The story is set in 1500 when the southern part of the Italian peninsula was dominated by the Spanish governed by Fernando the Catholic under military command of Gonzalo Fernandez De Cordoba . An invading French army, fights the Spanish, among whom is Italian knightly-soldier Ettore Fieramosca (Bud Spencer) . Medieval soldier of fortune Ettore Fieramosca and his mercenaries Bracanole (Enzo Cannavale , ordinary Spencer's partner in Comissario Piedone series) , Graziano D'Asti (Angelo Infanti) , among others , are traveling through Italy looking for battle where they can get some money . When they come across a Spanish fortress under siege by the French army, Ettore first bides his time to decide which side is the winning one . Somehow, Ettore must rally the weakened Spanish troops to fight their enemy long enough for reinforcements to arrive . The treatment receive the mercenaries from French people is unpleasant enough to make him change his mind and turn to the Spanish side . The French are beaten in battle, taken prisoners . French soldier Guy la Motte (Philippe Leroy) insults the honor of the Italian fighters, essentially implying that Italians can't fight to save their lives. To get a measure of revenge, the Italians challenge the French to a 13 to 13 match jousting match to prove what mettle the Italians really have . That challenge or "disfida" takes place on the beach and in the original novella in the Puglia city of Barletta .Needless to say, the Italians prove their mettle , knock their French opponents off their horses and plenty of swordplay , punches and kick-ass .
It is based on a famous Italian novel ETTORE FIERAMOSCA , on a widely-read literary action epic by Massimo D'Azeglio, published in 1833. Translated to the screen in 1938 by the most important director of the Italian fascist period, Alessandro Blasetti and starred by Gino Cervi, it was intended to boost current patriotic fervor and pride in the Italian nation, and it contributed to a revival of Italian nationalism . Nevertheless , this new adaptation is not a serious film and results yo be an engaging entertaining juvenile for Bud Spencer buffs , as he's delightful . It packs action , fist-play , fighting and jousting , slapdash, humor with tongue-and-cheek and is quite amusing . This fun , sympathetic movie is crammed of fist-fights , punches , kicks , knocks-outs , overwhelming stunt-work and lots of humor . Bud Spencer is top-notch as one army man taking on a group of French knights and as always he makes his own stunts with comic touches , as usual . This release has some cool and several hilarious moments , though the Terence Hill-Bud Spencer duo films are much better . The film isn't always good , sometimes is fresh and diverting and on a couple of memorable occasions , it's frankly delicious. The movie displays innumerable laughters , jokes and slapstick . The picture is well starred by Bud Spencer . Bud , the popular Latin movie actor who starred in innumerable spaghetti Westerns and action-packed potboilers during the 1960s and '70s, was born in Naples. He was the first Italian to swim the 100 meter freestyle and competed as a swimmer at the Olympic games . He appeared as a member of the Praetorian Guard in his first movie, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's epic "Quo Vadis" in 1951. He changed his screen name to "Bud Spencer" in 1967, as a homage to Spencer Tracy and to the American beer Budweiser. Spencer achieved his greatest hit in spaghetti Westerns lensed for a global audience. Teaming up with fellow Italian Terence Hill, the two made such international successes as I Quattro dell'Ave Maria (1968) and "They Call Me Trinity" , and ¨Trinity is still my name¨ and later ¨The troublemakers¨ . Their dual outings made both stars famous, particularly in Europe. In all, Spencer made 18 movies with Hill . Later on , Bud became a jet airplane and helicopter pilot after appearing in ¨Crazy plane¨ (1972) . After 1983, Spencer's movie career slowed down, though he did have a big success in the early 1990s with the TV action-drama "Extralarge". A man of many talents, Bud wrote texts and plots for some of his films . He also has registered several royalties. In the 70s and 80s Bud Spencer starred quite a few movies without Terence Hill , as he made three kind of films : 1ª he performed pictures with a little boy as partner as ¨Banana Joe ¨ , ¨Aladdin¨ and ¨The Supersheriff¨ ; 2ª about cop named Flatfoot or Rizzo, also called Piedone, such as, ¨Flatfoot in Cairo , Flatfoot in Hong Kong, Flatfoot in Egypt , Flatfoot in Africa¨, furthermore the ¨Extralargo¨ series 3ª about diverse characters as a medieval knight as ¨Soldier of fortune¨ , a swindler as ¨Mr Charleston¨ or a fisherman , ex-player as ¨Bulldozer .
The picture packs commercial and little appropriate musical score by the usual, Guido and Maurizio De Angelis , including catching songs . Colorful cinematography by Masciocchi , with a fine remastering . The story is well written by Verucci , Franco Castellano and the same filmmaker Pascuale Festa . The motion picture is lively directed by Pascuale Festa Campanila following the Hill-Spencer ordinary trademarks . Festa is a prestigious writer as ¨Gatopardo¨ and ¨Rocco and his brothers¨ and an expert director of Italian comedies as 1982 Bingo Bongo , 1982 La Ragazza Di Trieste , 1982 Porca Vacca , 1981 Manolesca , 1980 Horacio y Bailon Don Fulgencio , 1980 Il Ladrone , 1980 Il Ritorno Casanova , 1978 Genarino , 1974 La Sculacciata , 1973 Rugantino , 1972 La Calandria , 1972 Jus Primae Noctis , 1971 El Mirlo Macho , 1969 Dove Vai Tutta Nuda? , 1967 La Cintura Castità , 1967 La Ragazza e Il Generale , among others . Rating : Acceptable and fine film for Bud Spencer enthusiasts .
