Face to Face (1967) User Reviews

All Star Spaghetti Classic

[marc-366 · 8/10 · 21 March 2005]

Take three of the finest Spaghetti Western actors (Gian Maria Volente, Tomas Milian and William Berger), the great direction of Sergio Sollima (The Big Gundown) and a gripping topsy turvey story of power and you get Face to Face.

Volente stars as Brad, a Professor that inadvertently becomes embroiled in Beau's (Milian) revolution when taken hostage by the bandit. It is not long before Brad becomes attracted to Beau's way of life, with the film superbly capturing his gradual corruption by power. Meanwhile, Beau's character develops an increasing compassion for his people and their life. The interplay between these two actors works brilliantly, and ably assisted by Berger as Siringo - a lawman disguised as one of Beau's gang.

Morricone's soundtrack is, as ever, fantastic. All in all, this is a true Spaghetti gem - Italian cinema at its near finest.

Italian/Spanish co-production by Sergio Solllima with noisy action , violence and crossfire

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 8 October 2012]

Spaghetti with Chorizo Western co-produced by Italy (Alberto Grimaldi , P.E.A Productions , which financed ¨¨The Dollars trilogy) and Spain (Arturo Gonzalez who co-produced ¨For a few dollars more) . This is the original second installment from Cuchillo trilogy and again an awesome Tomas Milian accompanied by an extraordinary Gian Maria Volonte . Very good S.W. about a relentless and exciting confrontation set against spectacular scenery of Almeria . History teacher named Brad Fletcher (Gian Maria Volonte) heads Texas for his health, but falls in with Soloman Bennett's (Tomas Milian) bandit group . Fascinated by their way of life , Fletcher finally takes over the band , leading a sad event and cruel happenings . Turned into a ruthless outlaw Fletcher makes rush deeds , showing that not always a good action produces good results . Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet is a roguish thief and being pursued by Charlie Siringo (William Berger) . Charlie chases the band called ¨Manada Salvaje¨ ; as the solitary , self-reliant Siringo tracks down Solomon . It will be a long and dangerous pursuit with continuous escapes and double-crosses . The relentless chase is set against strong environment, risked mountains and hazardous trails .

This is the second part from Sergio Sollima trilogy , starred by Tomas Milian as the roguish ¨Cuchillo¨ and formed by ¨La Resa Dei Conti¨, or ¨The big Gundown¨ or ¨ The hawk and the prey¨ with Lee Van Cleef and ¨Run Cuchillo run ¨ with Donald O'Brien and this one , all of them belong among the best Spaghetti . It deals with Solomon , splendidly performed by Tomas Milian , he is fine as the hero/villain of the story . Tomas Milian is very nice , he ravages the screen, he jumps, bounds and leaps, hit and run , besides receives violent punches, kicks and wounds . His performance is astonishing , above average to level of these films . The story is wrapped in an aura of sadness , a tragic event on the metamorphosis of Fletcher , a good man turned into a crazed psychopath , being magnificently interpreted by Gian Maria Volonte . Worthwhile watching for a demonstration of the strange relationship between Tomas Milian and Gian Maria Volonte with some looks that say it all . William Berger is the tough but upright law-man and although he doesn't reaches the level of Milian , is also quite restrained . Charlie Siringo was an actual personage who really existed and did what the character in the film does , as he worked as an agent for Pinkerton , being well played by William Berger . This Western is superior than subsequent entry because it packs stirring adventures , shootouts, riding pursuits , treason and is pretty amusing . It's an exciting SW with breathtaking showdown between the protagonists Tomas Milian , Gian Maria Volonte , William Berger and the hoodlums enemies as Rick Boyd , Goffredo Unger , Ivan Scratuglia , Alfonso Rojas , Aldo Sambrell , among others . Aldo Sambrell plays a cruelly baddie role as a traitor killer is terrific , subsequently the would play similar role in other Spaghettis . Furthermore, there appears usual secondaries of Italian/Spanish Western as Italian actors as the femme fatal Jolanda Modio as Maria , Gianni Rizzo as Williams , Rick Boyd as nasty Sheriff , Nello Pazzafini ; as well as Spanish players : Angel Del Pozo as Maximiliam , Jose Torres as Aaron , Antonio Casas , Lorenzo Robledo , Francisco Sanz , Alfonso Rojas and of course Frank Braña in his ordinary role as a bandit . The film blends violence, blood, tension, high body-count and it's fast moving and quite entertaining . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing shootouts or stunts every few minutes . There are many fine technicians and nice assistant direction and excellent production design by Carlo Simi , Sergio Leone's usual , he creates a magnificent scenario with barren outdoors, dirty landscapes under a glimmer sun and a fine set on the final scenes . Being spectacularly filmed on location in Almería, Andalucía, Spain ,Alto de la Morcuera, Madrid, Colmenar Viejo, Madrid, Hoyo de Manzanares, La Cabrera, Madrid, La Pedriza, Manzanares el Real, Madrid, Spain and interiors in Elios Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy(studio). As always , the musician Ennio Morricone, supported by Bruno Nicolai , compose a nice Spaghetti soundtrack and well conducted ; it's full of guttural sounds and emotive score .

