No Room to Die

Two bounty hunters (Anthony Steffen, William Berger) team up to take on a criminal network led by a powerful landowner (Riccardo Garrone) who smuggles Mexicans across the border to treat them as slaves. The large landowners of an American region bordering Mexico , representatives of the fiercest capitalism, need workers since their compatriots do not want to do certain jobs and then just as it happens today, they resort to illegal immigration and labor exploitation. A certain novelty -although not profound, since we are talking about Pasta Western- involves presenting so early the wetbacks clandestinely crossing the Mexican border to go to the United States to collect salaries of 50 pesos. The large landowners of the South no longer have black slaves to do certain jobs, so they hire Mexicans at miserable prices. It is not so bad that the scoundrels who organize the transfer kill them unceremoniously at the slightest risk of being detained by the Army. The nasty band who illegally introduce them into the United States, will not hesitate at the slightest problem to get rid of them and keep all the money.

A spaghetti western that has all the right ingredients, it's sinister, dark, violent and features two of the genre's most prolific stars. Film directed by Sergio Garrone in 1969 that has a somewhat original story, but that also never overcomes the limitations of the genre. Una lunga fila di croci(1969) has the peculiarity that it contains certain social content: Here there are no black slaves to work and to take advantage of the misery of the inhabitants of their countries, Southern neighbors hiring Mexicans who try to escape pagan poverty at a low price, and while the ambitious owners exploit them at work. Unknowingly, they pay for the trip to a gang of swindlers to smuggle them into the United States. But the band gets rid of them and keeps all the money. Given the army's inability to control the border, it has been decided to put a reward on the heads of the gang members, which will attract two bounty hunters by unknowingly traveling to a gang. Given the impossibility of the army to control the border, as it is very wide, it has been decided to put a price on the heads of most of the members of that gang, which will attract two bounty hunters. That's why our two tough bounty hunters: Anthony Steffen and William Berger show up . They will join forces to kill all the bandits and distribute the reward. I found Anthony Steffen more convincing than usual, perhaps because his character looks a lot and speaks very little, but as he always acts stoic and silent. And as a companion, called the preacher and carrying a kind of machine gun, is the usually effective William Berger stands out as the black-clad, Bible-reading, six-barreled shotgun-wielding bounty hunter. While the bad guy, an intelligent and Machiavellian individual who undoubtedly takes advantage of people's poverty, is played by a correct Riccardo Garrone, brother of the director in his third collaboration. Along with them is Mario Brega in an insubstantial role and the female presence, in a quite attractive role, of a beautiful Nicoletta Machiavelli, as well as the charming Maria Angela Giordano as a harassed Mexican.

We are looking at a spaghetti that is quite careful from a formal point of view since it has, in my opinion, acceptable direction by Sergio Garrone, which can be seen in the concern and care for the composition of the different scenes such as that of the duel final, a nice photograph by Franco Villa and a more than worthy setting. The soundtrack composed by Kojucharov-Mancuso, a tandem that collaborated on several spaghetti, is quite atmospheric. In addition to the script, also by Garrone, I think it is a little more worked than usual in spaghetti, although it is a shame that in the last third of the film there are several twists that seemed a little simple and not very believable to me. Sergio Garrone provides a professional but flawed direction, it's all gratuitous violence, implausible situations and run-of-the-mill performances, but being passable. Rating: 5.5/10.

This film begins on the banks of the Rio Grande, where a vicious outlaw named "Manuel Santana" (Emilio Messina) learns of an approaching cavalry unit intending to arrest him and his gang for smuggling illegal immigrants into the United States. To avoid being caught red-handed, Santana decides to kill all the illegal immigrants he has hiding in his wagons and ride off. Needless to say, activities like this have already drawn the attention of the United States government. Since the U. S. Cavalry cannot go into Mexico to apprehend these men, a bounty is soon issued to help in that regard. That being said, within no time, a highly efficient bounty hunter named "Johnny Brandon" (Anthony Steffen) arrives on the scene to capitalize on the situation. Yet even though he swiftly ends Santana's operation, he soon realizes that there is a much bigger smuggling operation in that area and, to that effect, he turns to another skillful bounty hunter named "Everett 'Bible' Murdock" (William Berger) to help him out. What he fails to take into consideration, however, is that his primary target is a man named "Mr. Fargo" (Riccardo Garrone) who is much more resourceful than Santana could ever be. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was one of those Spaghetti Westerns that had all of the right ingredients but never really attained what potential might have been there. One case in particular had to do with the casting of Nicoletta Machiavelli (as "Maya"), who was poorly utilized throughout the course of the film. Additionally, some of the alternate titles, like "A Noose for Django," are extremely misleading, as there is nobody named Django in this film at all. Be that as it may, while this film wasn't a complete waste of time, I was still left somewhat disappointed, and I have rated this movie accordingly.

