Minnesota Clay (Sergio Corbucci, 1964)

[chameleon]

Massacre at Grande Canyon and The White, the Yellow, and the Black are the only two Corbucci that I’ve not seen yet, and I don’t think I’ll ever will.

[AngelFace]

@chameleon

The White, the Yellow, and the Black are the only two Corbucci that I’ve not seen yet, and I don’t think I’ll ever will.

I think it’s worth seeing, I kind of like it! I think anything with Gemma and Milian is worth a shot!

I’m not expecting much from Massacre At Grand Canyon but I do get a certain thrill out of these confused early spaghettis, they are somehow more interesting than your average bad spaghetti from, say, '67. In A Colt’s Shadow is another I must see.

[ENNIOO]

Massacre At Grand Canyon and Minnesota Clay are on around the same level for me.

[JonathanCorbett]

@AngelFace

The Italian ending (…) I don’t really understand what Clay means when he says “I hadn’t the heart to tell them…” before he rides off. Does it mean he won’t be back? And if not, why not? It doesn’t make sense!

There’s a mistranslation, he says ‘‘I hadn’t the heart to tell her’’.

From Review A (by scherpschutter): ‘’… he conceals the fact that he is the father of the young girl who now lives in the custody of his best friend, because he is afraid that she might be ashamed of him.‘’

[AngelFace]

@JonathanCorbett

From Review A (by scherpschutter): ‘’… he conceals the fact that he is the father of the young girl who now lives in the custody of his best friend, because he is afraid that she might be ashamed of him.‘’

Ah ok, thanks. In the English dub does she realise he is her father as he is dying in her arms? Did he tell her? I thought she knows in the English dub but maybe my brain had switched off, just goes to what dubbing does to your brain…

[JonathanCorbett]

@LankyFellow

i have the VHS from Arcade and a TV version.In these two the end is the same,but the beginning with the credits are different.On VHS the credits run over a still image,on the TV version they run over a red ground,suppose this is the right one

This is interesting, could you post a screenshot from the VHS credits?

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@stanton

The film was released in Nov 64, not in 65.

Even though public screening was authorized in October '64 (film length 2510 meters), recently I found the premiere was reviewed in the newspapers on 21 January 1965.

[JonathanCorbett]

@AngelFace

Ah ok, thanks. In the English dub does she realise (…) Did he tell her? I thought she knows in the English dub

Let us clarify this point: sure, in the English dub she knows, but your post was referring to the Italian ending, in which there is no revelation during the scene in the main street.

‎And it is clear that he won’t return.

[Novecento]

@JonathanCorbett

Even though public screening was authorized in October '64 (film length 2510 meters), recently I found the premiere was reviewed in the newspapers on 21 January 1965.

Giusti concurs with the 1965 release date

[The_Man_With_a_Name]

Does the VCI DVD have the best transfer? I have the unauthorised release by Shoarma Digital and the Mill Creek transfer from the bargain sets. Shoarma’s transfer is better than the latter.

[Jonny_Powers]

I think I have some screenshots on my laptop from the rereleased VCI dvd (No new transfer, just new art). I can see about throwing them up tonight.

[JonathanCorbett]

From planktonrules review on IMDb:

I am talking about making the film with DIFFERENT endings depending on the country. This is the second Italian western that features a happy ending in the Italian version and a less happy American version (…)

Is there indeed another one or maybe he was incorrectly referring to The Great Silence or The Specialists?

[UglyOne427]

This is Corbucci’s hidden gem and is rarely mentioed alongside Django and the Great Silence. Minnestoa Clay, a brave but nearly blind gunfighter who returns to his home town to take get his life back together. Meanwhile the town is torn apart by two gangs, one is headed by Fox who is cjealos of Clay, and is responsbile for Clay’s imprisonment. Ortiz a mexican wants dislikes Fox.

Favorite scene is Clay dying in nancy’s arms, but not after getting his revenge on Fox. Clay is never fully able to tell Nancy who he really is.

Second favorite scene is where a man in the town says “Minnesota clay. the greatest gunfighter that ever lived.” Before Clay was sentenced to prison, law and order wasn’t such a problem.

Third favorite scene “Thanks Johnthan for all you’ve done fo my daughter.” Johnthan’s role is small but effective. He is fed up with Fox.

Fourth favorite scene is a prime example of Corbucci doing great work behind the camera. The gunfight at the ranch, leading into the ranch being set on fire. This is how it’s done.

Fifth favorite scene The shooting of the snake, taking the doctor hostage, and escaping from the labor camp. This scene was remarkable, and had to influence dozens of others. Within the blink of an eye, we see Clay is no hero.

[Companero_M (Martin)]

A dialogue, a life, Mother of Earth:
“Running away isn’t the answer.”
“Maybe I like to run. I been runnin’ since I was a kid.”
“And why? What did you gain by runnin’?”
“First it was fun. Then it was compulsion. And now …”
“And now it’s desperation.”

[Dean]

Finally watched this, and I thought it was pretty decent. I’ll be watching Johnny Oro next, although I hear from most folk that it ain’t as good.

[UglyOne427]

Johnny Oro is a fun watch, especially of you like Mark Damon ( I for one enjoy Damon’s performance, who is a real authentic looking cowboy.

[Dean]

[quote=“UglyOne427, post:156, topic:454”] Johnny Oro is a fun watch
[/quote]

You’re right, It definitely exceeded my expectations. I can still see why people would call it shit, but for me it’s enjoyable shit as opposed to pure shit.

[Novecento]

Copying these from the ¿Quién sabe? thread:

@Novecento

Actually I was just thinking about the “sad ending” to Minnesota Clay which is in many ways preferable to the the longer “happy ending” (although it misses that great final close-up of his glasses). Is the consensus that the “sad ending” was not the original one?

@stanton

I don’t know, but the happy ending looks like it was a “producer’s idea” after he checked his bank account.

And it feels as wrong as the alternative ending from The Great Silence.

@Novecento

True, but the “happy” ending to The Great Silence doesn’t look like it had much effort put into it. I’d say the same about “happy” ending to Minnesota Clay except for that iconic shot of the glasses which shows at least some effort on Corbucci’s part. Maybe Corbucci wasn’t quite as cynical at this point so was more amenable to this “producer’s idea” as you say.

When I get a chance, I’ll take a look through some of my Corbucci interviews to see if he ever spoke about it.

Does anyone have any knowledge about this?

[scherpschutter]

I don’t remember any interview or article in which Corbucci or anybody else identifies one of the two endings as the original one. I have the idea that the happy ending was the original one, or at least the one Corbucci had in mind initially. He might have had second thoughts about it and removed it, in order to get an unhappy ending. I won’t say the unhappy doesn’t work, but it feels a bit sudden, not quite right.

[stanton]

@scherpschutter

I don’t remember any interview or article in which Corbucci or anybody else identifies one of the two endings as the original one. I have the idea that the happy ending was the original one, or at least the one Corbucci had in mind initially. He might have had second thoughts about it and removed it, in order to get an unhappy ending. I won’t say the unhappy doesn’t work, but it feels a bit sudden, not quite right.

When I look at how that scene is directed, I’m pretty sure that it was intended to show his death.

[scherpschutter]

Maybe Corbucci wanted it that way from the start, could be. It’s more corbucci-ish than the happy ending, but it just doens’t look like the final scene of the movie to me (even of the camera moves back). The scene with the glasses does, but that doesn’t mean it’s the ending Corbucci preferred.