Compañeros
Encyclopedia
Compañeros is an Italian
Zapata-themed spaghetti western
film directed by Sergio Corbucci
in 1970
. The film stars Franco Nero
, Tomas Milian
, Jack Palance
and Fernando Rey
. The soundtrack for the film was written by Ennio Morricone
, and the orchestra was conducted by Bruno Nicolai
.
Compañeros is one of Corbucci's (Django
) best-known westerns, as well as one of the best-known spaghetti westerns altogether. The film has been compared to Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo ("The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", 1966), as it intertwines the paths of several characters in the middle of a conflict, but takes place during the Mexican Revolution
instead of the American Civil War
. Due to the setting and Nero's and Milian's characters, it is similar also to Corbucci's earlier Zapata western, Il mercenario ("The Mercenary"), which was released two years earlier. Alejandro Ulloa was the cinematographer for both films.
Compañeros is the only film in which the two stars of Italian genre films, Franco Nero and Tomas Milian, acted together. Nero later complained that Corbucci concentrated too much on Milian, and refused to act in ¡Viva la muerte... tua! ("Long Live Your Death", 1971), if Corbucci was to direct it.
) soon arrives on the scene and hires El Vasco to his revolutionary gang. However, Mongo is more interested in gaining fortune for himself than for his country. Yodlaf Peterson (Nero), a Swedish
mercenary arrives in Mexico
to sell guns to General Mongo. The safe containing the money is locked and only Professor Xantos (Rey) knows the combination. Xantos is the leader of a student counter-revolution that opposes violence, and is held in a prison by the United States
army, after he tried to find funding from the US and did not agree to give the monopoly of his country's entire oil wealth in return.
El Vasco dislikes the suit-wearing Peterson and calls him a "penguin", but at the suggestion of General Mongo, the two reluctantly join forces and set out to capture Xantos. Their task is made harder by the American army and a wooden-armed American named John (Palance), who wants to exact revenge on Peterson, his former business partner. Peterson had left John to die after he was crucified, and his pet hawk had to peck his right hand off to save him. In order to maximize their personal gain and to support Xantos' rebel fighters, El Vasco and Peterson have to doublecross Mongo. They receive help from Lola (Iris Berben
), the leader of Xantos' rebel group, to whom El Vasco develops a crush, and her group of young revolutionaries.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Zapata-themed spaghetti western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
film directed by Sergio Corbucci
Sergio Corbucci
Sergio Corbucci was an Italian film director. He is best known for his very violent yet intelligent spaghetti westerns...
in 1970
1970 in film
The year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career....
. The film stars Franco Nero
Franco Nero
Franco Nero is an Italian actor.-Early life:Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense , the son of a sergeant in the...
, Tomas Milian
Tomas Milian
Tomás Milián is a Cuban-American actor best known for having worked extensively in Italian films from the late 1950s to the 1980s.-Career in Italy:...
, Jack Palance
Jack Palance
Jack Palance , was an American actor. During half a century of film and television appearances, Palance was nominated for three Academy Awards, all as Best Actor in a Supporting Role, winning in 1991 for his role in City Slickers.-Early life:Palance, one of five children, was born Volodymyr...
and Fernando Rey
Fernando Rey
Fernando Casado Arambillet , best known as Fernando Rey, was a Spanish film, theatre, and TV actor, who worked in both Europe and the United States...
. The soundtrack for the film was written by Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
, and the orchestra was conducted by Bruno Nicolai
Bruno Nicolai
Bruno Nicolai was an Italian film music composer, orchestra director and musical editor most active in the 1960s through the 1980s...
.
Compañeros is one of Corbucci's (Django
Django (film)
Django is a 1966 Italian spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Franco Nero in the eponymous role. The film earned a reputation as being one of the most violent films ever made up to that point and was subsequently refused a certificate in Britain until 1993, when it was...
) best-known westerns, as well as one of the best-known spaghetti westerns altogether. The film has been compared to Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo ("The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", 1966), as it intertwines the paths of several characters in the middle of a conflict, but takes place during the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
instead of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Due to the setting and Nero's and Milian's characters, it is similar also to Corbucci's earlier Zapata western, Il mercenario ("The Mercenary"), which was released two years earlier. Alejandro Ulloa was the cinematographer for both films.
