Duck, You Sucker! (1971)
Aka A Fistful of Dynamite, Sergio Leone's final western and it's not a patch on the other four. At over two and a half hours this tale of a Mexican bandit (Rod Steiger) teaming up with on the run IRA explosives expert James Coburn in order to rob banks and aid the revolution just doesn't have enough story to it to maintain interest.
The scene where the two meet is half an hour of oneupmanship that whilst fun does nothing for the stories pace and neither do the interminable but occasionally necessary flashbacks involving Coburn's life back home.
There's a frivolous feel to the film which works beautifully with Steiger's mischievous portrayal of the bandit in a role originally meant for Eli Wallach, but it doesn't allow for any tension and overall the film is slow and forgettable which can't be said for any of Leone's other westerns. Leone does give us some great explosions and there's also a memorable score from Ennio Morricone.
Having said all that and probably coming across as not liking the film much, i did want it in my collection on Blu-ray so i'm pleased to own it but there's no chance i'd choose it over Once Upon a Time in the West or The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. |