DAY OF ANGER (1967)

'Him...and his pistol! There can be an experience of a lifetime in a gun. But it's not enough to be able to draw faster than the other guy if the other guy knows a trick that you don't know. In my days, we had to either learn the tricks...or we gave work to the gravediggers.'

My second spaghetti western made by this Italian Director Tonino Valerii and it’s absolutely entertaining affair for any spaghetti western lovers. Valerii worked as Sergio Leone’s assistant and imbibe many of Master’s skill in his works. Lee Van Cleef was the John Wayne and Clint Eastwood for small budget westerns and the man most of the times live up to the expectations. This is one of that western where he’s in terrific form as ruthless gunfighter Frank Talby who kills anything comes in between his goal. He arrives in a western town named Clifton as unwelcome stranger who helps a young bastard named Scott who works as sweeper and collects garbage of the local town. Under mentor Talby, Scott grows his manlihood and maturity but the camaraderie between them unsettles the unchallenged power of rich and powerful men of the town.

The film bears trademark western theme of gunslinger-disciple and one may find many traits of Leone’s western here in portrayal and execution of well choreographed action and camera angles. Riz Ortolani’s score for the film is high point of the film and it deserves to be heard even after the film is over.  

Ratings-7.5/10