Duck, You Sucker! (1971) User Reviews

Sergio Leone's Sad, Funny, Beautiful Epic Western

[Bob-45 · 9/10 · 8 October 2004]

Coming off the triumphs of his "Man With No Name" series and his frustrations with the cutting of "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" and "Once Upon a Time in the West," Sergio Leone directed the big budget, epic western, originally titled, "Once Upon a Time in the Revolution". Since "...West" had been released by Paramount and United Artists was releasing "...Revolution," some executive decide the rename the movie "Duck! You Sucker!" after the phrase Sean (James Coburn) uses repeatedly before blowing someone or something up with dynamite. Likely the same executive choose an advertising campaign reminiscent of "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly," creating caricatures of Sean and Juan (Rod Steiger) adding the caption "...the master of adventure, Sergio Leone". Well, I doubt many theater audiences knew who Sergio Leone was, since he was yet to be recognized as a directoral genius the equal of John Ford or Howard Hawks. Worse, the advertising implied "Duck! You Sucker! was a laugh romp, a parody of Leone's early masterpieces. This impression was made even worse when the film failed to perform. In any event, "A Fistfull of Dyanmite" was a dismal failure at the box office and Leone never made another big budget western drama.It's too bad, because "A Fistfull of Dynamite" is Leone's trueist work, his most accurate vision of life, politics and revolution. Neither Rod Steiger nor James Coburn were strongly associated with westerns, even though both played strong roles in earlier films (Steiger in "Run of the Arrow" and "Jubal," Coburn in "The Magnificent Seven" and "Ride Lonesome". Worse, Steiger's Juan looked like something of a buffoon and the movies villains were bland and underdeveloped. However, I believe this was Leone's intention: corrupt politicians and Prussian officers are pretty well interchangeable. Kill one and another pops up. This isn't a very satisfying truth, but it is truth, nonetheless. Juan is a peasant, a bandit with a large family of bandits. Sean is a Irish Republican Army terrorist, an explosives expert. In Leone's world, or at least in all his films, there are only two types of people: predators and victims. His major characters are all predators. The only thing that distinguishes his protagonists from his antagonists is that his antagonists start with a large body count and his protagonists usually spare the innocent. That works with a taut enough storyline, but "...Dynamite" covers large areas of real estate and the goal is never clear. Juan didn't plan to become a hero of the revolution, and that is small payment for his losses. When one looks at history, the rewards of revolution and warfare are never worth the sacrifices, for just as we kill one bastard, another takes his place.

I think "A Fistfull of Dynamite" largely reflects Leone's fate as well. Leone proved he was the greatest western director in less than four years with only four major films. Yet, he was hardly appreciated during his short life and only a few films after his magnificent achievement. "A Fistfull of Dynamite" is also Leone's saddest movie. A beautiful, big budget metaphor for a man's talent wasted by underappreciate film executive and smug, self-serving critics.

Coburn should have won an "Oscar" for "Dynamite." With the exception of some tabletop model trains, the effects are convincing and exciting. The color cinematography is phenomenal, clearly the equal of "Once Upon a Time in the West. The sound and music (by Ennio Morricone) is phenomenal, as usual. While not as satisfying as Leone's best films, "A Fistfull of Dynamite" is an exemplary film. I give it a "9".

100 proof dynamite action film by genre master Leone

[funkyfry · 9/10 · 9 October 2002]

Excellent action film with Steiger over-the-top but Coburn right on the money as bandit/revolutionaries in Mexico. More gunfire and explosions and less balmy confrontations than in other Leone pics. I'm stuck on a second viewing by how much of a "70s" film this is, and how much real cinematic value and interesting ideas Leone has put into the film despite its basic action-film plotline. Rumors say Malcolm MacDowell was the original lead -- very intriguing possibility. The look on Steiger's face after he finds out he's risked his life to rescue a bunch of dirty prisoners is priceless.

Kind of like The Odd Couple, with explosions

[The_Void · 8/10 · 7 July 2006]

A Fistful of Dynamite is often seen as the black sheep of Sergio Leone's commercial releases; and there's a good reason for that, as despite the fact that it's still a spaghetti western; it's a completely different kettle of fish to both the Dollars Trilogy and Once Upon a Time in the West. A Fistful of Dollars features common western themes such as bandits, guns and bank robberies - but, as he did with The Good, The Bad and The Ugly; Sergio Leone has implanted war themes into the plot, and we've also got the bizarre idea of one of the major characters being an IRA bomber! All this stuff doesn't quite come together cleanly, and as the tone of the movie changes often; it seems obvious that Leone has bitten off a bit more than he can chew...but luckily enough, A Fistful of Dynamite remains a fun movie for most of its duration. The plot follows a bandit named Juan, who bumps into a dynamite-laded bomber one day in the desert. Spotting an opportunity for robbery, he manages to recruit the IRA man to his cause; but he doesn't count on being dragged into the revolution that's going on at the same time.

The first half of the movie features some very astute elements of tongue-in-cheek humour, and it seems obvious that the director isn't intending the plot to be completely serious. However, at around the halfway point; the movie turns in completely the opposite direction, and the fun and silly first half gives way to a more deep and serious finale. For me, this is the movie's main problem; I like a movie that's unpredictable, but this change in plot feels disjointed and doesn't go down well. The second half of the film isn't as enjoyable to watch either, which harms the fun. However, Sergio Leone's direction is as impressive as ever, with some lovely wide angle shots capturing the beautiful landscapes; while, of course, Leone enjoys giving full focus to his actors for some extreme close-ups. Like the movie, the cast is a mixed bag. James Coburn looks the part, but his silly put-on accent makes him feel like he's having a laugh at times; and similarly, Rod Steiger dons an arguably even sillier accent and doesn't quite get away with it. Overall, A Fistful of Dynamite is not a film to please all viewers. I found it to be enjoyable despite many niggles, but I can understand why a lot of people disagree.

Probably the best unknown movie ever made.

[SquirePM · 10/10 · 20 July 1999]

Here is a tragedy -- a great film doomed by a terrible title.