Sergio Sollima's direction is well crafted, here he's less cynical and humorous and more inclined toward violence and too much action. Colorful and evocative cinematography by Emilio Foriscot and Rafael Pacheco , reflecting marvelously the habitual Almeria outdoors . Director Sergio Sollima achieved in "Face to face" possibly one of his bests works of a modest career , with some memorable scenes and good camera movement such as the bank hold-up and the ending duels ; all of them make only can say that this movie seemed to be a true surprise . The picture was well directed by Sollima and following directing successes as Pirate films such as ¨ Sandokan ¨ and ¨ Black Corsario ¨ . Rating : Better than average Western . Essential and indispensable watching .

A Highly Underrated Spaghetti classic.

[zardoz-13 · 8/10 · 6 November 2009]

Most Spaghetti westerns concern themselves with rituals, like elaborate showdowns, but "Big Gundown" director Sergio Sollima has written an above-average, rather intelligent Italian oater with Sergio Donati that relies as much on characterization as it does violence to make its points. Intellectual Boston history professor Brad Fletcher (Gian Maria Volonte of "Fistful of Dollars")quits teaching and heads out west for the salubrious climate. No sooner has he crossed the Mississippi than he runs afoul of a lawman escorting the notorious outlaw, Solomon "Beauregard" Bennet(Tomas Milian of "Companeros"), and he intervenes out of mercy to give the poor wretch a drink. This entire scene reminded me of "Ben-Hur" with one man providing water to another less fortunate. Bennett catches his escort off-guard, smashes the water jug over his head, snatches his six-gun and escapes. Bennett takes Fletcher hostage, but Bennett is wounded. They seize a stagecoach and clear out until the vehicle crashes on the trail, throwing the driver, and allowing the horses to escape, too.

Later, Fletcher helps the outlaw recover from his wound. Initially, Bennett qualifies as the villain, but he whistles a different tune by fade-out. Meanwhile, a tenacious Pinkerton agent, Charlie Siringo (William Berger of "Sabata"),infiltrates Bennett's gang. The hopeless history professor persuades Bennett not to kill him, and Fletcher joins Bennett's gang. He learns how to handle a six-shooter. Along the way, the two men appear to swap attitudes. Moreover, after a bank robbery gone awry, Fletcher assumes leadership of Bennett's gang. Bennett is captured and confined in jail, while Fletcher rides away with the loot. Essentially, the timid, mild-mannered Fletcher becomes as deadly, if not deadlier than Bennett, and prefers not to buckle under pressure. Fletcher orchestrates an afternoon bank robbery down to the last detail and boasts that they won't have to fire a shot to clean out the bank. Siringo slips a warning note into a woman's handbag as she is crossing the street. Ironically, when she tries to give the note to the local sheriff, he dismisses her efforts. Eventually, the note winds up in a Mexican boy's hands and he spills the beans. A shoot-out erupts, several people die, but Fletcher gets away with a bag filled with loot.

Beautifully lensed by Rafeal Pacheco of "For A Few Extra Dollars," this western benefits from fantastic camera movements. "Fistful of Dollars" composer Ennio Morricone provides a memorable orchestral soundtrack to the film.

Among the top 10 Italo Westerns

[morganmpoet · 28 March 2015]

There are few Italian westerns that have more satisfaction for the viewer in my mind than 'Faccia a Faccia' does, Intelligent, fluid characterizations with shifting moral sands, there is nothing typical or predictable about this film. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Morricone's soundtrack is one of his best as well.

Volante & Milan both are excellent but it's really Volante's character arc that drives the narrative & he is top notch in every respect. Highly recommended film that should be on every serious spaghetti western film fan's top 10 list IMO. It's a fairly complex film for the genre & challenges the viewer on many levels. Intelligent film making within the confines of the genre. Don't miss it!

FACE TO FACE (Sergio Sollima, 1967) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 24 August 2006]

As indicated by the title, Sollima and star Tomas Milian's follow-up to THE BIG GUNDOWN (1966) is another confrontation/collaboration between two disparate characters: Milian here plays a more mature version of his "Cuchillo" Sanchez characterization from the earlier film - Solomon "Beauregard" Bennett, the leader of an outlaw gang - and alongside him, this time we have Gian Maria Volonte' tackling his most interesting and complex role within the genre (this was his fourth and last Spaghetti Western). Obviously, Volonte' (later a prominent figure in politically-oriented Italian films) is a stronger actor than Lee Van Cleef and, therefore, the film's tone differs considerably from that of THE BIG GUNDOWN; while it may not have the earlier film's scope and isn't as elaborately plotted, it's certainly a more ambitious undertaking with extra care given to individual characterization (and not merely that of the two leads).

Volonte' is a meek, tubercular American college professor sent out West by his doctor for health reasons; he meets convicted Milian, whom he unwittingly helps escape and is consequently taken by the latter as hostage. He tags along with Milian, saves his life on a number of occasions and eventually joins his re-assembled gang; like the Lou Castel of KILL AND PRAY (1967), Volonte' too takes easily to gunplay and a life of crime - but his transition is much more convincing here! Another interesting character who turns up - ably played by Euro-Cult stalwart William Berger - is one Charlie Siringo (meaning hypodermic!), a Pinkerton detective (it appears that he really existed!) who manages to infiltrate Milian's gang and eventually betray them.

