Lo irritarono.... e Santana fece piazza pulita

As it was the case with many Westerns starring Franco Nero after his success with "Django" (1966), this film starring Gianni Garko has a 'Sartana' in its name, even though it has little to nothing to do with the popular "Sartana" series that Garko is most famous for. "Un Par De Asesinos" aka. "Lo irritarono... e Sartana fece piazza pulita" aka. "Sartana Kills Them All" is doubtlessly an entertaining Spaghetti Western that my fellow genre fans should enjoy. And yet this Spanish/Italian co-production cannot possibly compete with the famous 'Sartana' films. As it is arguably the case with most of my fellow Spaghetti Western buffs, I'm a great fan of Genre-icon Gianni Garko, and Sartana is doubtlessly the role he is best known for. Even though he plays a character of the same name here, the role is completely different from the Sartana known from films like "Light The Fuse... Sartana Is Coming" or "Have A Good Funeral My Friend, Sartana Will Pay". The original Sartana is a kind of Spaghetti Western James Bond who uses eccentric gimmicks and tricks to beat his opponents. The only thing Garko's character in this film has in common with Sartana is that he is a quick shot. Due to the difference of the characters, the name of the character in this film was even changed to 'Santana' in the German language version. This is not to say, however, that "Sartana Kills Them All" is not an enjoyable Spaghetti Western in its own right.

In many aspects, the film bears a lot of resemblance to the great and hilarious Westerns starring Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. This film is more violent than most of the Spencer/Hill Westerns ("God Forgives, I Don't" of 1968 is about equally bloody), slightly less comic, and it also doesn't reach the cult-value of the Spencer/Hill films. Yet, as a fan of this kind of cinema, one cannot help but immediately compare the films, as this is a somewhat satirical Italian buddy-flick set in the Wild West. Gunfighters Sartana (Gianni Garko) and Marcos (Gugliemo Spoletini) are best friends, and yet they are not ashamed to constantly try and trick each other, no matter if it is over women, money or anything else. Fleeing from the law they make the encounters of several memorable folks, including the crafty young lady (played by the beautiful María Silva), who is just as tricky as the two outlaws are... What makes this film quite interesting for a Spaghetti Western enthusiast is the fact that it is both comical and violent. On the one hand it is generally a funny film, which even has a bit of romance in it. On the other hand, the protagonists Sartana and Marcos, who are very likable characters, are also capable of all sorts of things, including cold-blooded murder. The film has elements both of the gritty and nasty Spaghetti Westerns (such as "Django" or "Mannaja") and the more comedy-related films (such as the "Trinity" films with Spencer/Hill), and therefore don't exactly fit either 'type'. The film's storyline is comparatively weak, but other elements, such as loads of fun, a fair amount of violence, and good performances make up for this. Garko is great as always, and so is Spoletini (who passed away in 2005). María Silva is both beautiful and funny in the female lead, and the supporting cast includes several familiar faces for Italian Western fans, such as Raf Baldassare, Chris Huerta, Luis Induni and Carlos Romero Marchent (brother of the director Rafael Romero Marchent). The score is also very good, except for the dreadful singing in the main theme in the beginning. Overall, "Sartana Kills Them All" is certainly no genre-highlight, but it is a worthwhile Spaghetti Western that is recommendable to fans. 6.5/10

This episodic entry in the Sartana series, starring the always excellent Garko is actually nothing of the sort. Only the name survives from the true Sartana series; this Sartana is just as quick with the gun, but he's rarely in control of situations, has no aces up his sleeves, and is saddled with friends and acquaintances with whom he has relationships. This is a hard-edged buddy film. Sartana and his friend Marcos (William Bogard) are low-key crooks, double crossed by their gang, sought by a sheriff and his deputies, and looking for $100,000 of loot which changes hands several times during the action. Along the way they pick up a girl (Maria Silva) who happily joins in the double crossing and stealing. Toss in the nastiest frontier family since the Cleggs in Ford's WAGONMASTER, an invalid old man and his four psychotic, murderous sons, and you have a tough-edged spaghetti western that isn't sure if it's a comedy or a drama. Good stuff abounds for the fan of the genre here; great location shooting, lots of familiar faces in the cast, a catchy theme song ("C'mon Amigo, let's go, let's go...") that had me humming the tune for days afterward, and tons of spaghetti action. To me it was quite enjoyable; to friends of mine it was uneven and disappointing. You decide.

