Étranger... signe-toi

The directorial debut of Miles Deem…er…Demofilo Fidani is worthy of his reputation as “the Ed Wood of Spaghetti Westerns”: ineptly shot, with no flair for the genre and where scenes just plod along without any sense of pace or timing! Even so, I’d say it’s a slight step up from my previous encounter with his work – SAVAGE GUNS (1971).

Three cast members in the film also made their screen debuts here: Charles Southwood – later star of similar fare like Mario Bava’s ROY COLT AND WINCHESTER JACK (1970) – is a wooden lead, to be sure; the gorgeous Cristina Penz (who’s unfortunately saddled with the broadly characterized role of the duplicitous virgin bride-cum-gang boss’ moll); and Fabio Testi (later a popular star of “Euro-Cult” fare who occasionally dabbled in Art-house cinema) as one of the villainous henchmen. The mostly anonymous cast is redeemed somewhat by the presence of Ettore Manni as “The Cripple”, a vengeful father after a gang of outlaws who murdered his son, currently hiding behind the persona of the town drunk.

A sequence involving an egg-shooting contest (featuring camera operator Aristide Massaccesi aka Joe D’Amato as a Sicilian cowboy(!), complete with twangy musical motif!) is as silly as it sounds – but the film’s metaphorical use of children in the initial bank robbery mayhem curiously prefigures Sam Peckinpah’s THE WILD BUNCH (1969)! Even so, the bandit’s getaway is accompanied by an upbeat, yodeling theme that is cringe-inducingly inappropriate! However, we’re treated to a couple of anachronistic novelties worthy of James Bond: the hero has a gun hidden inside his water canister, while Manni himself holds an ‘arsenal’ of bullet-shooting crutches! Finally, I’d intended to follow this up with a handful of other more respectable examples within the genre but thought better of it (since my viewing schedule for the rest of the month is all taken up).

The only thing I have to say is: Miles Deem. Almost all his movies are very bad also this one. The movie has bad actors, with exception from Southwood and Cameron, a bad story and a bad directing. The only good job made Marcello Gigante with his music.

"Make the Sign of the Cross, Stranger!" 1968 Original title: Straniero... fatti il segno della croce! 1h 38m.

Not half bad for a spaghetti western. Miles Deem (director) is as good, or better than, Sergio Leone. And, he's definitely better than Enzo Barboni, who did those Trinity movies.

Speaking of those Trinity movies with Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, I think Charles Southwood as Frank, the Bounty Hunter, and he is more likeable than Terence Hill.

Make The Sign is loaded with cliches, and overworked formula tactics. Why is it, the Good Guy gets royally beat up, once, in every spaghetti, paella, and tortilla western?

It's fun to watch. What more can ya say?

The Bushwacker 12/22/2021.