The Ugly Ones / The Bounty Killer / El precio de un hombre (Eugenio Martín, 1966)

Valenciano your interest in this movie prompted me to dig the DVD out, had a quick scan through it to jog my memory.
Wow watching the print used for the German slightly longer version is quite the “Grindhouse” experience, the marginally shorter English version uses a better print. During the English audio (which is quite hard to follow actually, poor sound) there are English subtitles for the sections of the film that are in another language.
My post was misleading, I should have said Milian’s character (José) agonises over whether he should kill the young traveller or not. After he says adios to him there is a scene before he sends his men after the traveller where José goes through every human emotion possible (typical Milian) with lots of hand wringing and looking back, ending in tears (and laughter). José even follows his men to the barn and tries to persuade the traveller not to leave but when he refuses he has to be killed, José does put on an act for Eden.
I know what you mean about about Milian’s character in this film, I do have some sympathy for him though, as a child all his family being killed over land and him loosing all that he had. Unlike Milian’s character in “Four of the Apocalypse” who I find such an evil SOB I can’t wait till he gets it.
“El Precio de un Hombre” is currently no.9 in my SW top 20, so I guess you didn’t enjoy it as much as I did :wink: I must watch the whole film again soon, got a pile of other SW DVDs I’m desperate to watch first though. :slight_smile:
Also is it my imagination or did Milian have a haircut sometime during the shooting of this movie, it’s style seems to be different in the interior scenes than in most of the exterior ones :stuck_out_tongue:

I was lured into buying this film on DVD by the positive reactions on this thread and I don’t regret it.

The film is a perfect companion piece to Sollima’s LA RESA DEI CONTI; whereas in that film the myth of the bounty hunter is analysed (contemporary critics would say: deconconstructed) in Eugenio Martin’s movie it is the Robid Hood-like outlaw who is stripped from the mythical layers that obscure his true identity. Milian, who has become some kind of folk hero, is shown as a lethal criminal, though not completely unable to feel remorse. Even though the film could be interpreted as right-wing, I don’t think Martin had specific political intentions.

Like most Spanish dominated co-productions, EL PRECIO DE UN HOMBRE lacks the baroque splendour the Italian western is identified with. It’s also more deliberately paced, even a bit sluggish from time to time, but never dull. Milian’s performance is excellent, almost (so not completely) free from the mannerisms that would increasingly plague his later performances. The film is beautifully shot by Enzo Barboni and has in Ella Karin an attractive female lead who saves both Milian’s and Wyler’s life. Allthough not a bad actor, Wyler impersonation of the cold bounty killer is still the movie’s major flaw: he is not really menacing (only look at the first minutes of La Resa dei Conti and you know what I mean).

I bought the Marketing DVD, and yes, the English audio was a bit hard to follow. But unlike Halitosis has mentioned above, the English (anamorphic) version is a few minutes LONGER than the german theatrical (grindhoudse) version. Actually, I don’t understand why they included this version; they had better used the space to improve the image quality of the anamorphic version. With a bitrate of a mere 4,5 Mb/s image quality is only acceptable, causing posterisation in backgrounds and during darker scenes.

Once again the film is a real treasure to those of us who like phoney titles. In English it’s called THE BOUNTY HUNTER or THE UGLY ONES (I found Ella Karin quite attractive, by the way). EL PRECIO DE UN HOMBRE isn’t a great title, but the Italian LA MORTE TI SEGUE … MA NON HA FRETTA sounds more like it, meaning “Death is on your trail … but is not in a hurry”. But as usual, the Germans win in the end. I love that title OHNE DOLLAR KEIN SARG, probably best translated as No Money, No Coffin (or No Woman, No Cry). I mean, it sounds reasonable that you won’t get your coffin for free, or not? But surprise, surprise, the german theatrical grindhouse version has a different title, and an even better one: SäRGE OHNE LEICHEN, Coffins without corpses. Now that is the real thing.
By the way, were there any coffins in the movie?

This one sounds like a winner for me. I’ll have to look out for a copy.

3% more and I could see it… it’s standing on 97%. I’m very angry.