I saw this movie as "Duck, You Sucker" in the theater in 1972 or '73. I still have images and haunting music burned in my brain from it. It has, for one thing, one of the biggest real explosions ever filmed, an absolutely awesome blast using real high explosives that makes today's fiery spectacles pale. I think the whole production company was stunned by it, certainly Sergio Leone was, because he gives it the full treatment: multiple cameras and angles, wide shots, lots of screen time giving us lots of looks. And it's worth it. If you're not a war veteran, you've never seen anything like this.

But this film is much more than its fx. It's a deep, moving story told on the grand scale, with Oscar-class cinematography. It is both a major outdoor adventure and a small, intimate story. It has some of the quirkiest scenes, blackest humor and darkest betrayals, too.

Don't look for it on TV, unless Turner Classic Movies shows it "uncut." It was horribly mutilated in editing for television, and therefore unpopular and rarely shown. Get the original theatrical version, and watch it undisturbed. A party atmosphere would ruin it for you.

It's on my top-20 all time list!

Leone's most underrated film,a rich masterpiece which gets better and better with each viewing

[DrLenera · 23 April 2005]

It's generally thought that this film is Leone's weakest major film,and it is far less well known than the Dollars trilogy and the two Once Upon a Times. In actual fact,this is a masterpiece that deserves to be far better known and regarded than it actually is. It sees Leone attempting new things such as character development and political comment,while refining elements from his earlier films. It's really the bridge between Once Upon A Time In The West and Once Upon A Time In America,and it contains a great many elements of both films {which let's face it,despite both being Leone films are quite different}.

It starts in humorous vein,right from the opening sequence of the dirty,very poor Rod Steiger character Juan being taunted by some rich folk aboard a lavish carriage,the camera showing lots of close ups of mouths and eyes in what almost seems a parody of Leone's style. Juan is much like Tuco in The Good the Bad And The Ugly,loud,simple and very funny {he's even often accompanied by comical music }.Juan's first encounters with the other main protagonist,IRA man Sean {James Coburn} are treated like comical duels,and as they go to rob a bank it seems the picaresque tone will continue.

However,about a third of the way through the film becomes more and more serious. As Juan,thanks to Sean,becomes more and more involved in the Mexican Revolution,the tone becomes darker as more and more scenes take place at night and there is serious tragedy. The change in tone may jar to some people,but one can see the mature,contemplative Leone of Once Upon A Time In America reveal himself before our eyes.

Of course there are still some great action scenes,such as the taking of a bank which is superbly cut to Ennio Morricone's music {listen for the cheeky quotes from Mozart!},or Sean and Juan machine-gunning what seems like a whole army. There is as usual a great deal of violence,but it's less personal and graphic and instead is shown to have more consequence. The film's plot does move rather slowly,with Leone taking his time as usual,but this mean we can more enjoy the mannered Steiger and the laid back Coburn as one of the greatest partnerships in cinema history.

Of particular interest are the several flashbacks dotted throughout the movie,shot in dreamlike slow motion and usually set to what is quite simply one of the most beautiful film themes EVER {Morricone excels himself with the score for this film}. Representing Sean's past,they ask as many questions as they answer,Leone trusting his audience to work things out. The final one is missing from many versions of this film,a tragedy because as well as being sublimely beautiful {and ambiguous,is it Sean's memory?,a marijuana-enhanced hallucination?,a vision of Heaven?} it adds yet another element to the story.

A Fistful Of Dynamite {well,the French Once Upon A Time..The Revolution is the films' best title}is a masterpiece,it's extremely entertaining whilst also being full of complexity. Things become clearer and more interesting on second and third viewings. Don't expect the operatic ritualism of Once Upon in The West or the comic crowd pleasing of the Dollars films,but if you watch this you will be watching a cinematic master at the height of his powers.

Leone's most profound work

[ereinion · 10/10 · 25 September 2004]

Even compared to his most stunning classics like "The Good,The Bad and The Ugly","Once Upon a Time in the West" and "For a Few Dollars more",this film comes off like Leone's most mature and profound work. The theme is revolution.Parallels are drawn between Ireland and Mexico,two countries in violent uprising at the time.These parallels show that revolution is revolution,pretty much the same everywhere you go.It takes its casualties and destroys the lives of its survivors.

James Coburn does his best performance ever in what I see as Leone's attempt to toy with the image of his stereotypical hero like Man With No Name.Coburn's Sean Mallory is Man With No Name caught in the grip of reality,as much as Steiger's Juan Miranda is Tuco shown in the same light.

All actors do a great job and Domingo Antoine is chillingly effective as the monstrous half-German colonel Ruiz,riding a tank which makes him synonymous with the Nazi Germany and SS,adding more menace to the overall demonic image.Romolo Valli is also great as the leftist doctor who is the brain behind the revolutionary force in a small town where Juan and Sean plan to strike,both from different reasons. His betrayal of his comrades is the greatest shock in the film.

The flashbacks are among the most meaningful I have seen in a film and complement the story very well.As Mallory reaches into his difficult past,we first start to gain sympathy for him.The action scenes are overwhelming and exhaustive.The climax adds to the flow of strong emotions throughout the film as it is very dramatic.Steiger's justified and merciless revenge on the evil colonel gives compensation for Mallory's death and is maybe the most violent killing scene ever in western cinema,even beating "Bonnie and Clyde".Still,in the end,one cannot help but feel despair and pity as Juan is left on his own to ponder about it all and reflect on his own fate.Here Steiger really shows his greatness and is along with Coburn unjustly snubbed for a major award.

All said,this film still has enough comedy,fun and light moments to bring you joy.I strongly recommend this picture to lovers of true western and fans of Coburn and Steiger.From here,Leone strayed into obscurity with his gangster epic "Once Upon a Time in America",making this his final swan song.10/10.

One of the best Zapata western with lots of action n explosions.

[Fella_shibby · 7/10 · 29 May 2020]

Saw this for the first time recently, the original 157 mins with Eng subs. Honestly i did not enjoy this as compared to other Leone's films but the comic timings of Steiger n the screen presence of Coburn made it watchable. A rapist Mexican thief and an ex-Irish Republican Army revolutionary join hands to rob a bank but involuntarily gets inducted in the Mexican revolution. Although the last train blast scene looked very fake of that of a wooden train toy, but the film is loaded with action, specially the explosions n artillery guns' scenes reminded me of Rambo. The film is a lil tedious, apart from the two lead characters, none of the others r memorable, the villains r not given enuff time n ther r no showdowns like most western films. The flashbacks scenes were lousy as two men run behind a woman n later one by one they both smooch her, wtf man.

