Italian western meets sword and sandal
Steve Reeves, the strong man par excellence of Italian cinema, takes off his sandals and pulls on a pair of cowboy boots in this unforgiving western
Fans of the cross-contamination of genres are in for a treat with Vivo per la tua morte. The film is the only appearance in a western for Steve Reeves, the American actor and bodybuilder who, from the late 1950s onwards, achieved huge success playing the legendary Hercules during the golden era of the Italian sword and sandal genre. Once the popularity of that particular genre waned, Reeves temporarily went back to his homeland, purchased the rights to a novel and upon returning to Italy proposed a western to Titanus that he would write, co-produce and star in. As one American critic wrote, the resulting film was “the best-well sculpted pistol in the West.” However, it is also the last role of Reeves’ glorious career.
Two brothers are wrongly accused of attacking a train and sentenced to forced labour, because of the lies of a corrupt sheriff. One of them isn’t able to handle it and dies. His brother escapes and carries out a ruthless vendetta.
Italian western meets sword and sandal
Steve Reeves, the strong man par excellence of Italian cinema, takes off his sandals and pulls on a pair of cowboy boots in this unforgiving western
Fans of the cross-contamination of genres are in for a treat with Vivo per la tua morte. The film is the only appearance in a western for Steve Reeves, the American actor and bodybuilder who, from the late 1950s onwards, achieved huge success playing the legendary Hercules during the golden era of the Italian sword and sandal genre. Once the popularity of that particular genre waned, Reeves temporarily went back to his homeland, purchased the rights to a novel and upon returning to Italy proposed a western to Titanus that he would write, co-produce and star in. As one American critic wrote, the resulting film was “the best-well sculpted pistol in the West.” However, it is also the last role of Reeves’ glorious career.
Two brothers are wrongly accused of attacking a train and sentenced to forced labour, because of the lies of a corrupt sheriff. One of them isn’t able to handle it and dies. His brother escapes and carries out a ruthless vendetta.
