Joe... cercati un posto per morire!

This is actually quite a sad film to watch. Not because the story is sad, but because it illustrates just how far (down) Jeffery Hunter had come since his hey-day. A couple are defending their gold mine from bandits (using dynamite!) when the husband becomes trapped under a collapsed wagon. Now rather than just use her horse to remove the offending bits of wood, "Lisa" (Pascale Petit) sets off to find some folks who will come to her aid. Unsurprisingly, she alights on a group of miscreants who are quite happy to help so long as they get her gold, herself - or, ideally, both! It might be, though, that "Joe" (Hunter) - a lapsed Confederate soldier - could have just a little more chivalry than the others and, of course, when they arrive at the mine we are soon to find out! Add to the mix, the fact that the original attacking banditos - lead by "Chato" (Mario Dardanelli) have not given up their own ambitions to seize the gold and we have a sort of explosive siege western where nobody can trust anyone. Adolfo Lastretti is quite entertaining as ruthless the "Rev. Riley", but otherwise this is a cheap and cheerful spaghetti-style western that was clearly made quickly, on a budget, and with scant regard to a decent script or production values. There's no chemistry at all between Hunter and Petit and indeed the whole thing has a rather unpalatable seediness to it that I found distinctly off-putting.

This is not a bad Spaghetti Western, marking one of Jeffrey Hunter's last roles: he's a discharged Army officer, slumming it in Mexico trading guns destined to a notorious band of cut-throats, who sees an opportunity to better his prospects when New Orleans belle Pascale Petit turns up with an offer of gold for the man who'll help save her husband (trapped in a mine cave-in, thus making the film something of a GARDEN OF EVIL [1954] rehash).

Hunter assembles a motley group for the job, which is soon at each other's throat over both the promise of gold and the shapely lady herself!; one of them even joins the bandits – and usurps their leadership to boot! Also involved is Mexican prostitute Daniela Giordano (who mimics the melancholy title tune – the score for the film, by Gianni Ferrio, is another good one): the stunning-looking actress was a former "Miss Italy" contest winner, whose best opportunity came with her starring role in Mario Bava's FOUR TIMES THAT NIGHT (1969) – which, incidentally, also featured Petit. Her pimp (the first time I've heard a man being referred as such in a Western!) is one of Hunter's associates, who ultimately turns out to be a good guy. Not so a lecherous and sadistic doctor-cum-priest (Alfredo Lastretti), who's not even trusted by the traitorous and power-hungry group member when he tries to join his ranks!

The gray-haired Hunter is pretty good in what he has to do (his short-term career didn't fulfill its initial promise); the action here – supervised by B-movie specialist Hugo Fregonese – is certainly competently handled, and the film itself seems to me to be an under-appreciated entry (I, for one, hadn't heard of it before) in this popular genre...

Giulio Carinomeo (aka Anthony Ascott) was not really in the class of great Italian directors like Sergio Leone or Sergio Corbucci, but he was a solid Spaghetti Western director, and this is one of his better efforts. A pair of husband-and-wife American adventurers discover a vein of gold in the badlands of Mexico controlled by a notorious Mexican bandit named "Chato". They are besieged by bandits and the husband is crippled and trapped by a rock slide, so his wife (Pascale Petit) has to go for help to the rough-and-tumble nearby town of "Nido de Aguila" ("Eagle's Nest")where most of the surly locals are much more interested in trying to rape the pretty "gringa" than in helping her rescue her husband. She does meet a seemingly amoral American mercenary (Jeffrey Hunter), who agrees to help her out for a share of the gold, and the latter puts together a gang of treacherous Mexican cutthroats (as well as false gringo preacher)to accompany them. The pair are in jeopardy then not only from "Chato's" band, but from their own vicious gang.

There is a real aura of menace hanging over this movie as pretty much all these rough men are after "the gold . . .and the woman" in that order. (Ironically, these Mexican borderlands are still pretty much ruled by bandits, but it's drugs rather than gold or gringas that they fight over these days). There's a surprising amount of female nudity here for this genre (although not much by the standards of later Italian genre films). The woman are pretty much treated like chattel, but it isn't so much Petit's gringa that gets freely passed around as a guitar-playing Mexican prostitute (former Miss Italy Daniela Giordano with a spray-on tan). The Old West was not portrayed with this much raw savagery in any of the American Westerns and really only a few of the Italian ones like "Cutthroat Nine" or "Four for the Apocalypse".