Steiger's role reminded me of Eli Wallach throughout the film but he acted good.

One of the best westerns/war films made in the 70's: brutal, violent, funny, poetically tragic, etc...

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 6 August 2005]

With Fistful of Dyanmite (a.k.a. 'Duck, You Sucker', a.k.a. 'Once Upon a Time in the Revolution', the second part of a 'trilogy'), legendary Sergio Leone puts together something experimental, even more so than the other films in his catalog. Here he now deals with war, but he still has the crime elements of his 'dollars' films; it somehow makes a very clear cut balance between bits of comedy within the tragedy worked in the story; it isn't very brutal, but it is graphic in the genre sense of the time. It's also one of his best films, if you happen to see it within its full running time (like most of Leone's films, this suffered drastic cuts in American versions, reducing critical character points and other Leone surprises).

A Leone film, however, can only be as strong as the leads pushing it up, as in the dozens and dozens of westerns and other films that inspired Leone. Here he uses two character actors (for the most part of their careers), but indeed very good and astute ones at playing their parts. Rod Steiger, who has been in classic films like On the Waterfront and The Pawnbroker, here is slightly like a maturer version of Tuco from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: he's still a bandit, with pillaging and beating and raping his way across the countryside, but he's also got a family to look after, who within his anti-hero heart are the most important things to him. Steiger's Juan is usually either surprised, quietly delighted, or agitated off to certain degrees. He plays this for all it's worth, but he also finds the best notes in the moments when he brings out laughs, and in the more sorrowful moments later on in the film.

There's also James Coburn, veteran of many, many films, given one of the great themes of any character in a Leone film by composer Ennio Morricone (there's some sort of instrument or distortion of one in his theme that calls for complete, unusual attention on the viewer). Coburn's Sean (err, John, depending) is a character with some ghosts, perhaps, in his past, and who unlike Juan is more interested in 'other' interests. Although Juan tries not to notice it until the sequence at Mesa Verde (which I won't reveal), Sean has been through a revolution in Ireland, and understand more or less what happens with it. He brings in Juan, after a rather strange yet hilarious encounter, into his web of revolutionary fighters, which doesn't go over to well with him at first. As their story unravels, Coburn still plays it like a pro, being the straight character to Steiger's very theatrical-like performance. He doesn't quite have the mystery an Eastwood or Bronson had in the other Leone films, but he does carry a certain quality about him that puts him in a needed place in the Leone cannon.

Speaking of which, one must not over-look how complex a film like this is in some ways. Leone was not originally the director (it went through the hands of Peter Bogdanovich and Sam Peckinpah before coming to him, coincidentally the opening scene with Juan is a cool homage to the Wild Bunch opening). Yet somehow he puts his stamp, and wonderful mark, on Fistful of Dynamite. This time more history is worked into the film- unlike the civil war acting like a harsh backdrop to the more 'fun' elements of the adventure in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, the war in this film affects the main character, and adds a serious tone to an otherwise standard genre picture.

The Steiger character, along with the audience, gets a look at a massive amount of death, or rather the images of the dead: a tower filled with soldiers blown at night, the powerful pans and camera moves across the bodies, real combat, and the suggestions of what goes into the revolution. But its not just the violence of battles that get into the film, its also the personal attitudes during the revolution- the bourgeois vs the peasants (one of Leone's masterstrokes at close-ups in montage is displayed when Juan is on the train with the near monstrous American wealthy early in the film). Leone manages to work in various and cinematic explosions, in-depth or testing close-ups, and sweeping long shots of soldiers, landscapes, and struggle.

Coming back to Ennio Morricone's score- this time, Morricone experiments with some styles of his talents. As when Leone uses a funny, almost cartoon-like, image above Sean from Juans' eyes of a 'Banco' sign (akin the a 'dollar' sign above cartoon characters), Morricone adds a church organ and choir to go along with it. There are also the uses of themes throughout the film, as in Leone's other films, that act like striking, beautiful calling cards. The opening theme is pounding; Sean's flashbacks are given the sumptuous qualities that go with the best (and worst) nostalgia; the scenes with action and suspense, though almost a little standard, still work far better than many standard score of today.

Fistful of Dynamite is entertainment on an epic scale, with a broader and somewhat deeper sub-text, and it comes out with flying colors. Some may not take to it; it could be argued that Steiger, much like Eli Wallach, isn't very convincing as a Mexican bandit, or that the shifting in tones is a little much, even conventional in a weird sense. But it's hard to argue the sense of control that Leone has over his environment in the film, the assuredness of style, and that at the least the parts are greater than the whole. For me, it's a film I've seen twice in one week (once to soak in and get more of the enjoyment, the second time to get even more out of it, and to notice the visual details), and I hope it gets better the next time around.

Adventure, noisy action, humor and tragedy in the revolutionary Mexico

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 20 December 2006]

This Zapata Western is set in revolutionary Mexico, 1913 . Revolution time with the fall of Madero and ruling General Huertas against guerrillas led by Pancho Villa . It's a story about friendship between an illiterate named Juan (Rod Steiger) and an Irish rebel, a cynic foreigner specialist on dynamite named Sean Malloy (James Coburn) who become heroes of the Mexican revolution. They team up to steal the bank of Mesa Verde and along the way, liberate political inmates. Both of them, are opposite characters, the peasant Steiger is a simple-minded, hot-tempered, foul-mouthed, rough, ragged, short stature man, while the Irish terrorist and explosive expert James Coburn is sceptic, mild-mannered, elegant, high stature and he's trying to forget his bitter past. Both actors seem to enjoy immensely themselves .They are two heroes similar to them: Don Quijote (Sean Malloy) and Sancho Panza (Juan) . The picture contains action, explosions , train crashing , Leone's trademark humor and lots of fun. There are moments with comedy but also tragedy like is well shown on the shooting execution, massacres and the heroic sacrifice on the railway. It's his more personal film, more politics, more sensitive and a human touch, although it also has more flaws than former movies as the ¨trilogy of the dollars¨ : ¨For a fistful of dollars¨ , ¨For a fistful of dollars more¨ and ¨The good , the bad and the ugly" .

