Too much of everything

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Fresh and Exciting

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This film stood on my must-see list for one reason, namely the three major names in the cast and particularly because I'm an enormous fan of Telly Savalas' naturally malignant charisma. I should have guessed, however, that Savalas' part here is not much more than an small supportive role during the last half hour and that everything else isn't worth sitting through, neither. "A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die" is a poor, dull and forgettable hybrid between Spaghetti Western and (Civil) War movie that steals ideas and stylistic aspects from numerous classics but doesn't contribute the slightest thing itself. Director Tonino Valerii carefully watched all the blockbuster hits that got released during previous years (like "The Dirty Dozen", "The Wild Bunch", "The Great Escape", "The Magnificent Seven"…) and mishmashes a familiar story of a group convicted criminals that are offered the choice between the noose or fighting along in a battle to re-conquer a lost fortress. Colonel Pembroke gave up the fortress all too easily and, in order to avoid total loss of dignity, he embarks on a crazy mission to reclaim it with an 8-headed posse of outcasts that he promised a gold treasure that isn't there. James Coburn, who looks like he's been sleeping under a bridge for two years, depicts the anti- hero Colonel, Bud Spencer – in a largely non-comical role – is one of his henchmen and the great Telly Savalas is the evil Confederate Major they have to chase out of the fortress. "A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die" is incredibly long and tedious, especially because it's mainly derivative plodding during the first hour and a half. The trek towards the fortress is full of clichéd obstacles and macho arguments, while the final battle is dire and unspectacular. Being an Italian western from the early seventies, there's an unforgivable shortness of violent action, filthy bastard characters and general nastiness.

"A Reason to Live; A Reason to Die" is a American Civil War saga about a cashiered Union colonel who commands twelve condemned men to carry out a suicide mission. Initially, this do-or-die adventure epic opens like a "Dirty Dozen" clone before it turns into quasi-"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." Although Colonel Pembroke (James Coburn of "Duck, You Sucker") wants to clear himself of being a traitor, he really wants to appropriate a half-million dollars in gold from impregnable Fort Holman. Pembroke's nemesis at Holman is none other than Telly Savalas! Savalas' presence bolsters the allusion to "The Dirty Dozen." As the commandant of Fort Holman, Savalas is not going to take the easy way out. Tonino Valerii of "Day of Anger" helmed this standard-issue, Spaghetti western. Rafael Azcona and Ernesto Gastaldi co-wrote the screenplay about treacherous men with Valerii. Gastaldi had penned his share of Spaghettis, including "My Name Is Nobody," "Man from Nowhere," "Arizona Colt Returns," and "10,000 Dollars for a Massacre." Previously, Azcona and Gastaldi had co-written the Bud Spencer comedy oater "I Can Be Done, Amigo." The splendid, sun-baked scenery of Southern Spain; a seasoned cast headed up by Coburn and Savalas, and Riz Ortolani's flavorful orchestral soundtrack are the chief assets of "A Reason to Live; A Reason to Die." Actually, most of Ortolani's score sounds like excerpts from his "Day of Anger" soundtrack. Valerii creates some moments of suspense, particularly when they are stringing a rope to themselves. Bud Spencer goes in undercover as a Confederate soldier to help Pembroke and his men get into Fort Holman.Interestingly, although neither the director nor the writers drew any parallels to history, "A Reason to Live; A Reason to Die" sounds something like the siege of Vicksburg. At Vicksburg, on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, Pennsylvania born John Pemberton commanded the city and forted themselves up against the Union Army and U.S. Grant. Eventually, Grant starved the Confederates out of Vickburg and Pemberton was branded as a traitor for surrendering the city. When the Union Army captured Vicksburg, they cut the Confederacy in half, severing the Eastern Theater from the Western Theater. The officers in "A Reason to Live; A Reason to Die" depicts Fort Holman as a stronghold for the Union. When Pembroke gave up the fort, he was branded as a traitor like Pemberton for losing Vicksbug. Of course, events have been changed throughout the film, but you can see the dregs of history percolate up to the surface. In this respect, "A Reason to Live; A Reason to Die" isn't strictly a western

