Wow i just finished this one and it blew me away.This one definitely needs more respect.great score, some beautiful women and a superb final showdown with the house burning down around the gunmen. I’ve just got a new one in my top 25.
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DATABASE PAGE: Pistolero dell’Ave Maria, Il - The Spaghetti Western Database (spaghetti-western.net)
0 voters
I agree, this is a great movie. I don’t understand why many people complain about this movie being too much of a family drama. Such a story actually works in this movie. It has got great music too.
I think it is a good film, not great but good, 3 stars
Has anyone seen a version that is longer than 83 min?
I actually bought it for the music, but ended up really liking the film also…
This is Baldi’s 4th SW (not counting Little Rita), and because it’s stylistically more coherent than it’s precedessors it was Baldi’s best up to this point.
One more SW which uses classical material for the screenplay, in this case it’s based on Sophokles’ Orestie.
And the english title sounds much better than the italian one: Il pistolero dell’ Ave Maria.
The widely known 83 min version is considered as uncut, but the film makes a cut impression in my eyes, and there is or was possibly a 105 min version in Italy.
I also liked this movie. while it didn’t look so good at the beginning, it has a dramatic finale. great Baldi family drama
Watched this one last night for the first time and although I enjoyed it, I wasn’t blown away by it. It is more of a family drama than a regular western and although it is done well it just didn’t leave me overly excited. Nothing bad, just not quite there for me.
I think I’m with Yodlaf on this one. A good film but not great. 3 out of 5.
I watched this recently, after Brother Scherp suggested we pay homage to Mr. Baldi. I had seen it a while ago and wondered if I’d missed something cos a lot of people highly rate this film. But, I can’t quite put my finger on why I still find it mediocre.
It certainly looks brilliant and I don’t mind it being ‘drama-ish’, but something in it (or missing from it) leaves me a bit cold. There are some great spaghetti touches and a great fiery climax. There is ‘subtlety’ and realism with the violence - the anonymous whipping in the background whilst the conversation takes the forefront is underplayed nastiness. There is intrique, double-cross and murder and a genius portrayal of this by the mother/wife (Luciana Paluzzi). Also great individual roles from the beautiful Pilar Velazquez (and, I’m equally sure, fom the beautiful Leonard Mann and Peter Martell). I feel I should have liked it more, and I think I have to put it down to a lack of ‘chemistry’ or spark between the major players. Overall, it’s a great looking ‘epic-y’ spag that doesn’t quite deliver - imo. I’m with the boys above with 3 outa 5.
Again my question concerning the running time. Any italian there who has seen a longer version than 83 min?
I know what you mean. The version I saw is apparently ‘uncut’ but doesn’t seem complete somehow.
Mine’s a widescreen and great looking print (but is a dvd-r … didn’t know that til it arrived tho) that I got from the states - not a lot of info on the cover but it sure aint the longer italian version that you suggest might exist.
The italian DVD will tell us the truth. German and japanese have similar running times.
The Italian disc is the same length as all the others. Well, at least that’s what member L told at SWWB some time ago (he has the disc).
Some minor spoilers ahead
Watched this last night (German dvd). I think the strongest point of the film is its acting. The plot is far too complex for a spaghetti western, and it basically turns into Bold & the Beautiful in the Wild West. The movie has soom good action scenes and the theme music is great. It’s definitely different from your average spaghetti western, and therefore refreshing to watch. Some things were (unintentionally) funny like little Sebastian sleeping through a massacre. By the way, when he’s grown up he needs to be woken up again in a particular scene. Some things didn’t make a whole lot of sense. The mother, but also the Thomas character didn’t seem to have aged at all. That in combination with the amount of consumed alcohol, I thought I wass still watching a flashback. The film is rich in atmosphere but overall I had the feeling something grand was missing. Kudos to Baldi though, for wrapping up the plot in less than 90 minutes.
The screen quality is pretty good. Widescreen presentation but overall a bit on the dark side. The audio screeches when the tones are high. But those are minor mishaps. I paid only 7,50 euros incl. shipping for the disc.
The story is based on the classical story of Orestes…apparently.
Damn… This was a bit of a sleeper…
I was very surprised at how good this was.
I enjoyed the extra depth that the family melodrama added & also found it quite gothic in places - which is a good thing in my book. 
The soundtrack was good, but a bit repetitive…
I must say that I watched this on the ‘Wild East’ release & was quite impressed - quite a crisp print & transfer compared to some of their other releases…
I had this melody in my had for months now. I would whistle it while trying to fall asleep, I could not, for crying out loud, remember where I had it from. Then I took out the DVD of this, and there it was, the finale just stuck with me. Not only is this Baldi’s finest drama, it is also a family drama that ends in such a gripping way, with a musical tune that just stuck with me forever.
A great great great film in my opinion
absolutely amigo
not a good film but another entertaining SW.pretty much agree with other members comments, good soundtrack, some good action scenes.film did seem a bit rushed and tried to cram too much in a short running time.there were a few too many flashbacks and a complex plot for a spaghetti. above average.