There're some Irish flashbacks filmed in slow-moving , resulting to be a little embarrassing with certain remembrance to those frames from ¨Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid¨ , though replacing the palling Burt Barachach music for the moody and striking Ennio Morricone score . At the beginning, Leone only wished the film production but the conflicts with the initial director Peter Bognadovich made Leone to take the direction after thinking to be shot by his best friend Tonino Valeri (My name in nobody). Most part scenes that the main actors didn't take part were shot by Giancarlo Santi, Alberto de Martino and Antonio Margheritti for the special effects . It's filmed in Dino Laurentiis studios and in Spanish locations as Railway Station, Guadix : church and cathedral , Medinaceli, Soria, and Almeria: desert of Tabernas and Sierra Alhamilla, where is made the blowing up a bridge in the spectacular scene which the demolition's Irish expert facing off an enemy convoy plenty of soldiers.. Besides, there appears usual Leone secondary actors and some Spaghetti Western actors, almost extras , such as Aldo Sambrell, Benito Stefanelli, Riccardo Pizzuti, Rik Battaglia, Conrado San Martin , among others . This Spaghetti Western is colorfully photographed by cameraman Giuseppe Ruzzolini and well directed by the great master Sergio Leone .

Another Sergio Leone masterpiece... Duck You Sucker!!!

[hokeybutt · 10/10 · 29 July 2004]

A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE aka DUCK YOU SUCKER (5 outta 5 stars)

I think this is Sergio Leone's third greatest movie... right after Once Upon a Time in the West and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Most Leone fans rank this film a lot lower... but I think that's because they are only familiar with the shortened two hour version. Also, for the record, I absolutely loathe the re-titling... A Fistful of Dynamite... how lame! At least the original Leone title, Duck You Sucker was... distinctive. Even the French title (translation: Once Upon a Time... The Revolution) is kinda classy. But AFOD??? Gimme a break! This movie has absolutely nothing to do with A Fistful of Dollars so why even try to make the comparison?

Anyway, I loved this movie when I first saw it in the theatre in 1972 (age 12). I am pretty sure that what we saw at the time was the lengthy, uncut version... and I don't remember being bored at all. (The most common complaint about this movie is that it is slow and boring... heck, that's the most common complaint about EVERY Leone movie.) Rod Steiger and James Coburn play Sean and Juan, respectively a poor Mexican bandit and a fugitive Irish terrorist... who meet up in Mexico and become involved (against their wills) with revolutionary warfare in that struggling country. The movie is exciting, funny, dramatic, suspenseful and, well, just plain brilliant. This is Ennio Morricone's greatest film score and the way it meshes with Leone's visuals is simply amazing... particularly in my favourite scene... the bank heist. Juan and his young sons break into the Bank of Mexico, shoot it out with the guards and go from door to door, searching for gold and finding only political prisoners, until finally... oh, I can't give it away! See it for yourself. This is a movie filled with classic scenes: Coburn's arrival on the "motorsickle" and his confrontation with Steiger's gang... Steiger and Coburn with their machine guns... Steiger's final act of vengeance (which is severely chopped to bits in the short version... robbing it of its vicious power). Its been said that Steiger's comical accent is stereotypical and insulting... but I say NO! He is playing one of the richest and most complex characters of his career... with some of his greatest speeches ("And what happens to the poor people? They are DEAD!"). Not to slight James Coburn, who also does a fantastic job, but Steiger is the star of this one.

"Listen, it takes one bandito to know another."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 1 October 2018]

Well, I finally got around to this movie, and I'm glad I did, but in the end I was left unimpressed. It's a fairly long and meandering ramble concerning displaced IRA revolutionary John Mallory (James Coburn), and an unwilling Mexican one named Juan Miranda (Rod Steiger). The title of the picture is referenced a number of times, usually in connection with Mallory advising his erstwhile partner that something was about to blow up. It may be I lost my focus a few times because the movie didn't hold my interest much, even with Steiger and Coburn in the lead roles. The two Johnny's never really seemed that charismatic in a story that brings them together as partners though much of the time they act individually. I am in fact a fan of Leone's Dollars trilogy, but for me this didn't measure up. Maybe it was the political context, as I prefer the kind of antagonists that are destined to reconcile matters in a final one on one showdown. This one closed with Steiger's character looking somewhat puzzled, and for that I couldn't blame him.

Just saw the restored print

[ChungMo · 10/10 · 28 November 2003]

It's a shame that most people will not get to see this film on the big screen. The new print makes the film look like it was shot recently. The sound has been re- mastered also and is 90% perfect. A few of the restored scenes help the film along although they add to the already long running time. It is slightly different from the LaserDIsc version that came out a few years ago especially the end scene. However, one friend (a film reviewer) told me that it's the same version that he saw when it came out in 1972 for two weeks before it was pulled, re-titled and cut.

I have to say that this film is one of Leone's best and I now rate it above "Once Upon a Time in America". It's not an easy film and there are a few "flaws" but in a strange way it is the most human film Leone made. Coburn and Steiger both come off as real people despite the occasional lapse in accents. It's amazing how much time Leone gave to searing close-ups of the two actors and how they were able to convey so much of the story in silence. The story is very subtle and very unsubtle at the same time which can make following the film hard if you are expecting the "hello stupid" storytelling we get these days. Leone did the same thing in "Once upon a Time in the West" and "America". There's a storytelling genius here that's all the more amazing if you consider that Leone was operating out of his native language.

What makes this film stand out is the outright message Leone conveys with the story. He didn't do that with any of his other films.

A few words on the restored scenes. As with other Leone films that have undergone editing by American distributors, the removed scenes are a mixed bag. Some scenes were removed for length purposes, others for content reasons and some I suspect were removed because they were perceived as not up to the quality of the rest of the film. This was certainly the case for "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly". In "Duck, You Sucker", the restored opening helps the film's message which is probably not what the American censors though it was. The stagecoach robbery rape scene, which in the American version was edited in a way to suggest that Juan is really a gentleman thief not a rapist, is problematic unless you read it as a political comment and even then it's tough to take. The churchyard sequence, which is completely absent in the American version, is one of Leone's clumsiest scenes and it's absence didn't really affect the film. Some of it is out of focus! The ending sequence was apparently reedited by Leone after the opening in Europe and exists in several different versions over there! The version we see here is very, very long but illuminates the main characters motivations better then the American version.