Two men, Colonel Pembroke(JAMES COBURN)and Eli Sampson(BUD SPENCER),stand in the middle of a fortress, Fort Holman, littered with dead bodies, in the aftermath of a bloody battle. The story is told in flashback and as the two men leave the deserted and destroyed fortress, the film begins from the start and depicts the events leading up to the massacre. During the American Civil war, a disgraced Colonel Pembroke is brought back to his union superiors after having escaped from a Confederate prisoner of war camp and been arrested for looting. It turns out that Pembroke was in charge of the garrison at Fort Holman, but surrendered to Confederate Major Ward(TELLY SAVALAS)and his rebel forces without a single shot being fired, which allowed Ward to take over the Fort without a fight. Although branded a coward and a traitor, Pembroke's superior officer gives him the chance top redeem himself, by re-taking Fort Holman. Pembroke selects 6 men to take with him on his mission,4 convicts, a dubious army Sergeant and Eli, whom he met shortly after his escape from the POW camp. As the men set out on their mission, we soon find out Pembroke's personal motivation for giving up the fort, and wanting to take it back...A REASON TO LIVE,A REASON TO DIE is one of my favourite Spaghetti Westerns,the highlight of the whole film has got to be the climatic battle inside Fort Holman.The whole sequence was spectacular, exhilarating,absolutely riveting and shot in a fun, exciting way.As with every other Spaghetti western, the stunts in this sequence are awesome, the shots of masses of soldiers being gunned down by Gatling Guns and pistols and furiously flinching, falling down steps and off of walls as they got shot were fantastic and sent my pulse pounding and adrenaline surging through my veins. The massive explosions were mind blowing and the shots of the wagon sheds angrily exploding with flames tearing them apart blew me away, I was completely awestruck by how I could feel the thundering impact of every explosion as the camera shook violently every time something was blown apart. Pembroke and his men kick ass and raise hell in rollicking Spaghetti western fashion as they throw packs of Dynamite over the fort walls and into the fort, destroying the entire place and taking out dozens of men and tearing up buildings. One part in this sequence which made me laugh was when Eli grabs two soldiers manning a Gatling Gun, bashes their heads together and throws them off of the fort wall. I was extremely impressed by the Fort Holman set and awestruck just by how vast and huge it was and how expertly designed and built it was.This final battle is the only action scene in the whole film and the director does a great job in building up to this explosive, ear shattering, all-guns-blazing finale.The cinematography was incredible, with stunning shots of the rocky, sun baked mountains, as I've already stated, the excitement and energy of the final battle is captured magnificently. The shots of the Steam Engine chuntering down the track early in the film were also excellent. I thought Colonel Pembroke was a strong character and was portrayed excellently by James Coburn, even though he gets very little screen time, Telly Savalas absolutely superb as the crazed Major ward, I loved the part during the battle in which he shoots a deserting soldier before screaming "There'll be no time for court martials, EXECUTION ON THE SPOT". Bud Spencer was magnificent and the guy who played the brutal union Sergeant also gave a decent performance, I also thought the dubbing was terrific, although the voices of James Coburn and Telly Savalas sounded genuine, I thought the rough, deep voices of the characters were cool/The storyline was appealing, interesting and marvellously gritty and the pacing was satisfactory with the men constantly getting closer to the fortress. The final scene between Colonel Pembroke and Major Ward was chilling, taut and really nail biting and shot in a mind blowing, gut wrenching way, I sensed a brief anti war comment at the end of the film when Colonel Pembroke cuts down the confederate flag, then throws down his sword and takes off his gun belt and throwing it on the ground. I had no fingers left after the men scaled the cliff face, the shots here were amazing too.Riz Ortolani's score was exceptional, the title music was beautiful, it reminded me of the music in the American westerns of the 40s and 50s.The hairs on the back of my neck stood up prior to the battle as Pembroke and his men emerge on a ridge and shoot two guys before Pembroke screams "GO GET EM" and the men charge towards the fortress and begin hurling dynamite over it's walls as the epic soundtrack plays in the background.A REASON TO LIVE,A REASON TO DIE is a flawless Spaghetti Western,it has an engrossing, intriguing and intelligent civil war storyline,fantastic script and characters, stupendous and brisk camera-work, a tremendous soundtrack which sounds magnificent in the film, dozens of intense and exciting scenes which are well directed, shot and paced and an electrifying,out-of-this-world action sequence to top it all off.10/10.

Who wouldn't jump at the chance to get off a gallows and take a chance at living? The motivation is, of course, gold...lot's of it. James Coburn does a very good job of portraying a soldier seeking justice for his murdered wife, and goes after Telly Sevallis with a vengance, using condemmed men as his team. Much like the Dirty Dozen, but without the military structure of WWII. Liked this movie but the sound track is typically Italian...overmodulated and scratchy. When I first saw this film I thought I was watching a Sergio Leone spaghetti western...even the music sounded the same. In spite of the similes and plagarised plots from other films in this genre, this one still turned out well. Good photography and special effects. Hope someday someone will remaster the sound and turn out a smashing DVD. Enjoy!