Although this movie played in some territories with the name "Sartana" in the title and having one of the leads named "Sartana", this is not an official Sartana movie, even though series actor Gianni Garko is present and playing this movie's "Sartana" character. In this movie Garko is paired up with Guglielmo Spoletini, and the two manage to generate some genuine chemistry as well as a few humorous moments. Unfortunately, that's not enough to save the movie. The movie starts off agreeably light hearted, but its pleasant tone is soon destroyed by turning the lead characters into unlikable people (for one thing, they kill some innocent people along the way.) There is also very little story and a great deal of padding, which makes for some really boring bits that will try the patience of the viewer. Although I usually love spaghetti westerns, I have to admit that I was really glad when this particular one came to a close.

As in most Spaghetti-Western also this Movie has a good Music Score. In my eyes this is one of the best aspects of Santana kills them all. The Movie has his funny moments, but I will never call it excellent. In 1970the Spaghetti-Western started to be weaker and wanted to be comedies, but in a childish way. This is very disturbing for today, when someone makes a cynical joke and in the next moment he is killing brutally a man. These guys are not heroes like in most of the Action Movies. They are Antiheros, Outlaws who shares no mercy to their victims. Sartana and his friend and almost everybody in this movie are typical for this genre. "Sartanakills them all", reminds on most of the Italian Western but has nothing to do with the Sartana Movies with Gianni Garko. The Director was Rafael Romero Marchent who did a lot of other Spaghetti Western,Spanish Horror Movies and Thrillers. One of the Screenwriters is Joaquin Luis Romero Marchent, who also directed a lot of western and made one of the most violent spaghetti-western ever: Cut Throats Nine (Condenados a vivir).

Gianni Garko is playing Sartana (or Santana) together with his "Tuco" like buddy Marco (William Bogart). They are two bandits who are searching for 100.000 Dollars and they are killing everybody who disturbs them on their way. Only some of the beautiful ladies have the luck to survive. One of them is Maria (Cristina Josani) a widow who wants to own a saloon once and also crosses the way (and the feelings) of Sartana and Marco. All the other men, deputies, bandits are shot or get killed brutally on several ways, but always with some jokes. So Sartana kills them all is Violence mixed with Humor.

I wouldn't call it a disappointment, but with a better script this movie could be better either. The music is pretty good, but the pictures and the photography are average. If you like to see violence and Gianni Garko in Action it will not be a waste of time. Don't expect too much (which you never should as Spaghetti-Western fan) and you will have some enjoyable moments.

Released in 1970 and directed by Rafael Romero Marchent, "Sartana Kills Them All" chronicles the misadventures of a duo of fun-lovin' outlaws, Sartana (Gianni Garko) and Marcos (Guglielmo Spoletini), who are on the hunt for a large sum of loot, which they know is missing from a robbery. They hook up with a vengeful beauty (María Silva) as a sheriff (Luis Induni ) & his deputies pursue them.

While "Sartana Kills Them All" isn't part of the original five Sartana films, it came out right on their heels and features the same actor in the title role. The print I viewed was widescreen and is a surprisingly decent presentation for such an obscure Spaghetti Western. In any case, the film plays out like a low-budget Italo "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969) with Gianni Garko in the Redford role, albeit without Redford's Hollywood good looks (sorta akin to Klaus Kinski), and Spoletini as a kind of Mexican version of Butch Cassidy.

One part that was great was the disabled & disturbed confederate veteran and his four redneck sons from hell, which is reminiscent of the five scary brothers in the mining camp in "Ride the High Country" (1962). María Silva's beauty shines and Spoletini is thoroughly charismatic.

The film runs roughly 84 minutes and was presumably shot in Spain.

GRADE: C+