Machine Gun McCain
| Machine Gun McCain | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Giuliano Montaldo |
| Screenplay by | |
| Based on | Candyleg by Ovid Demaris |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Erico Menczer[1] |
| Edited by | Franco Fraticelli[1] |
| Music by | Ennio Morricone[1] |
Production company | Euroatlantica[1] |
| Distributed by | Euro International Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 116 minutes[1] |
| Country | Italy[1] |
| Language | English |
| Box office | 803,751,000 Italian lira |
Machine Gun McCain (Italian: Gli intoccabili, lit. '"The untouchables"') is a 1969 Italian crime film directed by Giuliano Montaldo. The film is based on the novel Candyleg by Ovid Demaris.[1]
Cast
- John Cassavetes as Hank McCain
- Britt Ekland as Irene Tucker
- Peter Falk as Charlie Adamo
- Gabriele Ferzetti as Don Francesco DeMarco
- Luigi Pistilli as Duke Mazzanga
- Margherita Guzzinati as Margaret DeMarco
- Claudio Biava as Barclay
- Steffen Zacharias as Abe Stilberman
- James Morrison as Joby Cuda
- Florinda Bolkan as Joni Adamo
- Tony Kendall as Pete Zacari
- Salvo Randone as Don Salvatore
- Gena Rowlands as Rosemary Scott
- Dan Gregory as The Baby-Faced Killer
Production
Machine Gun McCain was shot at both Incir-De Paolis and Dear Studios in Rome, as well as Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles.[1] Director Giuliano Montaldo stated that both Machine Gun McCain and Grand Slam were made to establish him in the film industry before making the films he wanted to make.[2] Montaldo stated that Cassavetes took the title role to finance his own films.[2]
Release
Machine Gun McCain was entered into the 1969 Cannes Film Festival.[3] It was released in Italy on 1 April 1969 where it was distributed by Euro International Film.[1] It grossed a total of 803,751,000 Italian lire on its theatrical run in Italy.[1] On its American release, the film was cut to 96 minutes.[1]
Reception
In a contemporary review, the Monthly Film Bulletin described the film as "executed with minimal flair, and thudding rather heavily on the moralist/social documentary side of the fence" and that "apart from an over-use of the Techniscope zoom lens, there's no style to speak of."[4] In a contemporary review, on reviewing the Blue Underground Blu-ray, Tom Charity described the film as "haphazardly scripted" but noted that it is "Cassavetes' participation alongside his soon-to be regular collaborator Falk and his wife Gena Rowlands that piques our curiosity" and that "Adroitly mixing stylish Roman interiors with colourful location work, fast-paced and featuring a ridiculously snappy Ennio Morricone dirge, 'The Ballad of Hank McCain', ... adds up to an attractive footnote to Cassavetes' career".[2]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Curti 2013, p. 29.
- ^ a b c Charity, Tom (November 2010). "Machine Gun McCain". Sight & Sound. 20 (11). British Film Institute: 88–89.
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: Machine Gun McCain". festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
- ^ "Machine Gun McCain". Monthly Film Bulletin. 37 (432). London: British Film Institute: 147. 1970.
References
- Curti, Roberto (2013). Italian Crime Filmography, 1968-1980. McFarland. ISBN 0786469765.
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External links
- 1969 films
- 1960s crime thriller films
- Italian films
- Italian crime films
- Italian thriller films
- English-language films
- Films directed by Giuliano Montaldo
- Films based on American novels
- Films set in California
- Films set in the Las Vegas Valley
- Films shot in the Las Vegas Valley
- Films shot in Los Angeles
- Films shot in Rome
- Films shot in San Francisco
- Films scored by Ennio Morricone