The cynical and cruel heroes of the Italian western meet the legend of Don Juan
Original and exciting, one of the spaghetti westerns that has best stood the test of time
John il bastardo has all the virtues that characterise the spaghetti western: rhythm, shoot-outs, cynical humour, vendettas, violence, an intriguing plot, an effective soundtrack, and a visual style that borders on the delirious. But the typical ingredients of the genre are enriched in this case by an unexpected nuance, which the talented Armando Crispino manages to bring to the story without taking away from the credibility. The main character is an impenitent womaniser, a western variation of Tirso de Molina’s Don Juan. Of all the words you can use to describe the character, “bastard” is probably the most accurate. Don’t worry, however, the film still works just fine for those without highbrow literary tastes. In fact, it is the film’s ability to entertain that has helped it to stand the test of time.
The womanising John has always hated the fact that he is called a “bastard”. When he discovers that his father is a rich landowner, he crafts a diabolical plan to ruin the family that should have been his.
The cynical and cruel heroes of the Italian western meet the legend of Don Juan
Original and exciting, one of the spaghetti westerns that has best stood the test of time
John il bastardo has all the virtues that characterise the spaghetti western: rhythm, shoot-outs, cynical humour, vendettas, violence, an intriguing plot, an effective soundtrack, and a visual style that borders on the delirious. But the typical ingredients of the genre are enriched in this case by an unexpected nuance, which the talented Armando Crispino manages to bring to the story without taking away from the credibility. The main character is an impenitent womaniser, a western variation of Tirso de Molina’s Don Juan. Of all the words you can use to describe the character, “bastard” is probably the most accurate. Don’t worry, however, the film still works just fine for those without highbrow literary tastes. In fact, it is the film’s ability to entertain that has helped it to stand the test of time.
The womanising John has always hated the fact that he is called a “bastard”. When he discovers that his father is a rich landowner, he crafts a diabolical plan to ruin the family that should have been his.