Hopefully this limited re-release signals the soon arrival of a DVD version.

Update, July 2007: Finally, the DVD has been released. After watching the restored, restored version I have to add that the film really holds up. This version is identical to the screened version except for one minor, yet important difference at the very end. A crucial line from the American version has been restored.

The extras deserve some mention. First of all they all have a copyright of 2005 which indicates that the release of this DVD was delayed for some reason. The interviews are very interesting but each extra is heavily inter-cut with scenes from the film, the clips are frequently unrelated to the topic and often the same clips are repeated in each extra! You get to see James Coburn running in a field in Ireland over and over. One extra tracks the different versions that exist of this film, shows stills from scenes that Leone cut before the premier in Italy (the negatives of these particular scenes have apparently been destroyed) and leads into a rumination on the Sean/John confusion. The writer of this extra then comes to the conclusion that "Sean" isn't the James Coburn character! I don't agree at all but it's a useful extra.

A DVD to own.

For the most part, it was a dynamite film! Yet, there were a few duds in it as well.

[ironhorse_iv · 7/10 · 11 February 2016]

Made after the success of the 'The Dollars trilogy', (1964's A Fistful of Dollars, 1965's For a Few Dollars More and 1966'sThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and a few years after one- off success of 1968's 'Once Upon a Time in the West', 'Duck! You Sucker!' was director Sergio Leone's last Spaghetti western. It was, as well, one of his most overlooked films. I think, one of the reasons why this movie didn't really shine and became an overnight success, was because, of the odd title. Known as 'Giu La Testa'(Keep your head down') in Italy, the title didn't really translate well with the American audience. For me, 'Duck! You Sucker!' sounds more like a Blaxploitation movie, than a Spaghetti Western. It's sound too cartoony. Because of that, I really didn't like the title. I'm one of those critics; that agrees with the studio. They should had retitling the film. They should had changed it to 'A Fistful of Dynamite'. That title works so much better, because how much this story, remind us, of Leone's older films, while, also giving us, something new. Better yet, I would rather see the movie be call, by its French title, 'Once Upon a Time in a Revolution', because it match so well with Sergio Leone's other 'Once Upon a Time' films. Though, all of those 'Once' films, widely differ in location, character and time periods, the recurrent themes of time and memory, plays a big part of these films. Not only that, Leone's style alters sharply here. It's here, where you see his bitter metamorphosis from Spaghetti Western to gritty post-modern Polizieschi crime drama. In scope, Sergio knew, times were indeed changing. Audience weren't as interested in Westerns, anymore. Sergio was able to show, with this Zapata film, in a metaphor way. He shows that the 19th century, primitive frontier life was indeed dying, to make way, for the 20th century, complex, and post-industrial revolution life. The way, he use weapons like dynamite, trains, machine guns, and tanks as a metaphor to bring the end of western is haunting. It's scary, when you think, deep around it. After all, a lot of his dark imagery here, remind us, way too much of massive World Wars imagery that later would come alive. Still, it wasn't that dark, there were a lot of cool, bloodless action moments, extreme close-ups, semi smart dialogue, great epic scope in cinematography, and funny moments to make it, a more rounded picture. Also, the moody soundtrack by composter Ennio Morricone was beautiful and simply wonderful to listen to. It match the film, so well. Set during the Mexico Revolution of the 1910s, the film tells the story of Juan Miranda (Rod Steiger), an amoral Mexican outlaw, and John Mallory (James Coburn), an ex-Irish Republican revolutionary, trying to rob a bank, only to find themselves, accidentally and involuntarily becoming heroes of the Revolution. I love the allegory that Leone is using with these two main protagonists. Miranda is the old, Mexican bandit unaware that his era is almost over. And then we have Mallory as the 20th Century bandit, unaware where his love for technology is going to take him. While, it's might be hard to cheer, for two main characters who are technically murderers, rapist, and terrorists. At least, the movie gives them, enough positive depth and character development to overlook their dark side and faults. However, it's hard to understand what motivates them to do what, they do, since both Mallory and Miranda hates revolutions. Despite that, both actors in this movie were amazing in their roles. James Coburn is able to show how haunted, his character was, with his past, while also dreaming of living the American Dream. I love the scene where he was in the pub, looking at the mirror at his betrayer. Very moving. Then you got Rod Steiger, who pretty much seem like a real-life Mexican bandit. Despite the fact that he is playing off, a carbon copy of the Tuco's buffoon type character from 1966's 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'. He was still able to pull this off with his strict method acting. After all, the character was originally written for actor, Eli Wallach, instead of him. Lucky for him, Eli Wallach drop out, during the early stages of production. That wasn't the only time, he got lucky. The studio save him, a second time, when Leone wanted to replace him, with Wallach, after they butt-heads over Steiger demands on Leone to film his scenes with natural sound. Once again, Steiger won out, and Wallach was cause to subsequently sued, when Wallach had to dropped out of the other project when Leone promise him, the role. While, Steiger and Leone didn't get along, I thought, personally, that he had great screen chemistry with his co-star, James Coburn. Both, seem to work best with each other. However, other than them. Most of the supporting characters were very bland and underdeveloped. Another conflict, I had with the movie is the pacing. Like, any other of Sergio Leone's movies, this movie also suffers from a long seat. It was slow and tedious, at parts. 157 is a lot of minutes sit through. I know, not all U.S versions of this movie has that long of a run-time, but most modern DVDs has this same copy, in which I watch this film. All, I know, about the other copies, is that it's 22 minutes, shorter with awkward editing. The ending is also disappointing. Without spoiling it, it's bittersweet, at best, but also a bit anti-climax. Overall: I wouldn't call this my favorite Leone film, but it's still worth checking out. There's just something very appealing about it. Check it out, if you want. Just note, it does have problems.

Unpleasant Peasant

[qormi · 1/10 · 14 September 2008]

Okay, I'll give Rod Seiger credit for portraying a Mexican bandito with some conviction. That's it. This celebration of cruel violence, massacres, and interminable firing squads was weird and ultimately stupid. It was sort of a "buddy" film, where mass murderers Coburn and Steiger carried off a sort of romance by way of flashing their toothy smiles at each other to register approval or admiration.