One of the very best SWs, right up there in the top ten, no doubt. Perfectb performance by Millian who overshadows everybody else of course and even Wyler looks like a good actor. The direction is just as it is supposed to be: Direct, dramatic, emphasizing the histrionic characteristics of Jose’s part, with no unecessary concessions to SW trademarks. Minimal use of the extreme close ups, just what’s needed and with the music serving the story, not being a co-star (as in Leone/Morricone).

Just a perfect SW with no special pretentious, just a slid dramatic western that could have been signed by any master from Hawks to Ford and, of course, Sollima or Leone himself. Never Eugenio was at this level either before or after. Nor Millian, for that matter (perhaps with the exception of The Big Gundown).

The film work beautifully in its dubbed Spanish version -the one I have- and I would love to have the English soundtrack, so if anyone has it and wants to send the MP3 via e-mail, I’d really, really appreciate it.

Well, actually, I have the English and Spanish soundtrack already.

But “thanks” for the flow of offers… sheesh!

BOUNTY KILLER 1966 Richard Wyler Tomas Milian Halina Zalewska

A very violent mixture of freedom fighter, revolution, bounty hunter, man on the run
finds the ever reliable , solid, dependable RICHARD WYLER

also known as the “Man From Interpol” as Bounty Killer/Hunter Luke Chilson :o

Originally titled “the Ugly Ones” (clearly a reference to Tomas Milian :’( :D) this is a well
acted/plotted/directed SW benefitting from a top class Richard Wyler performance as
he chases down greaseball bandito Milian (looking more slippery and oily than an eel :wink:

Spanish prolific director Eugenio Martin handles all the elements well and brings out
fine leading performances from Richard Wyler , Milian and Zalewska. Good fun to watch.

RICHARD WYLER was also the star of cult SW like the Rattler kid 1968 and Euro Spys…

My vote for The BOUNTY KILLER 1966 is 15 out of 20 .

Rattler Kid is surely no cult film. It’s typical mediocre, and Wyler is an uncomfortable looking actor who seems always misplaced in SWs. I say it again: I wished van Cleef had played his part in The Bounty Killer.

I agree totally that LEE VAN CLEEF would have been ideal as the bounty hunter.

RICHARD WYLER

Richard Wyler has made 4 very good, enjoyable SWs in the 1960s and he has a face
and presence that look “western” or “spaghetti”, even though he may be “uneasy” :o

BOUNTY KILLER 66 TWO GUNS FOR A COWARD 66 BORN A SWINE 67 RATTLER KID 68

Richard Wyler was good on TV as “Man From Interpol” and is well liked in films/TV. ;D

Tomas Milian I liked in DJANGO KILL 67 Companeros 70 and 1 or 2 others.

There we have one thing we could agree.

I also think not too much of Milian’s acting style. He was at best as baddie in this one and in his last SW 4 of the Apocalypse.
Also good as Cuchillo, but his excessive over-acting kills many of his roles from 69 onwards.

But here in The Bounty Hunter he plays Wyler “against the wall” (as the germans say).

Well, some might remeber that i was very disappointed when i saw this one for the first time(I bought it because it said somewhere milians first spaghetti, and i like him a lot!). Now I am surprised at how differently I can think of a film after second viewing. The first time i was really anoyed by the audio, and still it was hard to understand the english, especially milian is hard to get. but i took the time to rewatch some stuff in german(still the dub is too terrible to do the complete film in it)and with the sometimes appearing subtitles.
Well and this time I liked it a lot. All the parts i disliked now seemed to make sense to me. Still the village is too unkrowded but the effect is created.
It essentially succeeds at the same thing as Sergio leone intended with Giu la testa(at least according to Frayling): deconstructing the myth of the revolutioneer. It is the counterpart to movies as companeros even without them existing at this time. But milian is an ass, and not a hero as latter often.
So It got me on the second viewing and i am glad that i reviewed it.
By the way in my eyes the best mario brega role i have seen so far!