Like THE BIG GUNDOWN, it's filled to the brim with colorful characters, including Angel Del Pozo - the spineless aristocrat and true child-murderer/rapist of GUNDOWN - is a gang member who has taken time out during the Civil War by acting as his true self, a foppish landowner; Aldo Sambrell as Milian's right-hand man and who is eventually 'bought' by the authorities into leading a posse to decimate the harmless community of old-style Westerners (overtaken by the ongoing progress) who have taken to the mountains, and among whom Milian's gang occasionally finds refuge (a plot element which anticipates THE WILD BUNCH - also, incidentally, the name of Milian's gang - by two years!); Carole Andre' as Milian's rather annoying tomboyish girlfriend, etc. While the massacre in itself isn't shown, the unrelenting mob still pursues the survivors trekking through the desert and mows down a group which have been left behind after being forced to abandon one of their wagons; it's not hard to discern here parallels with Vietnam and, indeed, the entire film is redolent of the general political awareness which came to the fore during the 1960s.

Still, the film's most impressive element - one might call it its raison d'etre - is the way that the characters of Volonte' and Milian are gradually inverted (inspired, perhaps, by Joseph Losey's THE SERVANT [1963]?): from a bookish and peace-loving man, an obviously intelligent Volonte' evolves into a genuine criminal mastermind (his 'moment of truth', as it were, is brilliantly achieved by having him 'take' the woman he desires in the absence of her man, whom he later confronts and kills!); Milian, on the other hand, seeing his role as leader of the gang being disputed and also by observing The Professor's increasing megalomania, eventually develops a conscience!

The climax is, once again, magnificent: Berger - who has seen the error of his ways and had earlier turned down the chance to lead the posse himself (as had the captured Milian) - faces off with Sambrell, with the former emerging triumphant; the by-now deranged Volonte' comes forward to finish Berger off but Milian intervenes and shoots Volonte' instead (who expires regretting not being able to accomplish the many heists he had been devising!); Milian is all ready to give himself up to Berger, but the latter lets him go because, as he tells Milian, "the old Beauregard is no more". Besides, Ennio Morricone contributes yet another wonderful - and gloriously dissonant - score.

Among the best

[Bogey Man · 9/10 · 19 August 2004]

Sergio Sollima's Faccia a faccia (1967) is a very great Italian western with the genre icons Tomas Milian and Gian Maria Volonte. A seemingly "good" teacher, a professor (Volonte), gets by coincidence on the same path with a seemingly "bad" and infamous bandit (Milian) only to see how hollow and meaningless those terms are, used alone, without the other, the opposite. The way how both characters begin to change (the professor away from his usual, sophisticated environment and society) is very believable and well-written with the development that steps on the all necessary steps, not jumping from one point to another and thus making it all very unnatural: when an unexpected character does something against his "persona", it has been well argumented by the previous happenings and words. Like in the masterpiece western Il grande silenzio (Sergio Corbucci, 1968), there are no entertaining heroes that end up killing the "bad guy" in a spectacular finale. Sollima concentrates on the dualism of the human nature and the fact how easy, in the right circumstances, it is to change and cross the line, for every human being, no matter what the past or status in society. And he does it very well, both script-wise and image-wise.

The imagery and compositions are great, intelligent and use the whole aspect ratio very carefully. Sollima uses some very low and radical angles very effectively, to make the imagery as rich as possible. The actors are professionals and both leads possess perfect faces for their roles. The soundtrack by Ennio Morricone is once again very pleasing but not among his greatest works, like in the mentioned film by Corbucci, or several films by Sergio Leone. This is simply a fantastic western from the time very many were made, after the success of Leone's first film with Clint Eastwood in 1964, A Fistful of Dollars. Corbucci's Il grande silenzio is even more stunning in its visuality and silent despair, but after all Sollima's film's statement isn't any more positive, untrue and calculated, in other words.

Wow...

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 6 November 2023]

Known in the UK as High Plains Killer and in Germany as Hallelujah, The Devil Sends His Regards, Face to Face is the second of three Italian Westerns by Sergio Sollima. He also made Violent City and Devil in the Brain. It was written by two Sergios, Sollima and Donati, who also scripted Orca, Almost Blue and Holocaust 2000.

In the time after the Civil War, Civil War, Brad Fletcher (Gian Maria Volonté, who was in A Bullet for the General, A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More) quits his job teaching history at Boston University. His tuberculosis would do better in Texas, he thinks, and he makes his way out West. As the movie begins, he's a liberal - Volonté was an extreme left wing activist - who thinks violence has no meaning. Then he meets the criminal Solomon "Beauregard" Bennet (Tomas Milian). When he tries to give the man a drink, he's captured and taken into a hideout in the middle of nowhere.

