Ognuno per sé (1968)

Director:

Giorgio Capitani

Writers:

Augusto Caminito (writer)
Fernando Di Leo (writer)

Release Date:

6 August 1968 (West Germany)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

In the Tradition of "Treasure of Sierra Madre"

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Buddy | Treasure Hunt | Gold Mine | Greed | Gold

Cast

Van Heflin	...	Sam Cooper
Gilbert Roland	...	Mason
Klaus Kinski	...	Brent the Blonde
George Hilton	...	Manolo Sanchez
Sarah Ross	...	Anna
Federico Boido		(as Rick Boyd)
Sergio Doria
Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia		(as Ivan Scratuglia)
Giorgio Gruden
Hardy Reichelt
Teodoro Corrà		(as Doro Corra)

Directed by
Giorgio Capitani

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Augusto Caminito		writer
Fernando Di Leo		writer

Produced by
Luciano Ercoli	....	producer
Alberto Pugliese	....	producer

Original Music by
Carlo Rustichelli

Cinematography by
Sergio D'Offizi

Film Editing by
Renato Cinquini

Production Design by
Franco Bottari

Art Direction by
Nicola Tamburo		(as Nicola Tamburro)

Makeup Department
Giulio Natalucci	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Hans Gerber	....	production manager: Germany
Paolo Zaccaria	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marcello Crescenzi	....	assistant director

Camera and Electrical Department
Giuseppe Gatti	....	camera operator

Music Department
Bruno Nicolai	....	musical director

Other crew
Fausto Bonelli	....	production assistant
Paola Colonna	....	script girl
Karin Hellman	....	production assistant

Distributors

• Box Office International Video (Australia) (video)
• Columbia-Bavaria Filmgesellschaft m.b.H. (1968) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Fries Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS) (as Monterey Home Video)
• Golden Eagle (1970) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Goldstone Film Enterprises (USA)

Also Known As:

Every Man for Himself (UK)
Gold von Sam Cooper, Das (West Germany)
Sam Cooper's Gold
The Goldseekers
The Ruthless Four (USA)

Runtime:

Germany:100 min | USA:96 min

Country:

Italy | West Germany

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Norway:16 (1969) | USA:M | West Germany:0 (f) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

A very solid, brutal Western

I had been looking for a copy of this film for a long time and finally found one. I wasn't disappointed as it is a well-written and directed film.

Van Heflin stars as a down and out prospector who finally strikes it rich. After surviving a double-cross attempt by a partner, he decides to look up an old friend to help him retrieve the remainder of his fortune. Through various situations the group expands to four - Heflin, George Hilton (his old friend), Klaus Kinski (who has a strange hold over Hilton) and Gilbert Roland (hired by Heflin as insurance against future double crosses), and the four then begin the trek to retrieve the gold. What happens along the way will hold your interest as there are some unusual plot twists.

As for the performances, Heflin and Kinski are remarkable. Heflin looks like he sat in the hot desert sun for weeks to prepare for this role, and his craggy voice and features are perfectly suited for his character. As for Kinski, dressed mostly in black, he is evil incarnate, with his cold stare, flashing eyes and creepy voice. Roland is also excellent, as an old army buddy of Heflin's who suffers from malaria. Hilton is good, too, although his performance pales in comparison to the others.

The direction is some areas is inventive, with good use of scenery, and the music score is impressively spare with only acoustic guitars for much of it.

If you enjoy realistic Westerns that don't romanticize the Old West, this comes highly recommended.