Review of The Big Gundown (1967) by Walter M — 09 Jun 2012

After having pretty much run out of business opportunities as a bounty hunter and getting no younger, John Corbett(Lee Van Cleef) decides to browse respectability by attending the wedding of Brokston's(Walter Barnes) daughter. While there, Brokston has some business he would like to talk about with Corbett, namely running for Senate where he could protect Brokston's interests including a railroad to Mexico. Corbett responds in the affirmative. But before anything more can be discussed, news reaches them of the rape and murder of a twelve year old girl, committed by Cuchillo Sanchez(Tomas Milian). Considering the heinousness of the crime, Corbett takes it on as a favor but Cuchillo gives him the slip which won't be the last time...

With Lee Van Cleef hitting all the right notes, "The Big Gundown" is a great looking, rousing and highly entertaining spaghetti western. That's not to mention the really cool Ennio Morricone score.(Heck, I even liked the opening credits sequence.) Of special interest is the attention given to the battle of wits on display over sheer violence(but relax, there is bloodshed) that goes beyond the Bugs Bunny-Yosemite Sam archetype by taking on the political and historical, not just the personal. The movie is set at a time(1850's?) when the west had been made not only safe for settlers, prospectors and pilgrims, but also a whole different type of criminal. And considering how much thought is given to violence here, one should really not think too much about what Corbett had been up to until now.