There, he learns how to shoot a gun as Bennett recovers from his injuries. Instead of finally going back to Boston, he soon is part of the gang, along with Charley Siringo (William Berger), Aaron Chase (José Torres), Jason (Frank Baña) and Vance (Nello Pazzafini). He even kills a man to save Bennet.

They're joined by Maximillian de Winton (Ángel del Pozo) and stay in Puerto de Fuego, a world of no laws, criminals and outsiders. As the gang leaves for a train robbery, Fletcher stays behind and has an affair with Vance's woman Maria (Jolanda Modio). When the gang comes back, Fletcher kills Vance in self-defense.

Fletcher also starts to take over the gang, setting up a robbery dressed as everyday folks that gets spoiled when a kid recognizes Bennett. At that point, Charley reveals that he's a lawman and kills Jason, Maximillian and Aaron. He also captures Bennett and only Fletcher and Maria escape. She dies and he goes mad due to all the death - Maria and the kid who fingered Bennett - and betrayal. He transforms the somewhat oasis of Puerto del Fuego into a wretched hive of scum and villainy that has a posse led by Zachary Shawn (Aldo Sanbrell) coming to town to kill everyone. Bennett gets there too late to stop them.

By the final scene, the good man has become a criminal and the gunfighter has started to atone for his past. That said, they have to get through an entire posse if either of them is going to survive, as well as deal with Charley. I love that Bennett is around violence all the time and it's become a habit while Fletcher comes to learn that his brains, when combined with a willingness to do horrible things, can make him stronger and wealthier than he was back East. The West changes them both.

That's beyond obvious when Fletcher kills another turncoat, tying him to a cross and putting a gun to his head, blasting his brains out without a thought. Obviously, his illness is no longer bothering him.

Sollima used his experiences in fighting with the anti-fascist resistance in World War II to make this movie, remembering how he saw children be brave and adult men be cowards. He also pushed his actors by using their real-life differences. Volontè was a Communist and Milian left Cuba when Castro took control. He also made them box one another before shooting.

Dobblegangers, fate, the seductive nature of power & violence.

[General Urko · 9/10 · 9 November 2001]

This is a great western, one of the finest of the spaghetti-genre which has some political overtones. Everyone knows about the Eastwood/Leone movies but this is just the tip of the iceberg, there were hundreds of spaghetti westerns made & this is one of the best. Through a combination of illness & circumstance a mild mannered teacher is introduced to the world of bandit Solomon Beauregard Bennet. Gradually the two men begin to influence each other - for better & for worse - with the teacher becoming more vicious an outlaw than Solomon ever was. Solomon on the other hand begins to see another way of life & the folly of his criminal past.The transformation between the two characters is really interesting & believable, this coupled with some great western scenes, a score by Ennio Morricone, some familiar spaghetti western actors (including the excellent Tomas Milian) & an explosive finale make this a western to rival anything that the more well known Leone offered.

Up there with the best non Leone "Spaghetti's." .........

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 9 March 2021]

Gian Maria Volonte gives a teriffic performance, not unlike his 'Indio" in "For a Few Dollars More." This time however he is transformed, and seriously corrupted, from a non violent professor, to a power hungry bandit. "Face to Face" is certainly a close second to Sergio Sollima's "The Big Gundown, and the story is quite original. Ennio Morricone does not disappoint in the music department, and the movie comes across as more of a spectacle than it actually is. Thomas Milan, William Berger, along with several other familiar faces are on board, but this is Volonte's film. No doubt about it. If you have been looking for an unfamiliar "Spaghetti Western", this is one to seek out. Others I would recommend are "Django Prepare a Coffin", and "Kill Them All and Come Back Alone." MERK

A Pitch Perfect Spaghetti Western.

[JohnWelles · 9/10 · 5 November 2010]

"Face to Face" (1967), directed by Sergio Sollima, who made only three Spaghetti Westerns, all now considered classic in the genre, the other two being "The Big Gundown" (1966) and "Run Man, Run" (1968), is a great Western, Spaghetti or otherwise, with a trio of great performances from Gian Maria Volonté, Tomas Milian and William Berger.

The plot, an allegory on the rise of Fascism in Europe, concerns a sickly teacher from New England called Brad Fletcher (Volonté), who is kidnapped by by a wounded outlaw, Solomon "Beauregard" Bennet (Milian), and they form a friendship, and eventually Fletcher joins Bennet's gang, which unleashes Fletcher's inner "heart of darkness", while Bennet starts to question his role as a bandit.

With a potent script by Sergio Donati and himself, Sollima loads the screen with great action scenes, gunfights and duels, all the while showcasing Volonté's brilliant performance, as his character completely transforms for the wore, as Milian's role shows him going the exact opposite way. It is a stark tale of contrast, powered by an epic Ennio Morricone score (conducted by a composer of not inconsiderable talent, Bruno Nicolai), grand direction, and photography (by Emilio Foriscot and Rafael Pacheco) and editing (by Eugenio Alabiso), with art direction by Carlo Simi, who worked on Sergio Leone's masterly "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966). A Spaghetti masterpiece, which is one for the Top 10 Western lists.

