Yes, sorry about that it was a typo on my part. I meant to say that Bill was NOT going to shoot him. Thanks for pointing that out.
Ryan voluntarily put himself at Billās mercy because I guess he still felt some guilt by association and thougyht that sooner or later, he was gonna get his just desserts anyway. Bill could not bring himself to shoot Ryan because they teamed up so many times and even developed a father to son type relationship.
yes i think you are right. And why did ryan not take any of the money. i mean that was what he ultimately was after in the beginning.
This one is a classicā¦just an awesome spaghetti western!!!
I think this unloaded gun thing is like when Jef Costello didnāt load his gunā¦
You are right, Jillā¦it is very much like LE SAMOURAI.
But, I think that the inspiration really came to Petroni from the Robert Aldrich Western THE LAST SUNSET where Kirk Douglas goes to the final duel with an intentionally unloaded gunāin effect committing suicide (which is also like Jef in Melvilleās brilliant film).
Perhaps Aldrichās film influenced both directors?
Only the directors would know!
I donāt know about āinfluencesā. The whole movie is a blatant plagiarized work taken straight out of Nevada Smith.
Hmmā¦disagree, but no big deal.
I have never liked NEVADA SMITH, so I might be biased.
I would also say that the similarities between these 2 westerns are too vague. All in all itās only a pretty standard story which both films are varying.
Hmm, I would prefer Nevada Smith.
Totally agree with you on that point, amigo!
DEATH RIDES A HORSE 1968 is a truly outstanding, well acted TOP 10 SW jewel.
I am amazed that a minor western such as Nevada Smith 1966 has been mentioned
in the same thread. I have seen both films and Nevada Smith 1966 was Ok at best
but DEATH RIDES A HORSE 1968 I found vastly superior in ALL departments.
The most obvious is the CAST where the power duo of LEE VAN CLEEF/JOHN PHILIP LAW
are totally electric and no match for Steve McQueen in his Nevada Smith outing. 
Thereās no comparing DEATH RIDES A HORSE to any movie, except perhaps John Boormanās POINT BLANK from the year before with Lee Marvin. Both films deal with an ex con who takes down a criminal organization which screwed him over, working from from the bottom up.
DEATH RIDES A HORSE was the film that really taught me what the difference between the Spaghetti and Hollywood approach to westerns are. Itās definitely an Italian opera masquerading as a cowboy movie, but because it has never attained the status of mythos along the lines of Leoneās pre DUCK YOU SUCKER films itās often a target of marginalizing criticisms that are meant to take what some perceive as the hot air out of itās inflated status. I think thatās the compulsion to compare it to NEVADA SMITH, which is a dandy little film but has none of the scope that DRAH sort of effortlessly achieved. They may share some plot points but for my money the difference is in the approach of the two films.
And why did ryan not take any of the money. i mean that was what he ultimately was after in the beginning.
This I disagree with ā Just like in POINT BLANK, the real motivation was revenge, or a fantasy of revenge at least. The money was just a sort of waypoint for the audience to meter the heroās progress through the film. I also submit that Ryan fully expected Bill to shoot him at the end and by submitting to that justice he ultimately redeemed his own need for vindication in participating in the opening massacre. The point of showing Bill that he had never even loaded his gun was Ryanās submission to his own fate.
[quote=āSquonkamatic, post:71, topic:172ā]Thereās no comparing DEATH RIDES A HORSE to any movie, except perhaps John Boormanās POINT BLANK from the year before with Lee Marvin. Both films deal with an ex con who takes down a criminal organization which screwed him over, working from from the bottom up.
DEATH RIDES A HORSE was the film that really taught me what the difference between the Spaghetti and Hollywood approach to westerns are. Itās definitely an Italian opera masquerading as a cowboy movie, but because it has never attained the status of mythos along the lines of Leoneās pre DUCK YOU SUCKER films itās often a target of marginalizing criticisms that are meant to take what some perceive as the hot air out of itās inflated status. I think thatās the compulsion to compare it to NEVADA SMITH, which is a dandy little film but has none of the scope that DRAH sort of effortlessly achieved. They may share some plot points but for my money the difference is in the approach of the two films.[/quote]
I havenāt compared Nevada Smith with DRaH (and wouldāt do so with any other SW), itās only that I think, even after 3 times watching DRaH, this is only an ordinary Spaghetti revenger like dozens others.