Compañeros is the only film in which the two stars of Italian genre films, Franco Nero and Tomas Milian, acted together. Nero later complained that Corbucci concentrated too much on Milian, and refused to act in ¡Viva la muerte... tua! ("Long Live Your Death", 1971), if Corbucci was to direct it.
Plot
During the Mexican Revolution, a peasant named El Vasco (Milian) starts a revolt in his town by killing the army colonel in charge. Rebel leader and self-appointed General Mongo (José BódaloJosé Bódalo
José Bódalo was an Argentine born Spanish film actor.-Biography:Bódalo was born in Córdoba, Argentina, the son of actress Eugenia Zúffoli and actor and singer Jose Bodalo, Sr....
) soon arrives on the scene and hires El Vasco to his revolutionary gang. However, Mongo is more interested in gaining fortune for himself than for his country. Yodlaf Peterson (Nero), a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
mercenary arrives in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to sell guns to General Mongo. The safe containing the money is locked and only Professor Xantos (Rey) knows the combination. Xantos is the leader of a student counter-revolution that opposes violence, and is held in a prison by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
army, after he tried to find funding from the US and did not agree to give the monopoly of his country's entire oil wealth in return.
El Vasco dislikes the suit-wearing Peterson and calls him a "penguin", but at the suggestion of General Mongo, the two reluctantly join forces and set out to capture Xantos. Their task is made harder by the American army and a wooden-armed American named John (Palance), who wants to exact revenge on Peterson, his former business partner. Peterson had left John to die after he was crucified, and his pet hawk had to peck his right hand off to save him. In order to maximize their personal gain and to support Xantos' rebel fighters, El Vasco and Peterson have to doublecross Mongo. They receive help from Lola (Iris Berben
Iris Berben
Iris Berben is a German actress. She grew up in Hamburg, where her parents ran a restaurant....
), the leader of Xantos' rebel group, to whom El Vasco develops a crush, and her group of young revolutionaries.
Cast
- Franco NeroFranco NeroFranco Nero is an Italian actor.-Early life:Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense , the son of a sergeant in the...
- Yodlaf 'Penguin' Peterson - Tomas MilianTomas MilianTomás Milián is a Cuban-American actor best known for having worked extensively in Italian films from the late 1950s to the 1980s.-Career in Italy:...
- El Vasco - Jack PalanceJack PalanceJack Palance , was an American actor. During half a century of film and television appearances, Palance was nominated for three Academy Awards, all as Best Actor in a Supporting Role, winning in 1991 for his role in City Slickers.-Early life:Palance, one of five children, was born Volodymyr...
- John - Fernando ReyFernando ReyFernando Casado Arambillet , best known as Fernando Rey, was a Spanish film, theatre, and TV actor, who worked in both Europe and the United States...
- Prof. Xantos - Iris BerbenIris BerbenIris Berben is a German actress. She grew up in Hamburg, where her parents ran a restaurant....
- Lola - José BódaloJosé BódaloJosé Bódalo was an Argentine born Spanish film actor.-Biography:Bódalo was born in Córdoba, Argentina, the son of actress Eugenia Zúffoli and actor and singer Jose Bodalo, Sr....
- Gen. Mongo - Eduardo FajardoEduardo FajardoEduardo Fajardo is a Spanish film actor. He appeared in over 160 films between 1947 and 2002.He was born in Pontevedra, Spain.-Selected filmography:* Reckless * Tizoc * Django...
- Colonel - Karin SchubertKarin SchubertKarin Schubert is a German actress. She appeared in film roles in the 1970s before becoming a pornographic actress in the 1980s.In 1971, she appeared in the film of Gérard Oury, La folie des grandeurs....
- Zaira - Gino Pernice - Tourneur
- Gerard TichyGerard TichyGérard Tichy was a Spanish actor of German descent, who appeared in numerous movies, including several international productions. He was born in Weißenfels, Germany, on March 11, 1920, and died in Madrid, Spain, on April 11, 1992.Tichy participated in World War II and held the rank of a...
- Lieutenant