Sartana the Gravedigger

Sartana the Gravedigger, also known as I Am Sartana, Your Angel of Death (1969), is a captivating western, directed by Giuliano Carnimeo and starring Gianni Garko, Frank Wolff, and Ettore Manni. This is the second in a five-film series featuring the character Sartana. A spaghetti western at its purest, Sartana the Gravedigger captivates with its flamboyant display of larger-than-life characters, quick-draw gunfights, atypical Western landscape, and an entrapping storyline that keeps one guessing from start to finish.

The film opens with our titular hero, Sartana (Gianni Garko), framed for a bank robbery. Sartana is not your typical western hero. He's suave, mysterious, intelligent, lethal with a gun, and has a playfully dark sense of humor. He's quick on the trigger and even quicker with his wits. After being framed for a crime he didn’t commit, he sets out to investigate the plot and unravel the sequence of deceit to clear his name. This sets in motion a roller-coaster ride of dramatic confrontations, double-crossing, and an intricate web of conspiracies and betrayals.

Frank Wolff excellently plays the character of Buddy Ben, Sartana’s chief nemesis who possesses a veneer of respectability but constantly finds himself in a battle of wits and superior gunmanship with Sartana. Sartana’s other adversary is Jeff Steward (Ettore Manni), a man with a murky past. The dynamics between these main characters and the very palpable tension are one of the film’s high points.

Despite being a western, the movie takes a more urban setting, placing its characters in bustling towns instead of the traditional arid, desolate landscapes. This fresh outlook adds a vivid portrayal of the Wild West with steamy saloons, precarious poker games, and the inevitable confrontation between law and outlaws creating an atmospheric sense of unease and suspense.

Garko's portrayal of Sartana is a delightful mix of coolness and eccentricity. His performance is confident and nuanced, bringing an air of mystery to Sartana that never fully reveals his thoughts or intentions. Sartana’s uncanny ability to conjure tricks and lethal devices rather than relying on brute force makes him a much more interesting character to follow.

Director Carnimeo masterfully plays with visuals in the film. This is especially evident in the infamous card game scene, where the direction, acting, and cinematography combine to create a suspense-filled atmosphere that perfectly sums up the spirit of the film. Pierluigi is a treasure trove of unforgettable shooting scenes. His ability to evoke tension, intrigue, and excitement through gun-slinging sequences is truly mesmerizing.

The soundtrack, composed by Vasco and Mancuso, complements the movie perfectly. It has the signature spaghetti western tunes – twangy guitars and dramatic brass music – but it also incorporates a score that is playfully eerie. This mix of traditional and innovative scores makes the music as much a character of the movie as Sartana himself.

But don’t mistake Sartana the Gravedigger as being a purely serious, drama-filled film. There’s plenty of humor woven into the fabric of the narrative. Whether it’s in the characters' witty one-liners or the inventive ways they try to outdo each other, this element of humor makes the movie more resonant and enjoyable.

All in all, Sartana the Gravedigger is an exceptional spaghetti western. It's a perfect blend of action, mystery, dark humor, and existential themes. The movie never lets up, continually throwing curveballs at both its characters and the audience, leading to a thrilling climax that should satisfy any fan of the western genre. The appeal of the Sartana series lies in its ability to keep the audience on edge and guessing, with unexpected plot twists, enigmatic characters, and a terrific lead who, much like his character, keeps viewers off balance with his unique blend of humor and ice-cold resolve.