory.
One exception is the mine belonging to Old Sam WIlson (Spartaco Conversi).
And El Bicho has just wrecked his operation and run off his help.
At least most of his help. Tom Davis is in love with Wilson’s daughter Susan. He and his three brothers have tired of working for Shore and are ready to work for Wilson instead.
Walsh also intervenes on Wilson’s behalf, then declares himself a half partner, though his motives aren’t exactly clear.
Susan doesn’t trust him because of his dubious past. A former bounty killer, Billy was once accused of murder.
And he’s talking about selling the mine, to either El Bicho or Shore, for a small fraction of what Old Sam says it’s worth.
Richard Wyler as Billy Walsh, about to deal with a crooked mine boss and a bandit in Winchester Bill (1967)
Spartaco Conversi (Spean Convery) as Old Sam WIlson, who claims he has a mine worth millions in Winchester Bill (1967)
Review:
If a high body count translated into a classic Spaghetti Western, this would be among the best.
It doesn’t, of course, so fans will have to settle for a film featuring a hero who shoots first and asks questions later, a strange twist and an explosive ending.
As for the plot, it’s a bit of a muddled mess. But the action scenes feature some odd acrobatics courtesy of the Davis brothers.
They arrive for the big shootout hiding in barrels in the back of a buckboard. And they prove nearly invincible, when they aren’t buried up to their necks in sand.
Conrado San Martin as Ted Shore, the man who wants to control all the mines in Winchester Bill (1967)
Fernando Sancho as El Bicho, entertaining a proposal that might make him rich in Winchester Bill (1967)
Directed by:
Alfonso Brescia
as Al Bradley
Cast:
Richard Wyler … Billy Walsh / Winchester Bill
Fernando Sanco … El Bicho (The Bug)
Eleonora Bianchi … Susan Wilson
Conrado San Martin … Ted Shore
Luis Induni … Sheriff
Massimo Carocci … Tom Davis
as Ric Burton Jr.
Lucio Rosato … Sugar Kane
as Luc Rasat
Spartaco Conversi … Old Sam Wilson
as Spean Convery
Massimo Righi … Frank Davis
as Max Dean
Runtime: 88 min.
Also with: Rufino Ingles, Rafael Hernandez, Franco Pesce, Paolo Magalotti, Claudio Ruffini
aka
Voltati… ti uccido
If One is Born a Swine
Turn … I’ll Kill You
Music: Bruno Nicolai
Eleonora Bianchi as Susan Wilson, unsure whether she can trust former bounty hunter Billy Walsh in Winchester Bill (1967)
Lucio Rosato (Luc Rasat) as Sugar Kane, Ted Shore’s hired gunman in Winchester Bill (1967)
Memorable lines:
Sam Wilson to daughter Susan: “Why are you such a mean thing?”
Sheriff: “Billy, I believe I’ve seen your face before.”
Billy Walsh: “Could be. I’ve been carrying one about for quite a few years.”
Susan: “You couldn’t help us to dig a mousehole. Why don’t you just get out of here?”
Billy Walsh, ignoring her: “Alright, let’s get to work.”
Ted Shore to Billy Walsh: “I’m in favor of tramps settling down and doing honest work for a change.”
Billy Walsh to Susan: “Never ask why a thing happens. Just accept it.”
Sugar Kane, offering Bicho a deal: “That’s fair, isn’t it?”
El Bicho: “Mucho fair. Suppose I take the cash. And you the bullets.”
Massimo Righi (Max Dean) as Frank Davis, one of four fighting brothers who side with Old Sam in Winchester Bill (1967)
Massimo Carocci (Ric Burton Jr.) as Tom Davis, the man who hopes to settle down with Susan in Winchester Bill (1967)
Trivia:
* The film features a rousing score, but it’s all recycled music, starting off with the main theme from “$100,000 for Ringo” (1965).
* Speaking of “$100,ooo for Ringo,” it was one of two other Spaghetti Westerns featuring lovely Eleonora Bianchi. The other was “Four Dollars for Vengeance” (1966). This was the last of 15 films in which she appeared.
* One of the unexploited opportunities in this film is the role of Sugar Kane, a dressed-all-in-black killer working for mine owner Ted Shore. The part is played by Lucio Rosato, who appeared in nine Spaghetti Westerns.
Luis Induni as the sheriff, trying unsuccessfully to do Shore’s bidding and run a stranger out of town in Winchester Bill (1967)
Spartaco Conversi (Spean Convery) as Old Sam Wilson and daughter Susan (Eleonora Bianchi) worried about the future of their mine in Winchester Bill (1967)
Conrado San Martin as Ted Shore and Luis Induni as the sheriff talk discuss the best way to do away with a problem in Winchester Bill (1967)
Richard Wyler as Billy Walsh, inquiring about the ownership of a mine in Winchester Bill (1967)
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