Particularly disturbing was when Steiger, as a stinking, fat, slobby, unwashed, disgusting bandito decides to rape a well-dressed society woman. First, he exposes himself as he approaches her, and we are expected to believe that she was impressed and actually wants to be raped. Yes, this was quite disturbing. Steiger's character also had a young son, about eight years old, who was a natural killer and was not opposed to shooting unarmed people. Thus, when he himself was gunned down, we were supposed to feel pity. I didn't.

It was also stupid when Coburn's character opened up his trench coat to reveal sticks of dynamite and vials of nitro glycerin; one drop of which would explode upon hitting the ground, causing a large crater. This was intended to discourage the banditos from shooting him. He handled the nitro so carefully; yet he carried the vials while speeding along on a motorcycle over a bumpy, pothole-infested mountain trail.

Also annoying was the out-of-place "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" style score, which kept popping up at inappropriate times, like during a massacre. The vocal, "Shom-shom-shom" was very weird.James Coburn, as usual, offered little more than horselike teeth, flashed liberally. Rod Steiger was the cute mass murderer. Yuck.

A typically strong Leone film with added interesting political content

[bob the moo · 6 June 2005]

John Malloy is an IRA explosives expert, on the run in Mexico. Juan Miranda is a Mexican bandit with no interest in the political upheaval in his country and only a dream of hitting the large bank his father once failed to rob. When the two meet, Juan sees John's explosives as the way into the ban, but John has no interest and it is only when Juan frames him for the murder of some senior soldiers that John relents. Arriving in the town, the bank looks like a simple hit if they can find some way of distracting the masses of soldiers that now control the small town – luckily the revolution is in full swing and rebels are in great demand; but it is not long before Juan's idea of a simple bank robbery sees him up to his neck in a struggle that he has no interest in.

Many reviewers have said how strong the Leone formula is and I won't be able to add much to their words but for me this is a fine film mainly because it takes apart yet another of the cinema myths of the noble revolutionary fighters and has a fascinating thread of political commentary running all the way through it. It doesn't open this way though, rather it starts with Leone's usual brand of wit and confrontation between John and Juan and it all feels like it will be similar (and just as good) to some of Leone's other westerns. However, about an hour in, it becomes more interesting thanks to the rather shocking portrayal of the revolution (on both sides) and the ripping into the ideas behind it. It only adds to the basic plot and, when it becomes the main focus, the film is stronger for it, although Leone's Marxist views may be a little hard to swallow for some viewers in the west. That said, it does still work as a typical Leone western and fans of his will still love this film.

The cast is good but you gotta wonder how those accents would have been mauled if the film had not been as roundly good – certainly Coburn's attempts at an Irish brogue are not the most convincing I've heard. Other than that though he is good in the lead role, coping well with making an IRA character "likeable" without damaging the cynicism and regret that exists within him. His flashback scenes are convincing even if it is not that important to the main thrust of the film. Steiger is less serious at first but develops his character well, despite having to cope with a "road to Damascus" moment as part of it. He is consistently amusing as a character and he does tend to dominate his scenes to good effect. Support is fine but really these two men are the film and they do it very well, coping with the laughs, tension and political commentary equally well.

Overall, a typically strong film from Leone that has all his usual formula touches as well as plenty of commentary of value. The direction and use of music are as good as always and the cast cope well with the demands of the script. Reviewers who have taken this as an attack on John Ford's idea of the revolutionary Irishman are perhaps a little off since the film only confirms Ford's usual pointing out of "printing the myth" but it still has plenty of value and interesting political commentary.

"Ya feckin eejit"

[Bezenby · 8/10 · 27 September 2017]

Sergio Leone sums up the entire Italian film industry by starting the film with a beautifully framed and composed shot of...Rod Steiger pissing on some ants. And thus starts his fifth and final Spaghetti Western that some people declare a classic while others declare it a failure. Sure, it's got virtually no plot and just sort of meanders along for two and a half hours, but it's got Rod Steiger as a Mexican and it's directed by Sergio Leone - it's great!

Rod plays Juan, a bandit leader who tricks his way onto a lush carriage full of rich folk who treat him like he's some kind of disease (amazingly acted by Steiger as he plays up to their bigoted expectations), before turning the tables on them and robbing them of everything they have - including the carriage. It's not long after that Juan meets Sean (or John), who of course is an ex-member of the IRA and loves blowing everything up.

Sean/John is played by James Coburn who is literally dressed from head to toe in dynamite, and Juan has a religious experience when he realises that Sean is the key to the bank that Juan has always wanted to break into. The problem these days is that the Mexican revolution is going on and there's soldiers everywhere...and Juan does not want anything to do with no revolution...

Although Leone takes his sweet, sweet time digging a plot out of this one, it's such a delight to watch Rod Steiger being Mexican. He slides from wide eyed peasant innocence to rage and his interactions with Coburn are hilarious (usually because Coburn tells him to shut up most of the time). And the cursing! Eeh - the language!

Speaking of Coburn, he's having a problem with flashbacks throughout the film - Irish flashbacks involving David Warbreck! Warbreck would go on to be a leading man in Italian films shortly but here he just seems to be involved on some confusing romantic love triangle mixed with paramilitary business. Were they sharing that woman or were they all into each other?

There's no iconic gunfights here but there are some large scale battles and a lot of epic tracking shots that depict the carnage of the revolution. Italian minatures master and awesome director in his own right Antonio Margheriti provides the tiny train special effects.

I haven't mentioned a story because there isn't one.

Sergio Leone retires from westerns fr this time with a bang... lol

[igguleCINEMA · 9/10 · 22 August 2020]

These effects where so loud, I was worried that it was being heard from next door even when I was wearing headphones. Ennio Morricone manages to always score a fresh and eye opening (or should I say, ear opening? 😖) soundtrack in each of Leone's westerns, and this is no different; i love how the vocal loops sound out the names 'John' and 'Joan'.

With a whole lot of explosions, double crossing and even some swearing being implemented a lot more in the dialogue this time, this felt like characters in a revolution. It's good yeah, dunno about the Ireland flashbacks.

