A cult classic, referenced by Tarantino in Kill Bill
One of the best duel finales in western films, with the blessing of Sergio Leone
Anyone who loves the westerns of Sergio Leone will find something to like in Il grande duello. Before becoming a director himself (he never receiving the success he deserved), Giancarlo Santi worked with Marco Ferreri, Glauber Rocha, Michelangelo Antonioni and, most significantly, Sergio Leone. His experience with the founder of the Italian western shows in his choice of the impeccable Lee Van Cleef for the lead role, a sheriff with a murky past, the lethal protagonist of a duel that many regard as one of the best in the genre. The film was released in Italy at a time when westerns were waning in popularity and did not achieve great success. However, over the years it has gained a significant cult following, especially abroad. One fan of the film is Quentin Tarantino, who used the track Fight to the Death, written for this film by Luis Bacalov, in Kill Bill: Volume 1. It’s no surprise that Il grande duello was chosen to be included in the spaghetti western retrospective at the Venice Film Festival 2007.
A young man is falsely accused of murder and found guilty by a corrupt judge. He flees to the mountains, where he is hunted down by bounty hunters. He is saved from the noose by a former sheriff who brings unexpected evidence and settles a score in an epic duel.
A cult classic, referenced by Tarantino in Kill Bill
One of the best duel finales in western films, with the blessing of Sergio Leone
Anyone who loves the westerns of Sergio Leone will find something to like in Il grande duello. Before becoming a director himself (he never receiving the success he deserved), Giancarlo Santi worked with Marco Ferreri, Glauber Rocha, Michelangelo Antonioni and, most significantly, Sergio Leone. His experience with the founder of the Italian western shows in his choice of the impeccable Lee Van Cleef for the lead role, a sheriff with a murky past, the lethal protagonist of a duel that many regard as one of the best in the genre. The film was released in Italy at a time when westerns were waning in popularity and did not achieve great success. However, over the years it has gained a significant cult following, especially abroad. One fan of the film is Quentin Tarantino, who used the track Fight to the Death, written for this film by Luis Bacalov, in Kill Bill: Volume 1. It’s no surprise that Il grande duello was chosen to be included in the spaghetti western retrospective at the Venice Film Festival 2007.
A young man is falsely accused of murder and found guilty by a corrupt judge. He flees to the mountains, where he is hunted down by bounty hunters. He is saved from the noose by a former sheriff who brings unexpected evidence and settles a score in an epic duel.
