A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die

(1974) Massacre at Fort Holman/ Una ragione per vivere e una per morire SPAGHETTI WESTERN

Only saw this as it's U. K. title "Massacre at Fort Holmanand" and not as it's American title "A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die!", one of many titles depending on where you live! Co-written and directed by Tonino Valerii which upon watching this, part of the movie's idea may have derived from the likes of "Dirty Dozen" and The Wild Bunch" and perhaps "The Magnificent Seven" movies which centers on the James Coburn character recruiting 7 to 8 men sentenced for a hanging to give them a choice to help him recoup his fort back from the Southern Confederacy lead by Telly Savalas. Motivating them to stick with him for hidden gold located somewhere along the fort. Unmemorable dialogue with consistency problems and overall uninvolving since they're aren't any twists or surprises.

It is the American Civil War as envisioned by Italians, set apart from the main theaters of conflict, out in the southwestern desert. James Coburn is Col. Pembroke who has lost impregnable Ft. Holman to the Rebs and who has a private scheme to retrieve it along with his honor. He sets out on a commando expedition with a sergeant and a dirty half-dozen volunteers, scalawags freed from the gallows and kept in line (barely) with a promise of hidden gold. Telly Savalas is the Southern commander dreading Pembroke's reappearance. Some exciting action and tense situations, but credibility is strained when, with the Ft. Holman Gatling gun spraying shot into the parade ground, the Confederate troops show no interest in cover but keep milling in the open like ants from a hill goaded with a stick. Not a great or inspiring movie but a solid performance from Coburn. And for all the death there's not much blood.

This film stood on my must-see list for one reason, namely the three major names in the cast and particularly because I'm an enormous fan of Telly Savalas' naturally malignant charisma. I should have guessed, however, that Savalas' part here is not much more than an small supportive role during the last half hour and that everything else isn't worth sitting through, neither. "A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die" is a poor, dull and forgettable hybrid between Spaghetti Western and (Civil) War movie that steals ideas and stylistic aspects from numerous classics but doesn't contribute the slightest thing itself. Director Tonino Valerii carefully watched all the blockbuster hits that got released during previous years (like "The Dirty Dozen", "The Wild Bunch", "The Great Escape", "The Magnificent Seven"…) and mishmashes a familiar story of a group convicted criminals that are offered the choice between the noose or fighting along in a battle to re-conquer a lost fortress. Colonel Pembroke gave up the fortress all too easily and, in order to avoid total loss of dignity, he embarks on a crazy mission to reclaim it with an 8-headed posse of outcasts that he promised a gold treasure that isn't there. James Coburn, who looks like he's been sleeping under a bridge for two years, depicts the anti- hero Colonel, Bud Spencer – in a largely non-comical role – is one of his henchmen and the great Telly Savalas is the evil Confederate Major they have to chase out of the fortress. "A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die" is incredibly long and tedious, especially because it's mainly derivative plodding during the first hour and a half. The trek towards the fortress is full of clichéd obstacles and macho arguments, while the final battle is dire and unspectacular. Being an Italian western from the early seventies, there's an unforgivable shortness of violent action, filthy bastard characters and general nastiness.

The plot of Tonino Valerii's men-on-a-mission spagwest bears heavy resemblance to THE DIRTY DOZEN while certain sequences are undoubtedly inspired by the climax of Peckinpah's WILD BUNCH. Despite the familiarity of this subject matter, the film turns out to be an engaging little western that tells its story in a spare, lean narrative. It has a gritty, downbeat flavour, is very well shot and makes fine use of some grand sets and isolated locations. Valerii displays a real affinity with the subject matter and brings Ernesto Gastaldi's script to life in a memorable way.

Most of the characters are sidelined in favour of the big hitters, but small wonder when this film features James Coburn and Telly Savalas as protagonist and antagonist respectively. Coburn is stoic, sardonic and a fitting hero, while Savalas plays it subdued throughout. There's also a major role for spagwest stalwart Bud Spencer. Throw in some wonderfully filmed explosions (that put anything Michael Bay's done since to shame) and an epic-feel climax and you have a film that's never less than entertaining.

The spaghetti western sub-genre might have grown rancid by this period, but there are no doubts their titles were striking and creative, when which said simply rolled of your tongue. Tell me that this title isn't a lyrical joy. No stranger to the sub-genre with "My Name is Nobody" and "Day of Anger", director Tonino Valerii's 'A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die!" would be a hardy old-fashion western variation of "The Dirty Dozen". While it might be only half of that film, its remains an amusing fare thanks largely to the three central performances of Bud Spencer, James Coburn and Telly Savalas. The latter might not make an appearance until the hour mark, but it's the combination between the buoyant Spencer and low-key Coburn which drives it. The humour seems to come off thanks to Spencer timing and presence. Even though the greying Coburn and swaggering Savalas get top billing, it's Spencer who's really the star.

Like most films of this ilk, it's systematic with its staples as the theme of vengeance and redemption looms prominently. There's no real change of route, as it keeps it gritty and the straight-forward narrative never loses focuses, especially that of the character's motivations with it to throw up a sudden revelation (which my DVD synopsis' spoiled). The expandable characters are clichés, but workable as they serve their purpose with it ending on a bang. It actually starts with the end, to only retell the story from Spencer's character's point of view. This gives it like a mythical tale-like quality. It's well shot with a commendable music score. Valerii does a serviceable job behind the camera letting it move at a fair pace while constructing few intense scenes and cracking action sequences, like the delirious climatic showdown at the hillside forte (with it vivid locations), which had me thinking of "The Wild Bunch" (in which case Coburn would star in Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid" the following year), but in the end you feel like there just wasn't enough going on. Some moments should have been much stronger than they were, like the personal battle between Coburn and Savalas.

Contrived, but tough and dirty entertainment.