Run, Man, Run! (1968)

One of the best spaghettis from a different Sergio

While Sergio Leone and Sergio Corbucci get much of the attention from spaghetti fans, and deservedly so, director Sergio Sollima had his fair share of quality spaghetti westerns, and this sequel to The Big Gundown may be the best one. Picking up where TBG left off, Cuchillo is arrested for running away from a soldier even though he didn't do anything, and thrown in a cell with Ramirez, a revolutionary leader who preaches peace. Cuchillo helps him escape, but when they run into a bandit gang, Ramirez is killed, but not before telling Cuchillo where $3 million in gold is hidden across the border in the Texas town of Burton City. Wasting no time, Cuchillo hits the trail with bounty hunters, bandits, French assasins left behind by Maximillian, an angry fiance, and a pretty Salvation Army officer giving chase. As I was watching this, I thought 'if It's A Mad, Mad World' was ever made into a spaghetti western, this would be it. Don't get me wrong though, that's not a bad thing, I loved the movie. A lot of fun from beginning to end with some good laughs and action that does not disappoint. Adding a score that Sollima admits Ennio Morricone did even though Bruno Nicolai is credited, this is a must-see spaghetti westerns for fans of the genre looking for above average movies in the vein of Leone or Corbucci. Don't miss it.

Continuing his portrayal of Manuel Sanchez, "Cuchillo," that he started in The Big Gundown with Lee Van Cleef, Tomas Milian is great as the knife-wielding Mexican peon who stumbles into an opportunity to pick up three million in gold. Milian made his fair share of spaghetti westerns, but for me, this was his best part. Character actor Donal O'Brien has a great part as Nathaniel Cassidy, a former sheriff and revolutionary who now only fights for himself, although he does eventually team up with Cuchillo in search of the gold. John Ireland is good in a small part as Santallina, a revolutionary leader who hopes to use the gold to support the people and his troops. The very pretty Chelo Alonso plays Dolores, Cuchillo's angry fiance who wants nothing more than to settle down but ends up on the trail trying to protect him. Linda Veras is good as Penny Bennington, a Salvation Army officer traveling across Mexico who Cuchillo meets along the way. Marco Guglielmi and Luciano Rossi are creepy as Col. Sevigny and Jean Paul, French assasins on Cuchillo's trail. Nello Pazzafini seems to be enjoying himself as Riza, the bandit leader who says he fights for the people but is really in it for himself. And in a small but effective part, Jose Torres plays Ramirez, the peaceful revolutionary who befriends Cuchillo and ultimately trusts him with the secret of where the gold is hidden. Milian is great in leading the movie, but top to bottom, the cast is good.

Thanks to Blue Underground, there's some high quality DVDs out there with special features, especially Run, Man, Run. It offers a great looking widescreen presentation that really shows off the Almerian locations. The special features include "Run, Man, Run: 35 Years Running," a great 17-minute documentary with interviews from Milian and Sollima, as well as "Italians Western Style," a highly enjoyable 37-minute feature narrated by Frank Wolff with interviews from Sollima, Corbucci, Enzo Castellari, Jean-Louis Trintignant, and Chuck Connors that tries to explain the appeal of the spaghetti genre in a campy sort of way. Other features include a trailer, a still/poster gallery, the Italian credit sequence, and bios on Milian and Sollima. Fans of spaghetti westerns shouldn't miss this one. It's a great movie with Milian leading the way and offering plenty of good extras. Don't miss Run, Man, Run! September 4, 2008

Another Perfect Italian Western

Everything is here, so please give it a chance, and if your not an Italian western fan don't criticize it, there's only a selected few who are
R.I.P Donal O'Brien March 5, 2008

One of the best non-Leone spaghetti westerns

While Run Man Run is often cited as the inferior sequel to The Big Gundown, I think it is actually a superior film. The Big Gundown is a much more formulaic movie, and although Run Man Run does not have Lee Van Cleef, Donal O'Brien holds his own in this movie and is not overly derivative of other spaghetti western characters. This movie is pretty funny and is more effective as a comedy than the Trinity movies. In addition, the theme song has a beautiful rousing melody that provides Run Man Run with an energy that it maintains throughout. So, I disagree with other reviewers, I do not think this movie dragged at any point.

I think this movie would appeal to just about anyone who enjoys the movies. It really provides a light-hearted, good time at the movies, and this print of it is also very clear and clean. I have seen it three times since I bought it and I'm sure I will see it again. September 26, 2007

Ok... Nothing like it's predecesor

I bought this film shortly after I saw The Big Gundown. I was hoping it would be as good but it wasn't. I wasn't bad but some of it was lame. Tomas Milian was funny at times with his Cuban accent when he was cursing. As in The Big Gundown, you don't get to see too many knife throwing scenes but the ones seen where cool. If you can locate, get The Big Gundown. The DVD quality is fantastic as all of Blue Underground releases. March 11, 2007

You'd Better Run

Italy cranks out another great western and further proves why they're better at films about the wild west than the Americans are. The plot on a whole isn't terribly original, but there's enough cleverness sprinkled throughout the film. The always lovable Tomas Milian's a Mexican bandit who holds the key to 3 million in gold. On his search for it, he's persued by just about everyone under the sun including bounty hunters, mexican revolutionaries, a badazz gunslinger, a chick from the salvation army, and his own fiancee. Milian is no Eastwood(that role's left to Italian regular Donal O'Brien), his hero is more like a weasley sidekick you'd see in a Leone western. He's a whiz with the throwing knives, and isn't afraid to put a bit of humor into the character when it's needed. The title of the film refers to numerous scenes where someone(sometimes himself) is telling him to "Run!". While it may not be as good as Django or Companeros, Run Man Run is a worthy addition to your spaghetti western collection. Plus it comes with a cool 60s documentary on spaghetti westerns and a 17 minute interview with Milian and director Sollima. August 1, 2006

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