Da Uomo a Uomo

The general virtuosity of Italian filmmakers shooting Westerns in Spain is increased by Petroni’s superlucid camera, which is so adept at recording subtle nuances of light and color it suggests a new idea of chiaroscuro.

It’s squareshooting on action, as in the scene when John Phillip Law is buried up to his chin, the camera takes his POV as the villain reaches down to fill his mouth with salt, and this is filmed without distortion as a clear movement, carefully planned.

The script (known in English as Death Rides a Horse) extends the erudition of the Italians (already immense in Leone) by capitalizing on the inventions of Niven Busch, especially Pursued.