By the time twenty minutes have passed the movie presents us with its first major problem as horrifying violence, spurred by religious zealotry, is accompanied by music that wouldn't sound out of place in the TV programs of Monty Python, or maybe Benny Hill. From there we're treated to other indiscretions that are perhaps not quite as glaringly severe, but very notable all the same: language surrounding indigenous people that feels antiquated even by the standards of the western genre; dialogue and plot development that feels brusque and simplified, and too easy, to the point of contrivance; a weird deficient of plot heading into the second half, when all of a sudden it seems to pick up again with equally strange abruptness. With all this said, in a broader sense the picture quite struggles to find a consistent tone as it wavers between strong violence, attempted levity, hard-nosed investigation and conspiracy, and even giallo-like intricacy. For lack of a consistent tone, even at its darkest, the picture has a hard time evoking a sense of thrills. All these oddities are unfortunate in and of themselves, and more so as they detract from the value 'Heads or tails' otherwise has to offer.
Even if we put aside these matters, I couldn't say that the feature is perfect. I think filmmaker Piero Pierotti's screenplay is rather solid at large, or at least, it bears solid potential. I recognize in the characters, scene writing, and narrative a host of delicious flavors and complexities, not least in Sybille Burton. It's a delight to see these swirled together in a genre that, while of course known for violence, doesn't often carry such particulars. I recognize fine capability and mindfulness in Pierotti's direction. The trouble is that in addition to the dialogue and plot development being brusque and simplified, it doesn't quite feel like the characters, scene writing, or narrative are entirely fleshed out, as though we're only seeing maybe 50-75% of the detail they should ideally boast. Why, Will Hunter is a prime example - his background is clear; his motivations are less so, and as a result the ending feels like a bit of Movie Magic. This also goes for the direction, as something just feels a little off, a little peculiarly insufficient, subsequently impacting the performances, too. 'Heads or tails' is very enjoyable, and absorbing, but there's something missing.
My words have been more critical than not, but don't misunderstand - I really do like this film. There's some cleverness and intelligence here; it's engaging, entertaining, and satisfying. And it's definitely worth mentioning that, even noting the inelegance in the writing and direction, this is pretty well made. Stunts, effects, and action sequences are basically as swell as any that Italian westerns might claim. The production design, art direction, and costume design are terrific, and I admire the hair and makeup work no less. On a fundamental level the feature looks and sounds great, and it's a good time all the while. What I think it comes down to is that all the deficiencies stack up - deficiency of consistent tone, of detail, of balance in storytelling - and diminish the best possibilities of what 'Head or tails could have been. It's good; it could have been great. For all this, though, I still believe it's worth checking out on its own merits, even standing taller than some of its genre brethren. It's maybe not a total must-see, but if you have a chance to watch, this is a splendid way to spend 90 minutes.