Euro-western as allegory for Fascism

[dmgrundy · 6/10 · 17 August 2020]

Gian Maria Volonte stars as the history professor whose timidity and physical ill-health turns, through his encounter with Tomas Milian's outlaw, into a fantasy of redemptive masculine violence and power that becomes ever more sadistic and irrational as he assumes a greater leadership position amongst a community of outsiders. If the 'Zapata westerns' tended to enact fantasies of Third Worldism through a sometimes confused melange of Fanonism, Guevarism and the (inverted) tropes of the Hollywood western, Sollima's film seems to suggest a class critique of that very framing: Volonte as the bourgeois intellectual whose eventual avocation of a fantasized violence become real merely replicates the violence of the class whose trappings he ostensibly rejects. That's to say: Fascism.

Sergio Sollima's Most Intellectual and Pessimistic Western

[Witchfinder-General-666 · 9/10 · 4 March 2011]

It is quite a coincidence that the three major directors of the Italian Western were all named Sergio. Sergio Leone is the undisputed king of the genre, of course. Sergio Corbucci presented an even dirtier, more uncompromising version of the West with films such as the cult-gem DJANGO (1966) and the violent masterpiece IL GRANDE SILENZIO (aka. THE GREAT SILENCE, 1968). The third great Sergio of the Italian Western, Sergio Sollima, is known for his trilogy starring the great Tomas Milian. Actually, it is not necessarily a real trilogy, as Milian's character in FACCIA A FACCIA aka. FACE TO FACE of 1967 is not the same likable Mexian crook Cuchillo Sanchez whom he played in the masterpiece LA RESA DEI CONTI (THE BIG GUNDOWN, 1966) and its more humorous sequel CORRI UOMO CORRI (RUN MAN RUN, 1968). Sergio Sollima's Westerns are very political films, with a stylistic elegance almost on a par with Leone. FACCIA A FACCIA is doubtlessly the most intellectual and pessimistic of the three films. Once again, it is stylistically flawless and accompanied by a mesmerizing score by the one and only Ennio Morricone.

FACCIA A FACCIA tells the story of two men, whose meeting each other changes both of them. The New England history professor Brett Fletcher (Gian Maria Volonté) comes to Texas because the air in the South is supposedly better for his asthmatic condition. He gets kidnapped by the ruthless bandit Beauregard Bennett (Tomas Milian), and subsequently befriends his kidnapper. The pairing of the intellectual Fletcher and the wild criminal Bennet leads to a change of habits in both men: While Bennett, impressed by his Fletcher's intelligence and humanity, becomes less ruthless, the latter is fascinated with the life of crime; the pairing of his intelligence and fascination for crime and violence slowly turns Fletcher into a man more ruthless and violent than Bennett...

The cast of FACCIA A FACCIA unites three greats in Italian genre cinema. The great Tomas Milian has enriched a variety of genres in Italian cult-cinema with his versatile and great performances. He was one of the most notable Spaghetti western antiheroes in the 60s, most memorably in Sollima's trilogy and in Giulio Questi's bizarre gem SE SEI VIVO SPARA (DJANGO KILL... IF YOU LIVE, SHOOT!, 1967). In the early 70s he was, among other films the star of one of the most brilliant Gialli, Lucio Fulci's NON SI SEVIZIA UN PAPERINO (DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING, 1972). Also in the 70s, he became the most outstanding star of the popular Poliziotteschi genre, most notably starring as a villain in Umberto Lenzi's films, in particular in the brutal masterpiece MILANO ODIA: LA POLIZIA NON PUÒ SPARARE (ALMOST HUMAN, 1974). Milian is fantastic here. While the role of Beauregard Bennett is not quite as likable and not nearly as humorous as that of Cuchillo Sanchez in the other two Sollima Westerns, it nonetheless epitomizes all that is so great about the antiheroes in Italian Westerns. The brilliant character actor Gian Maria Volonté is equally impressive in his role. Volonté had previously played the villains in Leone's first two Westerns, PER UN PUGNO DI DOLLARI and PER QUALCHE DOLLARO IN PIU. His role in FACCIA A FACCIA is very different. While he is not a villain, the turn from the intellectual weakling to a ruthless killer makes him very sinister. The third lead is played by the Austrian William Berger, who once again epitomizes coolness in the role of the Pinkerton Detective Charlie Siringo. The rest of the cast is filled with good Spaghetti Western regulars, such as Aldo Sambrell and Nello Pazzafini.

The score by Morricone is once again fantastic, Morricone's fellow Italian film composing great Bruno Nicolai conducted the orchestra. As mentioned above, the film is stylistically flawless, as are Sollima's other two Westerns. This is clearly the most intellectual and pessimistic of the three. While, personally, I regard LA RESA DEI CONTI as Sollima's most outstanding masterpiece, there is no denying that FACCIA A FACCIA is one of the great Spaghetti Westerns. A true must-see for every lover of Westerns of Cult-Cinema in general.

Very Clever

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 20 September 2017]

A history professor (Gian Maria Volontè) has a chance meeting with an infamous outlaw and eventually assumes leadership of his gang.