The real weak link here is probably Jeffrey Hunter as the only halfway decent guy around. He looks the part of a mercenary, but he just isn't very compelling. There were any number of Italian or expatriate American actors who could have played this role better. The end also doesn't really live up to the sense of menace created in the early going, and exploitative tag-line, "They came for the gold and her body. . . they didn't get the gold" is pretty inaccurate (for better or worse) as another reviewer mentioned. Still, this is a solidly entertaining pasta oater

Ravioli Western with a prolific Italian director , Anthony Ascott or Giuliano Carmineo , and an American main actor , Jeffrey Hunter known for King of Kings . Entertaining Spaghetti Western with crossfire , action , violence and entertainment . The story is similar to previous classic ¨Garden of evil ¨ (1954) by Henry Hathaway about a desperate group of adventurers recruited by a gorgeous woman being chased by enemies , but this ¨Joe... Cercati un Posto per Morire!" or international title "Find a Place to Die" is realized in Spaghetti style . It deals with an outcast Confederate soldier, Joe Collins ,(the early deceased Jeffrey Hunter) redeems himself by defending a woman called Lisa Martin (Pascale Petit who plays some nude scenes) against vengeful bandits willing to kill for her goldmine claim defended by her marooned husband (Piero Lulli , customary villain in lots of Spaghettis) . The husband called Paul Martin is wounded in a gold mine on a dangerous territory surrounded by nasty outlaws led by Chato . They followed her for the gold and her body but they didn't get the gold.

Ordinary Spaghetti Western being leisurely and deliberately paced , at times thrilling and tense whose plot follows hazardous trails , though is sometimes slow moving . The movie gets the usual Western issues , as ambitious bandits , violent facing off , exaggerated baddies and spectacular gun-play , among them . It's a thrilling western with breathtaking gunfight between the protagonist , Joe Collins played Jeffrey Hunter , against the heartless Chato and his ominous hoodlums and a moving ending shootout . It's an entertaining story with a touch of peculiarity , some usual characters, a lot of shoot em'up and an amazing musical score . The basic plot is typical spaghetti western fare as ambition , betrayal and robbing , but what makes this movie peculiar is its style . The picture is well starred by Jeffrey Hunter , he played three Spaghetti Western such as ¨Joaquin Murrieta¨ , ¨Joe Navidad¨ and this one . His acting is often accused of being wooden, but in many manners is ideally suited to playing the steely-faced gunslinger synonymous with the genre . Very bad cinematography , being necessary a correct remastering because of the colors are faded . It was filmed by cameraman Riccardo Pallottini on location in Ostia, Lazio , Rome . The musician Gianni Ferrio composes a nice soundtrack and well conducted , this turns out to be one of the most memorable parts of the movie; as it's full of enjoyable sounds and haunting musical background , it contributes tremendously to the atmosphere of the film,

The picture was middlingly directed by Anthony Scott or Giuliano Carmineo and some versions was credited Hugo Fregonese , also producer . Hugo was an Argentinian director who emigrated to Hollywood, then became technical adviser on latino themes at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, and subsequently under contract at Universal from 1950 to 1952 filming ¨Man in the attic¨ with Jack Palance , ¨Blowing wild¨with Gary Cooper , ¨Decameron Nights¨with Joan Fontaine , ¨Harry Black and the tiger¨with Steart Granger . Spent the rest of the decade in Europe directing Euro-westerns as ¨Savage Pampas¨ and potboilers as "The Death Ray of Dr. Mabuse" , Terror as "Dracula vs. Frankenstein" before finishing his career back in the country of his birth . And Giuliano Carmineo made several Spaghetti as ¨The moment to kill¨, ¨Find a place to die¨ , ¨They call him Cemetery¨ , ¨They call me Hallaluya¨ , and the Sartana movies : "Have a Good Funeral, My Friend, Sartana Will Pay" , ¨Sartana the gravedigger'(69) ,"Sartana's Coming, Get Your Coffins Ready" , ¨Light the fuse Sartana is coming¨(71) , among others .

Though somewhat standard "gang hunts for gold" spaghetti western fare, it is well-directed and has solid performances. The score is also well-done, one of the better non-Morricone ones I've heard. Fast-paced with several nice action scenes, with a couple of great, cold-blooded sudden shootings. The VCI DVD is ok, letterboxed but the transfer is soft and rather noisy throughout, with a lot of grain in dark scenes. The mono sound, though, is rich and well-recorded. The film is definitely worth a look for anyone looking for an entertaining, obscure western.