A Bullet for the General (1967)

Don't waste your time on this one. Basically there really isn't much of a plot at all so it's just a big bunch of shooting and killing for no readily apparent reason. This film just meanders around and not much of a plot is evident at all, although there is a train robbery at the beginning with the bandits robbing the train to raise funds for a political movement. At the end the main character is killed but it doesn't really matter because this film is so horrible you don't even care and probably won't make it that far anyway. Do not recommend this one at all unless you have insomnia and can't fall asleep...

"A Bullet for the General", a.k.a. "Quien Sabe?", is one of the best films to be found of this kind: those Spaghetti Westerns that use the Mexican Revolution as a backdrop. Laced with a generous amount of political and social commentary, it's exquisitely shot (by Antonio Secchi) on picturesque locations, with a rousing soundtrack composed by Luis Bacalov and supervised by the Maestro, Ennio Morricone. The story (screenplay credited to Salvatore Laurani, adaptation to Franco Solinas) is deliberately paced, but includes some well executed action sequences, and it's engaging through and through.The star is genre veteran Gian Maria Volonte, who plays Chuncho, leader of a bandit gang who regularly supply rebel forces with much needed weapons and ammunition. An enigmatic American Gringo (Lou Castel) with a hidden agenda ingratiates himself to Chuncho and his gang, so much so that Chuncho will even kill another of the gang when he goes after the "Nino".Chuncho is eventually revealed to be the most sympathetic character in the yarn being spun, and Volonte delivers a hearty performance that is full of spirit and amiability. Be warned that despite co-star Klaus Kinskis' prominent billing that he doesn't get very much to do; Castel is Volontes' true co-star. The spot on casting extends to the gorgeous and exotic Martine Beswicke, as Adelita, a female member of the gang, Jaime Fernandez, as the character of the title, and the prolific Aldo Sambrell as a heroic soldier during the opening assault on the train.Lovers of Italian oaters are sure to take a shine to this one. As directed by Damiano Damiani, it begins in high style and delivers an appropriate wrap up.Eight out of 10.

Damiano Damiani's 1966 epic "Quien Sabe?" isn't the usual Spaghetti western blood bath set against the scenic Spanish mountains masquerading as turn of the century Mexico. Mind you, despite his association with Sergio Leone, Damiani has made a serious adventure film that lacks the charisma of either a Sergio Leone or Sergio Corbucci shoot'em up. Damiani packs quite a message in this beautifully lensed hybrid that contains many iconic set-pieces, particularly the opening scene on the railroad in the desert. Italian communist scenarist Franco Solinas, who penned classics like "The Battle of Algiers" and later "Quiemada!," wrote this off-beat oater that broke ground for westerns of this sort. The problems occurring in Mexican in the early 1900s were not far removed from the problems that afflicted other third world countries in the Western Hemisphere. Indeed, these westerns are sometimes referred to as Marxist in content. Not long after the arrival of the Spaghetti westerns with plots set on the border came Spaghetti westerns that occurred primarily below the border and shared the same period setting as Sam Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch." These 'Zapata' westerns as some critics have described them take advantage of modern technology, such as machine guns, bi-planes, and artillery, which escalated the body count, and they usually featured a grimy Mexican peasant teaming up with a foreigner of questionable allegiance. These Spaghetti westerns lack charismatic heroes and villains and they are often messy. Meaning, the endings are happily-ever-after and the characters constitute anything for role models.In "Quien Sabe," ferocious Mexican desperado 'El Chucho' Munoz (Gian Maria Volonté of "A Fistful of Dollars") meets a baby-faced American, Bill Tate (Colombian actor Lou Castel of "The Cassandra Crossing") after an assault on a government train and lets him join his band of murderous revolutionaries. Actually, this little boy who dresses like a city slicker has one thing on his mind. He wants to use 'El Chucho' to lead him to revolutionary General Elías (Jaime Fernández of "Guns for San Sebastian")so he can kill him with a golden bullet. Of course, 'El Chucho' has no clue that he is being cleverly played by Bill. Bill has been riding trains back and forth across Mexico for the opportunity to catching 'El Chucho.' 'El Chucho' has chained a Mexican military captain to a cross and has him kneeling between the rails of the railway tracks so that the train must either run over him or halt. During the confrontation, Bill manages to scramble into the locomotive cab and stop the train so that 'El Chucho' can kill the rest of the government troops and take their firearms. Essentially, 'El Chucho' wants to sell the firearms to make money, unlike his so-called brother El Santo (German actor Klaus Kinski of "For A Few Dollars More") who wears a crucifix at his throat and believes in the rights of the peasants. Meantime, 'El Chucho' grows quite fond of Bill and they become friends. 'El Chucho' shows no qualms about killing his own to protect Bill, and Bill repays him the favor near the end when El Santo has orders to execute his brother.If you consider yourself a fan of Spaghetti westerns, "Quien Sabe?" is worth watching. There is really no humor in this western. The characters are problematic. 'El Chucho' is a complex character that you can admire and hate, while Bill Tate is thoroughly loathsome, which makes the casting of Lou Castel so significant. Indeed, several surprises occur through out this oater. If you are searching for films with greater charisma in the genre, check out Corbucci's "The Mercenary" and "Companeros."

"A Bullet For the General", exceeded my expectations, and is the best of five DVDs in the "Once Upon a Time in Italy" set. There is no mistaking that this is Gian Maria Volonte's movie. He has way more screen time than in either "A Fistful of Dollars" or "For a Few Dollars More". Klaus Kinski admirers might be disappointed as his screen time is limited in a supporting role. Lou Castel's character seems to barely be breathing in what can only be described as the lowest key performance ever. Martine Bestwick is somewhat livelier, but her appearance is flawed by a Mexican makeup job that can only be described as dreadful. The Ennio Morricone score is above average. Though not quite as good as "The Big Gundown", "A Bullet For the General" must be considered one of the better non-Leone "spaghetti westerns". - MERK