ma-cortes
In the beginning we are then introduced to our stalwart heroes from title role at a Cantina , there arrives Sacramento (Michael Forest) and , subsequently , a hunk man dressed in priest clothes called Jim (Fernando Bilbao or Fred Harrison) , there takes place the first brawls , punches , hits , slaps and kick-asses . Later on , on a train appears two bands attempting to rob a shipment of money from settlers , the first band is formed by Sacramento , Jim , and the Mexican Tequila (Luigi Bonos) and the second one led by an outfit of hoodlums (César Ojinaga , among others) hired by a nasty banker . But the protagonist trio get the robbed money . This crafty banker (Antonio Molino Rojo) then decides that he wants to get his hands on the money also and hires a bunch of bandits headed by Tony (Gaspar 'Indio' González) and rob it back . As Jim and his pals arrive in the small town , they are targeted by a the second outfit of robbers led by the astute banker . After getting away from unethical banker & his gang , they meet and help a group of women settlers led by the beautiful Jenny Mckinley (Malisa Longo) . Along the way, they face off new thieves , double-crosses , tramplers and a lot of twists and turns until an explosive final where is exploded : General supplies , Saloon ,livery stable , wall paper merchandise , dressmaker , General store , and other shops and buildings . Average and hilarious tortilla Western in Terence Hill/Bud Spencer style in which three drifters carry out several adventures , aboard a train , saloon brawls and resolve a conflict among nasty robbers that want to take an amount of money . All in all , this film is predominantly a Spanish film rather than an Italian one . It's a two country co-production but is clearly dominated by the Spanish contingent and the traditional leanings of the Spanish producers of the time have their stamp on the entire proceedings . The Spanish westerns of this era were far more likely to try and emulate their American source material than cultivate a distinctive style of their own the way the Italians were doing but their product , though this "Now They Call Him Sacramento" has penchant for hilarious happenings , as if you like comical westerns remains lightly watchable . "I Bandoleros Della Dodicesima Ora" or ¨Le Llamban Calamidad¨ starts off with a colorful opening credits with Sacramento/Michael Forest attempting to tame his horse , it tends to center on the protagonists , likable Michael Forest , brawler Fernando Bilbao and sexy female cast member , Malisa Longo . Mediocre Butifarra Western realized in laughable style with a screenplay written by Giovanni Simonelli and the same filmmaker Alfonso Balcazar , including amusing dialogue , silly situations , plot twists and turns . Italian-Spanish co-production filmed in Catalunya , full of familiar faces , action , exaggerated characters , crossfire and lots of shots and fights . The film packs comical elements , tongue-in-cheek , thrills , shootouts , brawls , and results to be quite entertaining . It's a middle-budget film with ordinary actors , technicians , decent production values and average results . There is plenty of action in the movie , guaranteeing some shoot'em up or stunts every few minutes . It's an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between starring Michael Forest/Fernando Bilbao and his enemies , adding some thrilling scenes when takes place the small town destruction with plenty of explosions . In fact , ¨Le Llamaban Calamidad¨ can be considered the ¨swan-song¨ of the Paella/Tortilla or Chorizo Western , that's why the Western town in ¨Spugles De Llobregat¨ where during the 60s and70s had been shot hundreds of Westerns was really destroyed by blowing ups seen in the film , as producer/director Balcazar went to bankrupt and had to sell the terrains . The cast and support cast are passable . As sympathetic acting by starring quartet . Furthermore , there appears ordinary secondaries of Spaghetti/Paella Western , as Spanish players : Antonio Molino Rojo , Manuel Muñiz ¨Pajarito¨, Cesar Ojinaga , among others . The picture being regularly photographed by Jaime Deu Casas , though is necessary a fine remastering because the film-copy is washed-out . Mostly filmed in atmospheric scenarios on location in Fraga , (Huesca) , similar to Almeria , and a Western village located in ¨Spugles De Llobregat¨ , it resulted to be the location where were shot lots of Westerns produced and directed by Catalan people as Alfonso Balcazar , J.J. Balcazar , Jose Antonio De La Loma , Juan Bosch , Xavier Marchal , Manuel Esteba , Ignacio F. Iquino , and Julio Buchs , among others , because Almeria was too far and the Fraga landscapes bear remarkable resemblance . There are many fine technicians and nice assistant direction and adequate production design by the usual Juan Albert Soler , he creates an acceptable scenario . Anti-climatic musical score by Willy Brezza in Guido and Maurizio De Angelis wake . This motion picture was middleingly directed by Alfonso Balcazar , and with no originality ; he managed to make a fluid and filled with punches as well as fighting Western , though mediocre . Alfonso alongside his brothers Juan Jose Balcazar and Francisco Balcázar produced and directed a lot of Chorizo or Butifarra Western , most of them starred by Jorge Martin or George Martin , Luis Davila , Daniel Martin or Robert Woods ; such as 1972 The return of Clint , 1972 Judas... ¡Toma Monedas! , 1968 Sartana no Perdone or Sonora , 1967 With Death on Your Back, 1966 Dinamita Jim , 1965 Doc , Manos De Plata , 1965 Viva Carrancho , 1965 Five Thousand Dollars on One Ace . Rating : 4.5/10 . Average
Wizard-8
In the 1970s, the spaghetti western was in a decline, both in the amount that were being made every year, but also in the average quality. "Now They Call Him Sacramento" is proof of the latter, a spaghetti western so bad that it has to be one of the worst ever made. It's a cheap enterprise; evidently 90% of the budget was reserved for the climatic sequence of a western town being destroyed. I'll admit this destruction looks kind of impressive, but the sixty minutes that run before it are extremely threadbare, with tacky production values, such as the evident fact that the Italian filmmakers couldn't afford to shoot in Spain but shot in the green and lush Italian countryside. The rest of the movie is just as bad. The story makes no sense, with characters (a number who are never even named) with confusing motives and alliances. And while the movie aims to be comic, the various gags (including a lot of slapstick fighting) have no grace or comic timing. An AWFUL movie!
