Professionnels pour un massacre

Despite the title, this is an easy-going Spaghetti Western with tongue firmly in cheek; plot-wise, it’s basically THE DIRTY DOZEN (1967) out West and with the Civil War for backdrop – as a trio of adventurers (George Hilton, George Martin and Edd Byrnes) are saved from the gallows, so that they can retrieve gold stolen from the Confederates by a renegade band of soldiers led by Gerard Herter (from Sergio Sollima’s marvelous THE BIG GUNDOWN [1966]). Along the way, they also have to deal with a band of Mexican outlaws (who, naturally, covet the gold): interestingly, this is presented as a family unit (albeit a loutish and ugly-looking bunch) controlled by an old woman who all she seems to do is stuff herself with food!

The heroes, then, all have their characteristics: Martin is himself a Mexican horse-thief, Hilton a defrocked priest with a penchant for explosives(!) – this combination of sardonic piety and ecstatic outbursts results in an occasionally hammy performance, while Byrnes is the requisite renegade American (amusingly called “Chattanooga Jim”); for the record, Hilton and Byrnes would re-unite soon after for the similarly lightweight ANY GUN CAN PLAY (1967). Given that they’re technically prisoners till the accomplishment of the mission, their movements are overseen by an officer; however, half-way through, the latter leaves with a girl they come across at an isolated house (whose other inhabitants had all been murdered by Herter & Co.) in order to drum up support for the inevitable confrontation between prisoners, soldiers and outlaws…except that the Cavalry that charges to the ‘rescue’ is from the opposite side, the Unionists, since the officer turns out to have been a spy all along!

Anyway, being a generally light-hearted entertainment, the heroes still end up in possession of the gold – amid brawling, double-crosses and shoot-outs galore! Incidentally, director Cicero would spend most of his later career helming low-brow sex comedies featuring Edwige Fenech and the like. The film under review does provide a typically pleasant score courtesy of one Carlo Pes.

Confederate Major Lloyd and some accomplices desert with a Gatling gun and a shipment of gold. General Sibley sends Lt. Tennessee Logan, together with three Confederate soldiers about to be executed for theft - horse-thief Ramirez, defrocked priest and dynamite expert Steel Downey, and bank robber Chattanooga Jim. They set up an ambush for Lloyd, but the three others ditch Logan and go for the gold, only to find it snatched by the Mexican Camiseros gang. They ally with Lloyd against the Camiseros and then blow up Lloyd and his men, only to be intercepted by a Union troop led by Logan, who is a Union spy. The heroes manage to exterminate the Union men but are stopped by a Confederate troop led by General Sibley, who had suspected Logan but needed proof. The three are given horses and warned not to show themselves in these parts. When Sibley later hands over the gold to the Mexican army in exchange for weapons the three companions, now dressed in ponchos, suddenly drive off with the wagon, pursued by the Mexicans.

Ed Brynes (Kookie!) and George Hilton reunite again ( they had starred together in the lively Any Gun Can Play) in this rather standard issue spaghetti western. It's definitely not as good as Any Gun can Play- the usual confederates, gold, double-cross and double dealing characters feature here but the execution of the tale is a little flat and some excitement fluctuates at times. There's some bizarre characters like the old crone and her gang of Camiseros. The main characters aren't that interesting, however the location and action is decent enough.

During the American Civil War, a trio of criminals are given a reprieve from execution and instead are given a dangerous mission to find a corrupt army general and retrieve the gold he has stolen. A gang of Mexican bandits enter the scene and complicate matters further.

I would have to consider this one as a better than average spaghetti western. There's nothing precisely very original about it or anything but it manages to do a thing which is quite rare in these kinds of movies in that is successfully integrates a comic tone into its narrative without being annoying in doing so. Most westerns that attempt to use comedy aren't very successful at it and the spaghetti ones in particular are usually pretty dire, so it was a pleasant surprise to see a movie pull it off well. It's not all japery here though as the story includes a healthy amount of action and even a massacre, so it never forgets to cover its bread and butter elements too. Its well-paced as well with some decent performances, especially from Italian genre film regular George Hilton who appears as an ex-priest who has turned to crime. Nobody would claim that this flick breaks the mould as such but it does what it does with energy and some fun.

