THE HIRED GUN is another good Italian polizia movie featuring the hard-working Fabio Testi as the likable lead. Testi was great at playing heroes, impassioned and flawed and deeply human as they are. The film's original translated title was GO GORILLA GO, which seems odd but makes sense when watching as Testi's hired bodyguard is treated as little more than ape by his employer and the bad guys alike.
Said bad guys are a gang of extortionists attempting to scare a rich businessman into paying them a great deal of money. Testi gets in the way, as does his slightly psychotic younger brother, and the plot thickens from there. The cheapness of this production is quite apparent in the low rent filming style, and there are plenty of flaws to boot, but it remains a thoroughly entertaining piece of spectacle regardless with a narrative structure that always keeps you on your toes.
Tonino Valerii was a popular spaghetti western director of the era with titles like HIS NAME IS NOBODY and DAY OF ANGER under his belt. Here he shoots some fine action scenes, from a typical car chase to some excellent stunt work and violence on a train at the riveting climax. The characters are pretty interesting too, particularly those in support; Luciano Catenacci shines as a typically crooked character while Claudia Marsani is a delight as the lovelorn daughter of Testi's employer. Saverio Marconi is also very good as the young brother and viewers may remember him from his re-teaming with Testi in Fulci's CONTRABAND.
Said bad guys are a gang of extortionists attempting to scare a rich businessman into paying them a great deal of money. Testi gets in the way, as does his slightly psychotic younger brother, and the plot thickens from there. The cheapness of this production is quite apparent in the low rent filming style, and there are plenty of flaws to boot, but it remains a thoroughly entertaining piece of spectacle regardless with a narrative structure that always keeps you on your toes.
Tonino Valerii was a popular spaghetti western director of the era with titles like HIS NAME IS NOBODY and DAY OF ANGER under his belt. Here he shoots some fine action scenes, from a typical car chase to some excellent stunt work and violence on a train at the riveting climax. The characters are pretty interesting too, particularly those in support; Luciano Catenacci shines as a typically crooked character while Claudia Marsani is a delight as the lovelorn daughter of Testi's employer. Saverio Marconi is also very good as the young brother and viewers may remember him from his re-teaming with Testi in Fulci's CONTRABAND.