You're a grand hero of the revolution now

[Bored_Dragon · 7/10 · 11 October 2018]

You're a grand hero of the revolution now

"I know what I am talking about when I am talking about revolutions. The people who read the books go to the people who can't read the books, the poor people, and say, 'We have to have a change.' So, the poor people make the change. And then, the people who read the books, they all sit around the big polished tables, and they talk and talk and talk and eat and eat and eat. But what has happened to the poor people? They are dead! That's your revolution! So, please, don't tell me about revolutions. And what happens afterwards? The same (censored) thing starts all over again!"

From the very beginning, the film will shamelessly attract your attention. It is opened by the close-up of the urine stream, drowning insects on the tree. Close-up shots on details, especially the face and eyes, are a kind of trademark of Sergio Leone, and he uses them skillfully and frequently to show the atmosphere and more accurately depict the psychological state of his characters. For the fifth consecutive time, music was entrusted to the legendary Ennio Morricone, but it is so different from the music in the previous films that by style I would never have thought that Morricone was in question. Moreover, it did not fit in with the movie, and it irritated me so much that I was tempted to watch the film without sound.

This time, instead of a gunslinger, the main character is an explosive specialist, an Irish revolutionary who is forced to leave his homeland, and goes to join the revolutionaries in Mexico. Along the way, he meets Mexican bandit and tricks him into joining him and helping the cause. Although it definitely is Western, this film greatly differs from the classic representatives of the genre, because it is also socially and politically colored war drama, as well as a psychological study of morality, family, friendship and searching for oneself. The presence of humor somewhat dilutes the rather heavy atmosphere of the film and makes it, in my opinion, much more relaxed than this story deserves, but also significantly more fun.

The biggest drawbacks of this film are John's flashbacks, which, although they support the characterization of his character, completely derail the movie from its path, and the last one, in my opinion, is unnecessarily disgusting and more appropriate to some pathetic romantic drama than the war western, as well as totally inappropriate music, which may not be bad in itself, but it does not fit in this movie. If not for flashbacks and music, this movie would stand shoulder to shoulder with other Leone's masterpieces, but these two flaws totally ruined the overall impression.

7,5/10

OUTSTANDING

[donnachaf-39903 · 10/10 · 2 December 2021]

In my top 5 of all time. Fantastic film. Movie's are not made like this anymore. Superior in every way. Should have won an Oscar for best picture. James Coburn is terrific. The score is unforgettable.

Neglected Gem; needs region 1 DVD release!

[pasfroid · 9/10 · 8 August 2004]

I was lucky enough to see a newly struck print of a two and a half hour version of this film just yesterday, an immaculate print, as part of a Leone film retrospective here in Austin TX. I will not give a synopsis of the plot; what's important to note is that all the Leone hallmarks are there -- brilliant production design and camera work, carefully structured narrative, epic scale -- and some of the strangest music ever created by Mr. Morricone. The leads seem miscast, particularly Rod Steiger as the accidental Mexican revolutionary, but he gives an energetic performance that the film can hang its rather large weight upon.

I saw 'Good, Bad...' and '...West' immediately before I saw this picture and it is very much from the same cloth and in the same league as those two films -- more comic, a bit flawed and crude perhaps; but really it's evidence of an artist working on a grand scale and well worth your time.

If you consider yourself a fan of Mr. Leone's, do give MGM an email and demand the DVD release of this neglected, fascinating movie

Hopefully this picture will get the home video release it deserves. The VHS version of this film is much shorter and far more confusing -- a typical case of a long movie's being shortened in hopes that it will do better business, and being ruined in the process.

A good start for fans of Sergio

[kozakiew · 6/10 · 1 September 2019]

Not the best film Sergio made. My least favorite but worth watching. If you like it and haven't seen the earlier pictures then start with Fistful of Dollars , For a Few Dollars More and then the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. What a terrific director from outside the Hollywood system

Another Leone Masterpiece

[Wulfstan10 · 10/10 · 17 May 2005]

At first, I was going to rate this a 9 because I felt like my praise for this film was influenced by the fact that it was made Sergio Leone, one of my absolute favourite directors, and that it would seem odd to give so many of his films a 10. However, the truth is, his films usually are that great (with the exception of his pre-Fistfull of Dollars movies) and upon further reflection, I realized that I really do think this film deserves a 10.

This film certainly has a much more profound, and very moving, exploration of the main characters' lives and relationships than Leone's prior films. This is one of the key elements here as the story really gets deep into the psyches and emotions of Juan and Sean, revolves heavily around the development of their relationship, and truly explores their places, roles, and goals in life, as well as how Juan must figure out and cope with his future.

The film is profound in other ways, going deeper than the surface of politics and revolution. As is usual with Leone, nothing is clear cut, and even though the film makes the revolution appear justified in theory, with the rich and powerful being pretty darn bad, the "good guys" and the revolutionaries are themselves complex and not entirely noble (although I should point out that this is not entirely original since the earlier A Bullet for the General showed similar complexities in the same subject, even if it seemed more political and pro-revolution). Juan and his family are essentially bandits, interested in enriching themselves rather than improving society, yet they are protagonists and they become accidental revolutionaries, showing that revolutionaries weren't always fighting for just reasons or ideals. Moreover, revolutionary leaders are shown as flawed and in some ways weak and hypocritical while the revolutionaries are not above spilling a little extra blood.

The film is also the first of Leone's films to have an ending that is in some ways truly sad. The ending in Once Upon a Time in the West had some sadness to it, but it was greatly mitigated and had a different emphasis and focus. Here, one really feels Juan's loss after his life has been turned upside down; his family (who were the entire base of his existence) wiped out, the new friend, whose relationship with him, the film portrays, dead; and with him stuck in a role that he does not want or really understand. The film thus greatly touches upon the nature of, and meaning in, human existence in a way that really is not obvious, at least until the very end.

Rod Steiger and James Coburn really help bring out this strong character exploration and emotion. Both are at their very best in this film, imbuing their characters with great life and making them utterly compelling.

Duck, You Sucker also has Leone's trademark artistic directing and cinematography. It is not chock full of the incredible scenes and images the way the two immediately prior films are, but one only need see a few scenes to know who made it. The opening is typical Leone in that it shows something strange and in a way that does not immediately tell the viewer what is actually going on, drawing the viewer in to find out what he or she is watching. The scene in the coach, with the emphasis on the people eating, is also very effective.