Average Chorizo/ S.W. about a relentless and exciting dangerous mission that a motley trio pulls off in Mexican territory and set against spectacular and ordinary scenery of Almeria . The risked assignment is set against strong environment , violent attacks by Mexican bands , double-crosses and hazardous trails . It will be a long and dangerous pursuit with continuous risks , killings , shootouts and silly fights . This typical Western displays stirring adventures , shootouts , humor with tongue-in-cheek , riding pursuits and is pretty amusing . It deals with a misfit group in search of millions of dollars in gold that have been stolen during American Civil War . A group of conscripted convicts formed by three condemned , already destined for death row, are drafted to go on a risked mission and attempt to recapture a rebel Major called Lloyd (Gerard Herter of The Big Gundown) . They must carry out the objective to take a wagon-load of gold and with the understanding that if the Confederate don't murder them, the Union Army won't, either . A two-fisted Confederate Lieutenant named Logan (Milo Quesada of Django kill) and the ambitious drifters , join forces to retrieve an impressive lot of dollars in gold bars taken from Union banks and destined to buy weapons to Mexican Army for Confederation . In the hands of hardboiled director Nando Cicero and a tough-as-leather cast , that's all the plot that's needed to make one rip-roaring Spaghetti Western flick . The story is displayed in ¨Dirty dozen ¨ style with usual crime-minded characters including a rustler named Fidel Ramirez (Jorge Martin) , a troublesome ex-priest with penchant dynamite named Steele Downey (George Hilton) and a Bank-robber named Chattanooga Jim (Edd Byrnes) . The first half of the film allows the colorful cast of character actors to have their fun as they get their tails whipped into shape and develop shaky relationship . The final part is all action , as the trio wreck havoc and then run for their lives and pursued by the band of Alacran (Jose Bodalo of Django) who robs the gold for his strange Mexican family . The message here isn't that war is hell , rather, it seems to be : war can be a hell of a good time if you've got nothing to lose .

It's an exciting SW with breathtaking showdown between the protagonists and their enemies full of explosions , machine gun , deaths and fights in Terence Hill-Bud Spencer style . The picture blends violence , humor , struggles , high body-count and is quite entertaining . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing a shootout or stunt every few minutes . The film is starred by a Spaghetti all-star-cast as the Spanish George (Jorge) Martin who worked much for Alfonso Balcazar's factory such as ¨Clint the strange¨, ¨The return the Clint¨, ¨Oeste Nevada Joe¨, Thompson 1880¨ , ¨Taste of killing¨, ¨A pistol for Ringo and ¨¨The return of Ringo¨ ; the Uruguay-born George Hilton who was a Spaghetti first-star such as ¨ Sartana no perdone¨ , ¨Go kill and come back¨ , ¨Kitosch¨ , ¨They call me Alleluja¨ , ¨Ruthless four¨ , ¨Alleluja for Django¨ , and also played successful Giallio as ¨The strange vice of Mrs Wardh¨ , ¨The scorpion's tale¨, ¨All colors of the dark¨ , ¨My deal Killer¨ ; and Edd Byrnes , Kookie , who starred two Spaghetti for Enzo G Castell as ¨Seven Winchester for a massacre¨ and ¨Go kill and come back¨ with George Hilton . Gerard Herter as a cruelly baddie role as confederate officer is terrific , subsequently the would play similar roles in other Spaghettis . There are many good technicians and nice assistant direction and acceptable production design with an atmospheric scenario plenty of barren outdoors , dirty and rocky landscapes and a fine set on the final scenes . The musician Carlos Pes composes a nice Spaghetti soundtrack and well conducted ; it's full of enjoyable sounds and emotive score with perdurable leitmotif . The film is well shot in 'Splugas city' (Splugas De Llobregat , Barcelona) , a location built by Alfonso Balcazar where were filmed a lot of ¨Butifarra Western¨ and of course , Almeria, Spain and Roman studios called Elios . Mediocre cinematography by habitual Francisco Marin who photographed loads of 'Gazpacho' Westerns , it's urgent and necessary a correct remastering because of the film-copy is washed-up . Fernando Cicero's so-so direction is regularly crafted , here he's cynical and humorous and inclined toward violence as well as too much action especially on its ending part .

After being captured for robbing a bank in Arizona and trying to desert from the Confederate army, 3 outlaws named "Chattanooga Jim" (Edd Byrnes), "Fidel Ramirez" (George Martin) and "Steel Downey" (George Hilton) are given a choice of either facing a firing squad or helping to recover a wagon full of gold that was stolen by a fellow Confederate officer named "Major Lloyd" (Gerard Herter) and his men. Naturally, they decide to cooperate and along with another Confederate officer named ""Lieutenant Logan" (Milo Quesada) they ride out to catch the gold thieves before they can cross into Mexico. Along the way, however, they encounter other obstacles which they must overcome-or die trying. Now, rather than reveal any more of the story I will just say that as far as "Spaghetti Westerns" are concerned this particular movie didn't quite measure up with some of the great ones out there. For starters, the characters lacked depth and some of the scenes seemed a bit outlandish even for the sub-genre mentioned. In essence then, I think most Spaghetti Western fans will probably like it but general audiences may or may not. Slightly below average.