Le Retour de Sabata

The plot of this film has to do with the town of Hobsonville where McIntock, a now prosperous miner and town over seer is taxing the people in order to get the money to build up their fair town into something special. Enter Sabata, who is following a trail that led him from a murder in a traveling circus to the town. Clearly there is a great deal of money at stake and Sabata smells something a miss as well as sensing that there is a buck to be made.

This is a rambling, often seemingly plot less, (comedic) western. You're a good way into the film before you realize what exactly is going on. There a good number of characters who are two timing or three timing each other and we get dragged into their machinations, and it seems that there really isn't a central story (or real villain), or at least a reason why Sabata is in the town, until the movie is about half over. Its not bad as such but towards the end of the first half you really do begin to wonder why you're watching the film.

The reason you're watching it is Lee Van Cleef. Van Cleef as Sabata is pure smart mouthed hero. He can't be beat and he knows it. He is a hero we'd all like to be, even if his motivations are questionable. Van Cleef goes along with the nonsense on screen and in the process makes it somehow okay to go along too.

Worth a look for western fans, others may want to take a pass unless they are in an undemanding mood.

"È Tornato Sabata... Hai Chiuso Un'Altra Volta" aka. "Return Of Sabata" is the third, last and sadly also least interesting of Gianfranco Parolini's "Sabata" films (if "Adios Sabata" aka. "Indio Black", which wasn't originally intended to be a Sabata flick, and in which Lee Van Cleef was replaced by Yul Brynner, is counted as a Sabata movie). While the first "Sabata" (aka. "Ehi Amico, C'e Sabata, Hai Ciuso!") of 1969 is an excellent and immensely stylish Spaghetti Western that deserves its cult-status, this "Return Of Sabata" goes far over the top with slapstick elements, and even though Parolini obviously attempted to copy the original "Sabata" in many parts, it is not really a worthy sequel. Nevertheless, "Return Of Sabata" is an entertaining Spaghetti Western, Lee Van Cleef is great as always in the lead, and the coolness of his Sabata-character saves quite a lot.

I won't give too much of the plot away, but it resembles the first movie a lot, only that its not as violent and witty, but more slapstick-ish and confusing and not as interesting. Sabata (Van Cleef) arrives in Hobsonville this time, a town controlled by a rich and religious Irishman, Joe McIntock (Giampiero Albertini). Sabata decides not only to free town from McInrock's tyranny, but also to gain some profit himself...

There are several highly entertaining scenes, some good action and many amusing gags, and, as mentioned above, the great Lee Van Cleef is always worth the time. Apart from Lee Van Cleef's performance as Sabata, one of the trickiest antiheroes of the Italian Western, the movie is sadly far away from the greatness of its predecessor. While the first movie had an excellent score, the score is one of the biggest flaws in "Return Of Sabata", the music often sounds like the soundtrack of a slapstick comedy instead of a Spaghetti Western. The body-count is also disappointing, it really takes quite a while until somebody is finally killed.

Apart from Lee Van Cleef, two other actors from the first movie are also in this one, Ignazio Spalla and Aldo Canti. Spalla's and Canti's characters resemble their characters from the first movie a lot, but they are not the same. It is beyond me why Parolini didn't just let them play their old characters, who could have had a reunion with Sabata. Still these two sidekicks for Sabata fit in very well, especially Ignazio Spalla is highly amusing and a great enrichment to the movie. Giampiero Albertini also delivers a good performance as the villain. Another character, Clyde (played by Reiner Schöne), is an attempt to copy William Berger's 'Banjo' character from the first movie, which is not too convincing either, since the role doesn't have the wit, and Schöne is not nearly as great an actor as Berger.

Overall, "Return Of Sabata" will be a disappointment if you expect another movie as great as the first "Sabata". Knowing that this is an inferior sequel, however, it should certainly be fun to watch for my fellow fans of the Italian Western. It has many flaws, and it doesn't come up to its predecessors, but it is still an amusing film and Lee Van Cleef is never to be missed. I recommend the entire "Sabata" series to a fan of Spaghetti Westerns, but one should certainly see the great original, as well as "Indio Black", before watching "Return Of Sabata". 6/10

Of the three "Sabata" films, "Return of Sabata" is the weakest entry. It was included in the notorious book "The 50 Worst Films of All Time", though I don't think the movie, despite its problems, deserved that dubious honor. I've seen much worse spaghetti westerns. Though I didn't think the movie was all that great. The movie does have a few positive attributes. Lee Van Cleef still makes for an effective anti hero (though who convinced him to wear that awful hairpiece?), the musical score is spirited, and the action sequences have energy and punch. But someone should have sent the screenplay back for a major rewrite before filming stared. To put it bluntly, the movie pretty much makes no sense at all. Though I wasn't really bored at any moment, I simply couldn't understand what was going on. Also, Van Cleef's Sabata character seems in some aspects to be different than the Sabata character he played in the first film; I wouldn't be surprised if the screenplay was originally written to not be a Sabata film. While I guess the movie is essential viewing for spaghetti western fans and collectors, I think even they will find it tough going at times.

This follow-up deals with Sabata (Lee Van Cleef) who finds combating a mean businessman named McLintock (Albertini) . The major Sabata joins forces with a Saloon owner , the Lieutenant , (Reinar Schone). Furthermore, his misfit and strange team : two acrobats (Nick Jordan and Vassili Karis) , and , of course , the old rogue with a drummer (Ignacio Spalla or Pedro Sanchez) . Meanwhile, Sabata gets involved with a Saloon girl (gorgeous Annabella Incontrera) .

This offbeat Western comedy results to be the genuine sequel to ¨Sabata¨ (with Van Cleef , William Berger, Linda Veras and Franco Ressel) , and it's full of intriguing touches , Western action , shootouts and being very amusing . This entertaining picture gets the humorous remarks from Western parody combined to features of Spaghetti such as violent antiheroes , excessive zooms , extreme nasties and spectacular gunfight with high body-count . Appearing usual secondary actors , habitual in Italian Western , such as : Gianni Rizzo , Alberto Dell'Acqua , Rick Boyd, Fortunato Arena , Franco Fantasia , among others . And Pedro Sanchez who acted in the Sabata trilogy and he played similar roles to S. W. secondary idol Fernando Sancho. The movie was well produced by Alberto Grimaldi (Sergio Leone's Trilogy of dollars as producer). Atmospheric and adequate cinematography by cameraman Sandro Mancori. . Lively and jolly musical score by Marcello Giombini with Ennio Morricone influence . The motion picture was professionally directed by Gianfranco Paraolini who often used pseudonym Frank Kramer . It's followed by ¨Indio Black¨ with Yul Brynner , Dean Reed and Gerard Herter . The flick will appeal to Lee Van Cleef fans and S. W. buffs.

A Fellini movie about the circus wandered into a Sergio Leone picture and the result is a total train wreck. I'm 30 minutes into this and I literally have no idea what the hell is going on.