The music is, as usual for a Leone/Morricone collaboration, great and highly effective. It's even more unusual than the music in the Dollars films, and I think some find it odd or unsettling, but it is highly effective.

I felt I was watching a film by the other Sergio.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 23 March 2013]

"Duck, You Sucker" (aka, "Fistful of Dynamite") is a film directed by Sergio Leone with music by Ennio Morricone--the same team that brought some amazing Italian westerns to the screen--such as "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and "Once Upon a Time in the West"). However, here the film is very different--and it felt like I was watching a film by the other but less well known 'spaghetti western' director, Sergio Carbucci. That's because most of Carbucci's westerns have a strong revolutionary bent and usually are about Mexico during the time of their revolution against Diaz in the early 20th century. His heroes are revolutionaries--ones with a strong political agenda at the onset or ones who develop ideals through the course of the film. This is EXACTLY what happens in "Duck, You Sucker"--and it really seemed odd for Leone. Not bad necessarily--just quite odd with its socialist/Marxist tone.

The film stars James Coburn as an IRA terrorist who somehow has made it to Mexico--along with all his explosives. It also stars Rod Steiger in an odd role, though Steiger loved doing strange roles that tested his range. Here, he's sort of like a mob leader and family patriarch rolled into one. He is the character who evolves (like Carbucci's heroes) from a common thug to a revolutionary during the film.

So, did I like it? Well, not especially--though it's certainly better than the average western. The problem for me is that Leone set the bar so high with "Fistful of Dollars", "For a Few Dollars More", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and "Once Upon a Time in the West"! These are probably the four greatest Italian westerns--all by one director! But, because these films were so good, "Duck, You Sucker" can't help but disappoint. Good, but certainly not in the same category as these other films--mostly because the pacing was slow (even compared to the above movies), Steiger's accent (according to IMDb it was dubbed) and odd chemistry make this good but no more.

Plenty of explosions, but none of them will blow you away

[stamper · 5/10 · 26 October 2003]

I've seen quite a number of Sergio Leone's films by now and I must say that I found this one to be the worst yet. I admit that I've seen worse films in general, but in no way can I recommend this one to you. If you want to see good Leone catch one of his films from The Man With No Name Trilogy or maybe even Once upon a Time in the West. I found the latter to be quite disappointing to be honest, but it was still better than A Fistful of Dynamite. There is almost no excitement, no coolness and the west is somehow robbed of it's roughness and interesting nature by motorized vehicles. Now I know that this is not supposed to be a film about gunslingers, but one about revolution and even in that aspect the film fails. First of all, the four flashbacks, which are supposed to give the film more depth, are misplaced, with the exception of the last two. They do not add anything to the film, or the preceding events and only make sense when (or if) you watch the movie until the end. Secondly, the film is just too long and not exciting enough to make you want to see the whole 158 minutes of it. Thirdly, I found it a bit strange that Coburn's Irish accent is apparent at one time and absent the next. Fourthly and maybe most sadly, the music of Ennio Morricone did not (as in many other movies) add anything to the experience, except maybe that it showed that the film is of mediocre quality in each end every aspect. No wonder scores from this film are likely to miss on any of Morricone's Best of records. Last but not least, I felt that as the film went on (or better dragged on), twists occur that made absolutely no sense to me. Concluding this comment I must say that this is a film I could have easily left off my list, but Leone is just too catchy a name for me. This one tumbles into oblivion rapidly after seeing and is not likely to be seen on any list, not even biggest disappointments. Films that have more famous names, though perhaps got better ratings by me, will have places on that list, like Once upon a time in the West (6 out of 10). The verdict for this one:

5 out of 10

A Potpourri of Vestiges Review: Sergio Leone's thought-provoking masterpiece featuring an unforgettable Rod Steiger performance

[murtaza_mma · 10/10 · 2 February 2013]

Duck, You Sucker (1971) aka A Fistful of Dynamite is an underrated gem that undoubtedly features amongst the best works of the Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone. Anyone who has seen the "Dollars Trilogy" can easily mistake Leone for a mere showman, but those who have had the privilege of watching his more personal works like Once Upon a Time in America would know better. Leone was indeed a master showman but he knew well how to blend style with substance.

In the "Dollars Trilogy" style clearly is the real driver but deep down there is strong sense of realism that a keen eyed viewer wouldn't find hard to discern. The conspicuous levity only serves the purpose of a translucent film used to hide the naked reality so as to protect an average viewer from getting jumpy at its very sight. In Duck, You Sucker this translucent film only happens to be a fraction more transparent than usual. In other words, Leone chooses to be a bit more direct in his presentation of realism: most evident in the firing squad sequences. Duck, You Sucker thus serves to be a perfect amalgamation of style and substance.

In many ways, Duck, You Sucker happens to be Leone's darkest work. And how could it not have been? For the movie revolves around a highly unlikely union of a Mexican bandit and an Irish dynamite expert caught in the turmoil of the Mexican revolution. The only thing that unites these two completely different personalities is the fact that one is called Juan and the other, John. Juan sees this coincidence as a divine signal. That their union is meant to serve a much greater purpose: to rob the great bank of Mesa Verde. The loquacious Juan desperately tries to convince the taciturn John, but the later remains uninterested. Thus ensues a tantalizing game of cat and mouse between Juan and John as the two try their best to outwit each other only to be united by an eternal bond of friendship.

There are scenes in Duck, You Sucker that will stay with the viewer for ever. There are dialogues/monologues (spoken as well as unspoken) that will leave a lasting impact on the viewer. Juan's commentary on his own understanding of the word "revolution" is one. There's is another when a caged bird defecates on Juan's head and the bandit looks up and says: "For the rich, you sing!" Ennio Morricone's mystical music will continue to haunt the viewer much beyond the length of the movie. The movie's use of non-verbal language is probably as strong as the use of verbal one: best explained by Rod Steiger's expressions of elation, shock, disgust and self-pity. Duck, You Sucker is Sergio Leone's second best work (after Once Upon a Time in America) and features an unforgettable performance from the great Rod Steiger who is well complemented by James Coburn--in arguably his best role ever. Duck, You Sucker will serve as an elixir for any intelligent viewer and offers enough food for thought to keep him occupied until long after the film the over.

http://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/