[quote=“valenciano, post:31, topic:474”]Well, some might remeber that i was very disappointed when i saw this one for the first time(I bought it because it said somewhere milians first spaghetti, and i like him a lot!). Now I am surprised at how differently I can think of a film after second viewing. The first time i was really anoyed by the audio, … So It got me on the second viewing and i am glad that i reviewed it.
By the way in my eyes the best mario brega role i have seen so far![/quote]
I was like this with Milian’s Run Man Run. Saw it the second time, with English language this time, so I didn’t have to concentrate on, and read, the subs. Fantastic … not very sure the first time round.
I highly rate Bounty Killer (as I think I’ve said elsewhere), and refering to another recent post, Brega’s great playing a twitchy child-molester in El Puro.

A bout of insomnia saw me watching this little beauty this morning at 4.30am.
What a great film. And Milian in top form.
I still can’t reconcile the fact that this film was directed by Eugenio Martin! He of Bad Man’s River fame. How does one man make such disparate quality films as these?

It’ strange all right. Maybe some of his assistants had a big input, for better (The bounty killer) or worse (Bad man’s river)?

Yeah, this one was indeed a good one. Milian wasn’t as over the top as he usually is.

[quote=“Phil H, post:33, topic:474”]A bout of insomnia saw me watching this little beauty this morning at 4.30am.
What a great film. And Milian in top form.
I still can’t reconcile the fact that this film was directed by Eugenio Martin! He of Bad Man’s River fame. How does one man make such disparate quality films as these?[/quote]

I realized Martin made Bad man’s river, not a great film of course, but the kind of movie I can appreciate when I’m tired or simply in the mood for a so-bad- it’s- okay(no, not good) movie.
But now I read in your review that he was also responsible for Pancho Villa, one of the biggest turkeys I have ever seen
Unbelievable

Bad man’s river was, in my opinion, one of those large scale productions that were meant to breathe new life into the genre; Red Sun, Take a hard ride and most Chop Choy Spaghettis were other examples; apart from a decent budget, several stars and - sometimes - a few good jokes, those films had little to offer. But take them for what they are and you might enjoy yourself.

Pancho Villa … well, I have no idea what Martin had in mind, but if you pick good old Chuck Connors for comic relief, you must be pretty desperate

Tomas Milian had a really great performance in The Bounty Killer. He stole the show of the leading actor Richard Wyler. Tomas Milian portrays one of the few villains in SW with a background story. Maybe because it’s after a story of Marvin H. Albert. Who also wrote the Novel to Western like Duel in Diablo (1966 with James Garner, Sidney Portier), Rough Night in Jericho(1967 with Dean Martin and Jean Simmons), Bullet for a Badman (1964 with Audrey Murphy), The Law and Jack Wade (1958 with Richard Widmark and Robert Taylor) and other Movies.

The Movie has some greats scenes with Tomas Milian. I also liked the beginning and the music score of the film. But Richard Wyler has no chance against Tomas Milian. Some of you mentioned Lee Van Cleef would have been a better Choice as the Bounty Killer. Couldn’t agree more.

One more vote against Wyler from me as well. I didn’t like him, his haircut or the way he was dressed. The thing that i annoyed me most though, was that WYler’s motives were not very clear, they were quite confusing in fact. Was he in it for the money or was he a bringer of justice, law and order? I don’t know…the direction confused me a lot on this issue and the result was that i had a hard time identifying with the hero/anti-hero. Apart from that, everything else works pretty fine in this film. I dare to say that Milian’s perfomance was my second favourite after the one in The Big Gundown. The death scene in the end was directed excellently, i was watching it again and again after the film…The english audio was also a bit of a problem, there were times i couldn’t catch a simple word, especially when Millian was talking, but as i saw many of you had the same problem as well. For the moment i’m giving The bounty killer a 3/5 hoping that things will improve a bit in the second viewing.

Maybe I saw a different movie, or was extremely tired at the time, but this movie was terribly boring. It was difficult for me to believe this was the same director responsible for the lively and enormously memorable horror film, HORROR EXPRESS starring Peter Cushing, Chris Lee and Telly Savalas. Incidentally, the miniature train seen in PANCHO VILLA was also used in HORROR EXPRESS (1972).

I’ll definitely be giving BOUNTY KILLER another spin soon to see if I’m missing out on something.

Horror Express is a favourite of mine

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