La brute, le colt et le karaté

As others have said this is a fun little film made late in the Spaghetti Western era and combining the traditional Ravioli oater with the then popular kung fu movie. Spaghetti Western legend Lee Von Cleef plays a gunfighter and bandit who teams up with a martial arts master to recover some gold hidden by the latter's uncle before a Chinese triad or other bandits can get it. To do this they need to put together a map the uncle left which is tattooed on the backsides of his four beautiful wives(thus the Italian title which translates to something like "Where the Sun Doesn't Shine"). This is the funniest part of the movie because all four of the women are sexually frustrated and bitterly disappointed that the heroes are only interested in their "map" (none of which, of course, is very believable). Paul Bartel would later use this exact same hilarious concept in his comedy "Lust in the Dust", but his actresses, played Lanie Kazan and Divine, were of course a little less attractive.

Lee Von Cleef is pretty good here as is the unknown Chinese actor who plays his partner (thankfully, he's not someone like David Carradine but an actual Asian actor). The four women include Erica Blanc, Patty Shepherd, and Femi Benussi. Blanc was kind of wasted as usual (as an actress anyway), but the enigmatic Patty Shepherd, an American who made her entire career in Spain and Italy, always made the most of these small, cameo roles (her most memorable appearance was as the villainess in Paul Naschy's "Werewolf Shadow" where she barely logged more screen time than she does here). Femi Benussi strangely enough is the only one of the quartet who keeps her clothes on, even though taking them off was pretty much her main talent. The fourth wife was played by an attractive but unknown (by me, anyway) Chinese actress. If nothing else though all these actresses can say that in this movie they literally were just a piece of ass.

Really though this movie is pretty tame and innocent both with respect to sex (of which there really isn't any) and violence (especially compared to say Fulci's "Four of the Apocalypse" made a year later). I'd let my kids watch it (if I had any). Definitely recommended, especially to fans of Spaghetti Westerns, kung fu movies, and 70's Eurostarlets.

"Blood Money", also known as "The Stranger and the Gunfighter", is an interesting combination of gun play and flying fists. Lee VanCleef may not be at the top of his game, but the unusual and entertaining story makes up for any edge he might have lost. I found more humor here than in any of the "Trinity" films. If you look at the entertainment value alone, I would say this is about on a par with "Death Rides a Horse" or "Kid Vengeance". It is definitely inferior to "The Good the Bad and the Ugly", "For a Few Dollars More", and "The Big Gundown". Overall, I would recommend "Blood Money" as a must see for Lee VanCleef fans. - MERK

This obscure, genre-blending Spaghetti Western is hammy and fun, but fails at being very exciting. Nonetheless, it wins points for originality, and the picture is rife with interesting characters and happenings. The print is surprisingly good, considering the film's age and obscurity, and fans of more lighthearted Spaghetti Westerns should be pleased. Lee Van Cleef is star material here, and he hamms it up more in "Blood Money" than anywhere else I've seen. This really is a different performance by Van Cleef, and he lets loose a refreshing side of himself that fans should enjoy. Directed by personal fave Antonio Marghereti, (with help from the Shaw Brothers), "Blood Money" was essentially an exercise in blending a Kung Fu film with a Spaghetti Western, and while the result is still a Eurowestern, the martial arts exchanges and Eastern characters prove amply refreshing. Overall, "Blood Money" is pretty solid, although a bit sloppy, and it reaches a comfortable medium between strangeness and familiarity. The story involves Van Cleef, a safecracker, becoming intertwined in the story of a deceased Chinese aristocrat and his missing estate. After escaping the gallows, Cleef teams up with the Chinese man's nephew, and the two begin their search for the uncle's missing gold. Luckily, the dead man tattooed clues to his riches on the tails of four women, and the unlikely pair must see each girl to unravel the mystery. There were a few parts that dragged, but only briefly, and we left the movie feeling pretty good. This is a solid, if offbeat, comedic Spaghetti Western. ---|--- Reviews by Flak Magnet

The "East Meets West" idea of an Asian fighter in the Wild West was not new anymore (see Terence Young's "Soleil Rouge" from 1971, or "Il mio nome e Shanghai Joe" by Mario Caiano, 1973), but "The Stranger And the Gunfighter" was the first time (1974) that an Asian production company, namely Shaw Brothers, came to Italy for a Western production, bringing Lo Lieh as a seasoned star of their own. The kung-fu fighter has to recover a treasure that once belonged to his uncle and return it to China. The map leading to the treasure is tattooed in 4 parts - on the backs of 4 ladies. Yes, that's a bit of a different idea for once ;-). Lee Van Cleef plays a bank robber who assists very unwillingly, but in the end even enjoys a little trip to Asia.

The movie is nowhere near "Soleil Rouge" and Lo Lieh isn't Toshiro Mifune, but it's an entertaining action movie with a story you haven't seen before. "Il mio nome e Shanghai Joe" is a very violent flick, whereas recent movies such as "Shang-High Noon" are silly comedies. What I like best about "The Stranger And the Gunfighter" is that it's well balanced between action and comedy.

The movie narrates how a Chinese hero (Lo Lieh) tries to retrieve the money that a feudal lord gave up to his uncle for inversion in America . The uncle dies and the only clue to recover it is leading some tattoo messages on the butts of his fours lovers (Erika Blanc, Femi Benussi, Patty Shepard). The protagonist is helped by an American thief named Dakota (Lee Van Cleef) , both of them track down clues until discover the exciting final surprise.

The picture is a collaboration between Italian producer Carlo Ponti and Hong Kong Shaw Brothers , famous producers of Chop-Socky cinema and in charge of distribution on Asian market . The storyline is embarrassing and absurd but has its agreeable moments here and there . The violence isn't crude but slight and predominates the comedy . Lee Van Cleef is very old and with wig , his interpretation is wooden and graceless (Colonel Mortimer and Providence roles were left time ago). Special mention to secondary cast as Julian Ugarte who plays a traveler priest in a church-roulotte ; besides , three Eurotrash babes as Erika Blanc , Patty Shepard and Femi Benussi . The motion picture takes part a little genre in which during the 1970s achieved splendor and blended Spaghetti Western and martial arts with influence of David Carradine-Kung Fu series (1972-1975) , for example : ¨ Red sun ¨ by Terence Young , ¨Karate law in the west ¨ by Tonino Ricci, ¨ My name is Shangai Joe ¨ by Mario Caiano, ¨ The return of Shangai Joe ¨ by Bitto Albertini , and ¨The white , the yellow and the black¨ by Sergio Corbucci . It's a Spanish-Italian production , a Paella/Spaghetti Western , and was shot in Almeria (Spain) where during the 60s and early 70s were filmed uncountable Westerns . The adjusted cinematography was realized by expert cameraman Alejandro Ulloa (Horror express). The film was regularly directed by Anthony M. Dawson or Margheritti . Rating : mediocre but amusing.