Western Wednesdays: Adios, Sabata (1970)

     The Spaghetti Western genre always contained elements of camp and burlesque. There is a heavy dose of black comedy that pervades Sergio Leone's famed dollars trilogy, particularly in the second installment, For a Few Dollars More. There also tends to be a somewhat rehearsed feeling to much of the action. Lee Van Cleef's Douglas Mortimer dispatches his bounty with a Bond-like coolness and proficiency, going so far as to carry a virtual armory in his saddlebag. As the genre progressed into the late 1960's these elements would become more common and more pronounced. Many Italian directors moved toward outright parody while others would pursue a more tone more in line with late Connery era Bond films, where the reality is heightened to an absurd degree yet everyone in the film takes it completely seriously. The master of this new breed of spaghetti westerns is certainly Gianfranco Parolini, whose earlier film, If You Meet Sartana, Pray for Your Death (1968) helped to establish a new and often imitated approach to the genre.

Lee Van Cleef in Sabata (1969)

     Adios, Sabata followed closely on the heels of Parolini's Sabata (1970), which featured Lee Van Cleef as a more larger-then-life version of his character from For a Few Dollars More. Originally it was intended as a stand-alone piece called Indio Black, but the film was redubbed for international audiences (that is, audiences outside of Italy) after the success of Sabata despite the fact that it starred Yul Brynner instead of Van Cleef. Ironically, Van Cleef turned down the main role instead opting to play Chris in The Magnificent Seven Ride, a role originally played by Brynner.

     The film is set in Mexico at the during the reign of Maximilian I, the brother of Austrian Emperor Joseph I, who took charge of the Mexican monarchy started by Napoleon III of France as part of his attempt to establish an ally in North America. If this sounds complicated, don't worry, the film doesn't attempt to explore the complicated politics of the period in any way, nor should it. The characters and their moralities in Parolini's films are pretty paper thin. You know that Sabata is the good guy because he gives money to monks and poor orphans but, at the same time, he's a loner who has no loyalty to political causes, including that of the revolutionaries who hire him. The villain, and you know he's the villain because he enjoys shooting unarmed prisoners in the back, an Austrian colonel named Skimmel, is played by Gérard Herter. Skimmel attempts to cover up his theft of the emperor's gold by blaming in on Mexican revolutionaries. To do this he has a fake shipment stolen by his own men, dressed up as Mexican bandits. Unbeknownst to Skimmel however, the real Mexican revolutionaries have hired Sabata to help them steal the shipment for themselves.

     The film's action centers around Sabata and his companions, including the  double-dealing, piano playing Ballantine (Dean Reed), the patriotic Escudo (Ignazio Spalla), and the tap dancing Septembre (Sal Borgese), who catapults lead balls with his feet. After seizing the gold shipment from Skimmel's men they spend most of the film running away from hired goons who want the gold for themselves (it is a little unclear who hired them and for what purpose). They eventually discover that the bags they think are filled with gold are actually filled with sand. The climax of the film focuses on their attempt to steal the gold back from Skimmel before he flees over the border with it. Along the way there are many twists, turns and double-crosses. The film ends with a scene reminiscent of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but punctuated by a moment that could have been pulled from Adam West Batman.

     Parolini's three Sabata films are often referred to as 'circus westerns, as the director delights in presenting over-the-top, comic-book like set-pieces. Adios, Sabata is no slouch in this area. From Sabata's harmonica lever-action rifle (a creation of the film) to Septembre's shoes with built in slingshots, to the Skimmel's model ship with canon's that fire bullets, this film is filled with Bond-like gadgetry and over-the-top acrobatics. The various shootouts usually end (or are escalated) by a character showing up with superior weaponry. Parolini handles these scenes with finesse, though there is some sloppy editing here and there, and Bruno Nicolai's rousing score perfectly captures the lively, tongue-in-the-cheek tone of the film.

     Adios, Sabata may not be a particularly deep film but it is a ton of fun. Featuring strong direction from Parolini, spectacular action scenes, solid performances, and a memorable score I would definitely recommend this film to any fan of the spaghetti western genre, though western purists may be better advised to steer clear.

Score: 8/10