The Hellbenders

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Allan C Disappointing Sergio Corbucci spaghetti western is a mixed bag. Where the film excels is an above-average story for an Italian western (co-written by Albert Band, father of B-movie icon Charles Band), telling the tale of defeated Confederate officer Joseph Cotten traveling back home with stolen gold that he has plans to use to reconstitute the Confederate Army. The set-up is basically a western road movie, where Cotton and his small group of rebel confederates have various encounters with Union soldiers, posses, outlaws, and others. The fun kicker is the gold is hidden in a coffin, and they have kidnapped Norma Bengell (looking very much like Claudia Cardinale) to pose as the widow of the supposed deadman in the coffin. Unfortunately for the film, Cotton seems to sleepwalk through the picture, never really digging his teeth into the part of his bitter defeated Southern Colonel, and Corbucci delivers mostly standard western action and nothing as savage or shockingly original as his best films (that would be THE GREAT SILENCE, THE MERCENCY, or CAMPENEROS). Overall, it’s an entertaining film, but I can’t help but feel like it was a huge missed opportunity for something that could have been a classic. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/25 Full Review Dane W it better then navajo joe Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 12/19/23 Full Review david f This spaghetti Western has all the stereotypes and plot twists appropriate to the genre, from the ex-Confederate soldier family trying to steal a coach full of money to restart the Confederate States of America, to barroom gamblers and Mexican bandits. Entertaining if generic. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member lousy with cringe-worthy tropes that plague the genre Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Joseph Cotton is awesomely menacing in this grim portrayal of the post-Confederate frontier. It fearlessly depicts the utter cruelty of former Confederate soldiers in what is certainly one of the harshest, albeit less graphic, spaghetti westerns about the subject. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/11/20 Full Review Audience Member good little spaghetti Western from 1967. Not an all time classic, but any fan of the Western genre should like it. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Hellbenders

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