Although in no way historically accurate, I have to appreciate that the writers included the personage of Charlie Siringo (1855-1928). Frankly, I was not aware of his existence, and I am somewhat surprised that anyone in 1967 really knew, either. Though I suppose at that time westerns were still in fashion, so even second-tier outlaws were probably lionized.

Even more interesting, how many Italian-Americans were there in the 1850s? I suspect not many more than a handful, which might explain how he would be known to Italian filmmakers. And, heck, a book called "Charles A. Siringo: A Texas Picaro" was published in 1967...

What could otherwise be classic, was turned into cheapness

[hardcard7 · 3/10 · 19 November 2009]

In my humble opinion, Sergio Sollima's "Face to Face" could be qualified as the same like having a gold mine and use it as a ...potatoe storehouse. The theme of how easily and unexpectedly the human nature can swing from one extremity into another; of how narrow and often even illusive is the line between the "good" and the "bad" ; how deeply rooted instincts and long suppressed cravings just wait beneath a seemingly monotonous surface for a chance to burst out ; about the conflict or the symbiosis between the sophisticated intellect and the brutal force and the respective consequences; how relations between persons can shape the relations between groups - all that could serve as material for a work, elevated to the classical dramas, actually served simply as a food for a hollow, unconvincing, naivistic would-be-revolutionary rehearsal of movie making. Instead of searching deeper and deeper in the half shades of characters' personality and emotional transformation in their travel form the dark to light (Bauregard)and the opposite (Fletcher), Sollima's film goes into cheap posing, trivial scenes, and rather unelaborated plot elements. Tomas Milian is pathetically unsuccessful in his attempt to be something like " The New Man With No Name". Volonte - in spite of his otherwise undoubted talent -does not persuade be it as the silk-gloved professor in the beginning or as the possessed bandit chief at the end. The messages of the movie are too explicitly conveyed instead of leaving more room for the viewers understanding. Moriconne's score this time is easy to be forgotten. What starts intriguingly with a touch of a Shakespearianism, soon proves to be far from the level of its ambitions.

Very good quality spaghetti western with strong acting and script

[Red-Barracuda · 8/10 · 15 April 2015]

This Italian western is often mentioned as one which is well known for having political undertones, specifically a storyline that is an allegory on the rise of fascism and the then current Vietnam War. While it's certainly true that you could make these interpretations if you look deep enough, you really need to be looking for them and the film works just fine without these readings. It's about a professor who moves from the urban east coast to Texas to retire for health reasons and immediately becomes involved with a bandit who is on the run from the law. As the story progresses their partnership results in a transformation between the two where the good guy's behaviour gets worse and the bad guy develops a conscience.

It was directed by the third Sergio of the spaghetti western genre, Sergio Sollima; the other two being Leone and Corbucci. He directed three well received westerns in total, including the impressive The Big Gundown (1966). Like that one, this one features the talented actor Tomas Milian in another shifty role, in this case as the bandit. He is joined by another two regulars of the genre in William Berger, playing a character based on a real life Pinkerton detective, and Gian Maria Volonté, most famous for his two highly memorable turns in the first two films in Leone's 'Dollars Trilogy'. Volonté is especially good here in a role that shows how good an actor he is. It's his character's transformation from meek intellectual to callous gang-leader that really drives the narrative. His performance, along with Milian's, is very convincing and illustrates how easy it is to cross a line and become immoral. It's this aspect in particular where the fascism allegory comes from, while the massacre of a group of innocents later in the film echoes the events in Vietnam. As well as being a well-acted and directed affair, it has a good script and another impressive score from Il Maestro himself, Ennio Morricone. Needless to say, when you have all these ingredients coming together you are left with a great western, which is certainly enhanced by having more going on under the surface than most.

Reasons of state, Wallace. You studied history, so you know what I mean. Not out of hate... but with compassion.

[hitchcockthelegend · 8/10 · 24 November 2019]

Faccia a facia (Face to face) is directed by Sergio Sollima and Sollima co-writes the screenplay with Sergio Donati. It stars Gian Maria Volontè, Tomas Milian and William Berger. Music is by Ennio Morricone and cinematography by Emilio Foriscot and Rafael Pacheco.

Brad Fletcher (Volontè), a New England professor, is plagued by ill health and is advised to relocate to the West for better climate conditioning. Once in Texas he is unfortunately taken hostage by wounded outlaw Beauregard Bennet (Milian), the result of which begins a turning of the character based tables...

Sergio Sollima followed his excellent La resa dei conti (The Big Gundown) with this similar, if more complex, classic piece of spag cinema. Often cited as a picture with deep political motives, which Sollima denied, it really is in simplified terms a story about a good man going bad and a bad man going good. There are of course political and social observations, coming as it does down in the South post the Civil War, while some of the literate philosophising rewards more on subsequent revisits to the pic.

