Dakota and the revolution "I'm Dakota Joe" - a stern-looking man looks at him in all eyes suspicious types, for a second speechless. By his name, sounding at the beginning of the western "Man and Colt" of the Argentine director Tulio Demicheli, the main character makes it clear that he has a rich track record behind him, and not in the cultivation of crops. The last lesson is the lot of poor Mexicans, whom Dakota sees at every turn, heading to Texas for another order. These meetings give rise to strange thoughts in the head of an experienced mercenary, which will soon begin to be embodied in actions. . .
The performer of the role of the protagonist Claudio Undari was not filmed too often, which did not prevent one of the Italian newspapers in the obituary dedicated to the death of the actor in 2008, calling him “the king of spaghetti westerns of the 60-70s”. With all due respect, this is definitely an exaggeration. If we agree with such a statement, and the “king” should be recorded a legion of colleagues Undari, repeatedly “lit up” in the paintings, where a sharp shot replaces the law, and the scorching sun dries the bones of losers white. But what you can not take away from this lanky actor is the recognizable images generated by his, frankly, small talent.
In most of his works, Claudio portrayed “bad guys” – quite understandable, given his brutal appearance and dimensions. That's a lot of talent. However, directors sometimes trusted the actor with more dramatic roles like the Dakotas, implying certain problems that required additional solutions. To show a “wooden” performer so that he looks natural is a problem, and skillful Demikele copes with it in three ways at once. The first of them is a contrast game, forcing the observer, accustomed to stereotypes, not to believe his eyes, and all the time to doubt what is wrong with this formidable professional shooter?
The second element, designed to color the general story space around Dakota-Undari, was the invitation of an experienced and colorful Fernando Sancho (here is who the “king”, so the “king”!). One appearance of this plump mustache in the frame can attract attention and cause a smile. In "Un hombre y un Colt", he also carries a significant part of the intrigue, at the same time responsible for the humorous component. Several plot twists associated with the trickster Pedro generously complement the emotional restraint of a comrade on the set. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Sancho, using simple proprietary techniques, much eclipses Undari, whose burned-out character suddenly begins to depend on the seemingly simpleton Mexican.
And finally, the classic technique, when key persons try to solve their personal problems against the background of major historical events that have already erupted or are gaining momentum, is also used by the director extremely successfully. In this case, Dakota’s problems are closely tied to the raging fire of Emiliano Zapata’s Mexican uprising. Just around the theme of the desperate poor, ready for extreme measures, and begin to converge all the storylines, tied in a tight knot, which can unravel only a decisive approach. The hunt for money, the glimpses of an imminent revolution, the moral choice, the revenge of an offended woman - there is something to puzzle Dakota before his enemies do it.
I will add that the film perfectly balanced all the components, including violence, intrigue, humor and romance. There is no mistake with the musical design, since the soundtrack Coriolano Gori and Angel Oliver perfectly emphasizes what is happening on the screen. Having masterfully used all available resources, Tulio Demicheli issued another tightly shot down, interesting and high-quality western, confirming that he was nominated for the Palme d’Or and the Grand Prix of the Cannes Film Festival for a reason.
Of course, “Man and Colt” on Cannes and other high-brow events does not pull, but it is not necessary, since it was created for entertainment with a moral bias. And this entertainment, the advantages of which more than cover the minuses, worthy of even revision. For example, just for the scenes with Pedro’s mother.
7 out of 10