Una lunga fila di croci (AKA: No Room to Die/A Noose for Django/Hanging for Django) is directed by Sergio Garrone and features music by Vasco and Mancuso, with cinematography by Franco Villa. It stars Anthony Steffen, William Berger, Nicoletta Machiavelli, Mario Brega and Riccardo Garrone.

Mexican's are being smuggled over the border to work as cheap labour for wealthy land baron Fargo (Garrone). Fargo's gang is made up of known criminals with bounties on their heads, this greatly interests two bounty hunters, Brandon (Steffen) and Murdock (Berger), who may have to team up to achieve their goals and stay ahead of the game?

On plot terms it's simplicity 101, a couple of cool dudes are waging a war against the evil and wealthy town boss and his gang. In true Spaghetti Western style a lot of blood is shed, there's plenty of scowling from scuzzy men and pouting from the lead babe. A twist is thrown in for good measure, and on an action quota basis this never lacks in that department. In fact I think there might be more gunplay than actual dialogue!

It's what I would call a safe Spaghetti Western, a chance to make a telling political point is wasted, but there's a lot of style around to ensure that the pic is never once dull. Garrone (Django the Bastard) knows his Spaghetti and indulges in the staples of the genre, with canted angles, revolving frames, whippy pans, zooms in and out, up-tilts and fight scenes that literally come through the camera. Add in Berger's 7 barrelled shotgun with its endless supply of bullets, a schizophrenic musical score, the gorgeous Machiavelli getting a female role of some substance, and it's all good really.

Not top tier Spaghetti, and it is hardly original, but it keeps the plate warm with bullets and punches galore. 7/10

This film was made in the same year as 'Django the Bastard', with the same director and the same actor in the title role. A Noose for Django feels a lot like an afterthought, and I wouldn't be surprised to find that is the case. This film doesn't benefit from as good a storyline as the aforementioned Spaghetti western, and it feels more like a film that has had the name 'Django' slapped on it to help it's selling prospects, as the title character feels very much like he's just been dropped into the plot. The plot highlights the antagonism between Mexicans and Americans in a story about smuggling illegal immigrants into an American township. Towards the start, we see a smuggler ditch his cargo in callous fashion. From there, we learn that there's a bounty on the heads of all illegal smugglers, and this attracts the bounty hunter Django to the fray in order to bring the men to justice. However, Django isn't the only hunter on their trail as he faces competition from other gunslingers. Well, I think this is the basic plot line; the muddled screenplay doesn't exactly make it easy to decipher exact plot details.

A Noose for Django is one of the more difficult to find entries in the Django series, and that seems pretty apt it really isn't all that good. Naturally, the film features a plethora of violent gun fights and a handful of gritty characters; but nothing is really explained or done in any great detail, which really leaves the film feeling rather flat. Anthony Steffen gives a performance that is, in my opinion, better than the one he gave in Django the Bastard (albeit slightly); but it's spoiled by the fact that he's eclipsed by his rival bounty hunter and his very cool seven barrelled shotgun! Said gun represents what is probably the only real memorable thing about this film; which really says a lot for it. However, in typical Italian fashion; A Noose for Django compensates for its muddled and rather boring story with style. The atmosphere is dark and gritty and the locations, while obviously cheap, do help the film with regards to the atmosphere as it presents a very minimalist western style. Overall, I can't say that I liked this film very much and don't recommend tracking it down; although there may be something here for Spaghetti western fan.

I love this movie. It is a masterpiece of the genre. It has it's flaws no doubt. The acting is good in places and wooden in others. Overall though it is a very cool film. If you like the Italina westerns, then don't hesitate to check this one out. The cinematography is top-notch, the music and sound effects are great! I especially love the way it starts! Bom bom BOM!!!!!!

Anthony Steffen is not the best actor in the genre but he does a satisfactory job here. William Berger is great as always! It contains more of the Django style multi-barrel guns and surreal sequences and moving camera shots with cool angles and experimental shots. The movie does contain some violence towards animals (there is a cockfight sequence).