Very talky for sure, it does however contain some superb action sequences, particularly in the last quarter, which in turn is crowned by a very Leonesque finale of quality framing. The trio of lead actors, each a Spag Western legend, are on superb form, while Sollima and his cinematographers provide an epic location based scope to the piece. Be sure to not see any abridged or dubbed version, see it only in its full length with natural Italian accompanied by the various subtitle options. 8/10

Backward movement of a Professor!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 8/10 · 9 January 2019]

Imaginative weren't the main qualities of the spaguetti genre, but this really surprised me entirely for an unprecedented plot where the real logic defy the common sense for us, where an intellectual professor played by Gian Maria Volonté starts a backward moviment, changing slowly to worst among of the criminal gang lead by a bloody guy called "Beau" the unmatched Tomas Milian, the professor under the wings of the chief is increasingly getting worse and finally becomes a dangerous mind, also has the great actor William Berger as a disguised Pinkerton's agent to get them, Solima made an upper classic italian western without american stars, accomplished with success!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.25

"Say My Name"

[Bezenby · 8/10 · 26 May 2017]

It's Breaking Bad - The Western! Check this out: A teacher, who feels he hasn't made much of a mark in life, is stricken with a chronic lung condition and heads south to the Mexican border, where he is seduced by a life of crime and the power that comes with it. Being an educated man, he thinks he can outsmart everyone and although it works for a while, his greed and egotistical nature lead to his downfall.

That's Breaking Bad, right? (Err...spoilers for those who haven't watched that). Gian Maria Volonte is the mild mannered teacher. Tomas Milian is his reluctant mentor, a screaming, filth covered bandit who for some reason has the haircut of Dave Hill of Slade. Milian's jaded with the life and doesn't want Volonte involved, but Volonte manages to wangle his way into Milian's gang, as does William Berger, who is a cold-eyed Pinkerton man with his eye on the bounty of all these bandits...

This one doesn't play out so much like your typical Western either. There's plenty of gunfights, the best of which is a botched robbery, but it's all about Volonte and Milian (and to a lesser degree, Berger). You'll either love or hate their shouting, foaming at the mouth way of acting I guess. Berger's a bit more laid back here (although he could act nuts too). Plus there's the usual game of 'hey, wasn't that guy in...' that you can play with the extras.

From what I read this was Sollima's favourite film, and I can see why - it's more philosophical than action packed, and was perhaps a parable on the rise of fascism in Italy? Don't know enough about that myself mind you...

Yes a masterpiece

[searchanddestroy-1 · 5 July 2016]

Among those who know my tastes, many will be surprised that I say a spaghetti western is a masterpiece. Because I hate spaghetti westerns. I hate the pace, music, zooms and other camera angles, I hate actors, gun shots and fists fights sounds. I hate everything in spaghetti westerns, especially if they tell the exact same schemes which the American ones already bring to us. I speak of the good guys vs evil guys schemes. With the expected f...happy ending. BUT But if the spaghetti westerns bring us something different from the SCREENPLAY and ONLY the screenplay, such as this one or for instance THE GREAT SILENCE and a handful of others, with no happy f...endings, then I can be highly interested in spaghetti westerns. This said, I won't add much to the other comments, this film was a true delight for me. The topic reminded me James B Clark's ONE FOOT IN HELL or Spencer G Bennet's BOUNTY KILLER where the main characters - Alan Ladd for the first and Dan Duryea for the second - began as the good guys in the beginning and then slowly became bad as the story resumed. You had here very excellent character's study with a good focus on their psychology. And very sad stories too.

That's what I love. Nothing else.

Not as great as some reviewers seem to think.

[rockerace · 5/10 · 12 June 2009]

This is a nice little spaghetti western, but the acting is sub-par. I have seen approximately 4 Thomas Milian spaghetti westerns and generally find that he tends to over-act. Gian Maria Volonte apparently fel the need to measure up to Milians over-acting as well. Volonte looks rather pasty in this film to as if he was freshly dusted with talcum powder before every scene.

For classic Gian Maria Volonte see The Sergio Leone movies. To see Thomas Milian in a better performance, well, there really isn't one, because he just isn't that good of an actor.

I like the story but found it unbelievable due to poor dialogue and dubbing.

Overall a lesser Spaghetti in my opinion.

Enjoyable Film; Enjoyable Ennio Score!

[EyeDunno · 8/10 · 6 August 2006]

In my frustration over the lack of international titles being available in Region One, I decided to purchase Faccia a Faccia (Face to Face, disk no. IMBS-1148) at a DVD outlet online, from the U.K. You know, sometimes, it's better to simply take a gamble and purchase a title out of region, than wait for whether or not some company may - or may not - decide to print a DVD title.

I enjoyed the acting of Tomas Milian and Gian Maria Volante enough to gamble on whether I'd even be able to play the film. Fortunately, my Macintosh allowed for several out-of-region plays on my burner, and I found a hack online to play the disk on my portable player.

From the opening credits, which exploit every hue of color, much of the film was worth the effort of dealing with the pesky region codes. A bit of the story line was a little far-fetched, as far as Volante's character is concerned, by the final third of the film. The ending left me a bit disappointed.

Milian's character truly captured the show, however, from the moment he fell into the scene. And the music by Ennio and Bruno Nicolai. One can't go wrong with the musical scoring when this pair works together on an Italian Western.