The Leone westerns are playing in a different league, even Giu la testa.
DRaH is imo mainly an ok variation of several motives of FaFDM.
About the above mentioned films:
DRaH is ok, Nevada Smith is good (but nothing special), and Point Blank is (like the Dollar Trilogy) far superior to both.
DEATH RIDES A HORSE 1968 is for me a truly GREAT SW and a TOP 15 SW Surety.
I am a devoted FAN of REVENGEFUL SWS because these Westerns bring on to the screen
all the BEST HUMAN EMOTIONS/TENSE EXCITING PLOTS. These factors I believe make
the REVENGE SW far superior to say a SW that deals with a bank robbery :ā( or just war.
When you are viewing a POWERFUL REVENGER SW/Thriller/USA Western the viewer is
transfixed/excited/involved as he/she iDENTIFIES with the WRONGS done and the
SW VICTIMās DESPERATE NEED TO SEEK VENGEANCE / RETRIBUTION.
DEATH RIDES A HORSE 1968 is as technically perfect/efficient a SW as there will ever be
A WINNER all the WAY for me. VAN CLEEF+ PHILIP LAW Ride onā¦ 
One of my favourite Western of all time. Of course the story of revenge is simple, but havenāt most of the Western Movies (not even the SW) such a simple Story? Itās one of the few SW which remindes me most of Leone. Maybe the reason is the Music Score of Morricone, the great Lee Van Cleef (looks like a mixture of Col Mortimer and Angel Eyes), the wonderful cinematografy of Carlo Carlini (he also did La Resa dei Conti ). Maybe John Phillip Law looks to soft next to Lee, a great cast would have been Franco Nero, but he is acting good and only Clint, Tomas and Giuliano werenāt looking that bad next to Lee. āDeath Rides a Horseā has for me everything what a SW need: simple but clever story with some surprises, fantastic music, wonderful landscapes, extremly bad villians, and at least an everytime cool Lee Van Cleef.
DEATH RIDES A HORSE 1968 LEE VAN CLEEF JOHN PHILIP LAW
This is one of 3 MAGNIFICENT FILM CLASSICS that JOHN PHILIP LAW Made in 1968
The Other 2 are : DANGER DIABOLIK 68 Marisa Mell BARBARELLA 68 Jane Fonda
This is definitely my 2nd favorite Van Cleef pasta not directed by Leone (the first being Day of Anger). I have the MGM R2 release which is the way to go on this one. Sad that no US label has picked this up and given it the attention it so richly deserves. JP Lawās portrayal is perfect as the laconic sorta wise ass who thinks he can out do Van Cleef. Thankfully Lee is around to bail him out. I have a huge 3-sheet poster that I canāt wait to frame.
I have the REGION 1 DVD Of this GREAT REVENGE SW Death Rides A Horse 1968.
There is also an Italian DVD I have seen online, all good stuff.
[quote=āSARTANA DJANGO, post:75, topic:172ā]DEATH RIDES A HORSE 1968 LEE VAN CLEEF JOHN PHILIP LAW
This is one of 3 MAGNIFICENT FILM CLASSICS that JOHN PHILIP LAW Made in 1968
The Other 2 are : DANGER DIABOLIK 68 Marisa Mell BARBARELLA 68 Jane Fonda[/quote]
Yeah I totally agree! John Phillip Law is my favorite actor and I put Death Rides A Horse high on my favorite Spaghetti Westerns list right after GBU, FDM, Fistful, and Django. Brilliant movie and LVC & JPL are both excellent in it. Great ending too.
Exactly Right Well Said !!
JOHN PHILIP LAW is a BETTER LOOKING & BETTER ACTOR with SUPERIOR CULT Films
than these Caine/Pacino/Streep we are always force fed by the critics as āmajor starsā 
???
DEATH RIDES A HORSE 1968 is also HIGH UP in my All Time WESTERNS Top 40/ SW Top 20
Lee is the man.
I love him when he plays father figuresā¦