As for the DVD, it's too bad that it isn't optimized for widescreen. I understand that there is a boxed set, which may have this film and other favorites of mine widescreen-ready. Check to be sure.

In closing... honestly, I am an Ennio fan, and a fan of Milian and Volante. My review is biased somewhat. I am also a fan of Sergio Leone, which makes me enjoy Italian Westerns a little less when he's not at the helm. But I made no mistake in purchasing this film.

a clever reflection about violence

[kwilliam · 8/10 · 8 June 2000]

An excellent spaghetti western, much more intelligent than what you could expect. Between the two "heroes", the worst is not the dirty desperado but the educated teacher, who becomes more and more "addicted" to violence, power and cruelty. A real reflection, with an excellent script, good direction and brilliant actors.

Perfect Strangers

[TheFearmakers · 10/10 · 23 January 2024]

In what's Italian director Sergio Sollima's equivalent to Sergio Leone's THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY also features three representational, symbolic characters with various backgrounds sharing the same agenda from different perspectives ending up in a suspenseful showdown...

Starting with a Boston university professor in Gian Maria Volontè's Brad Fletcher, moved to Texas for health issues and eventually winding up part of post-Civil War history instead of merely teaching it ("though all men must die in time, other men will make history live"): primarily since local villain Tomas Milian as Solomon 'Beauregard' Bennet, with his heart more into protecting a group of mobile peasants (including gorgeous Jolanda Modio and cute tomboy Carole André), is reluctant to maintain his criminal scoundrel status...

And it's undercover detective William Berger as Siringo... deliberately happening-upon the outlaw and professor after an exciting stagecoach/kidnapping escape from bullying lawmen... who gives Bennet the initial idea to reform his old gang, originally known as Bennet's Raiders: which leads to a central robbery sequence where the East Coast intellectual attempts instructing the Southern banditos into a more logical than volatile heist (economically filmed within a single HIGH NOON style main street)... wherein all tables turn, for everyone...

Yet the best sequences are in that rudimentary setup, when the teacher first learns of gun-play and the rugged outdoor lifestyle compared to his previously comfortable yet melancholy, darkly-secluded college life the film opens with... while Milian has his own terrific early moments as the cagey outlaw who's equally slowburn, desperate and aggressive...

However, the primary character-development relies almost solely on Gian Maria Volontè's switch from good to evil, and is what FACE TO FACE centers on beyond the misleading titular notion of both characters constantly squaring off (like, say, Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach)... in actuality, both get along (and work together) for most of the picture...

In what could have been more of a sprawling Leone-style epic to cover such a tremendous personal shift (from educated teacher to student villain to woman-beater to full-blown villainy): all splendidly orchestrated by a rousing Ennio Morricone, igniting the usual animated title-card opening credits leading into Spain-as-the-American Wild West of semi-dilapidated, lived-in one-horse-towns and purgatory desert wastelands...

Ironically, after the first act, director Sollima keeps his potentially explosive Cuban actor/collaborator Milian (followed by THE BIG GUNDOWN and RUN MAN RUN) on the sidelines: a kind of passively impartial observer within a fable about another man's tempestuous shortcuts, acquiring quick power (slightly rushed because of the sparse 90-minute runtime) from someone else's (ie his own previous) work...

And since we never literally witness Milian's original outlaw reign, or are provided a full explanation for having slowed down in the first place, it's all in his ongoing pursed-lip scowl and screaming silence that provides equal power to co-star Volonte's intensely dramatic diatribes.

A masterpiece by Sergio Sollima

[norbert-plan-618-715813 · 10/10 · 29 June 2022]

The duo Gian Maria Volonte and Tomas Milian works wonderfully. Sergio Sollima conveys a number of political messages in this story. Gian Maria Volonte is a history professor, intellectual, neurasthenic, depressive, who goes out west, and meets Tomas Milian, alias Beauregard Bennet, leader of the Wild Horde and of a community that follows him, who is uneducated, a brute, probably illiterate. Their association is going to work to lead to what the title of the film evokes, to conclude an evolution of the two characters which makes the salt of the film. We won't tell more about it, otherwise it would reveal some elements.

Sergio Sollima signs a western, slightly intellectual, but exciting. Gian Maria Volonte is perfect to interpret tortured characters, but it is especially Tomas Milian who is very good here, with an interpretation more withdrawn than usual, less grimacing, and who finally steals the show to Gian Maria Volonte. And we can add the character of William Berger who also contributes to the richness of the scenario (we do not understand well his evolution during the story, but it serves the film well).

A very interesting Western, thanks to its subtext with intellectual pretensions, well integrated with the chromos of the genre: dirt, cruelty, shootings, chases.

A masterpiece for Sergio Sollima?

Very disapointing!

[RodrigAndrisan · 1/10 · 29 August 2019]

The greatest actor of all time, Gian Maria Volontè, wasted in one incredible role, almost unfortunate, in a western which has absolutely no value. The music of the greatest author of film music, Ennio Morricone, also has no value. Boring and a waste of time, talent, everything. The only star is for the huge value of Gian Maria Volontè in his other great great films.