THE TRAMPLERS 1966
Gordon Scott, Joseph Cotten, James Mitchum, Franco Nero, Romolo Puppa
Lon Cordine (Scott) returns home after the Civil War is over to find his father Temple (Cotten) carrying on a private war killing any Yankees they come across. Riffs between the family cause brother to fight against brother that builds to a violent conclusion.
The inspiration for Corbucci's HELLBENDERS is a very good and dramatic western. It resembles an American western more than an Italian oater, although a couple of scenes of rather strong violence favors the latter.
Former Tarzan and peplum star Gordon Scott is impressive as the films hero. Certainly one of the better actors to come out of the Italian Fusto movies when the westerns took over, Scott plays Lon as a level headed man who only wants to put the war behind him and make peace with his family but this proves impossible as Temple has become something of a madman sending Lon to "talk" to Charlie Garvin (Franco Nero in his first western) to keep him away from one of his daughters. Of course, Lon has no intention of killing the man so Temple sends two of his equally homicidal sons to make sure Garvin is killed. This begins the downward spiral of the Cordine family.
Hobie (Mitchum) is the greenhorn who wants to prove himself a useful addition to the family. He heads off on a mission ahead of Lon, Garvin and his wife only to return missing an arm. From here on out, his character begins rather cold and doesn't mind shooting a man while he's down. He never strays from his brother Lon's side, but his character transforms into a darker version of his former self.
Cotten isn't quite as sadistic as he is in HELLBENDERS, but he is villainous. Like the later film, he firmly believes that what he is doing is right and just. Cotten's comeuppance is a bit more bittersweet here than the poetic justice meted out in HELLBENDERS.
Nero makes his western debut here and does nothing to really stand out. But he has a good look about him which was what attracted Corbucci to him in the first place to make him the star of the legendary DJANGO from the same year.
The score isn't particularly memorable but the movie is and while it's not the most action packed western out there, the dramatic elements make up for this and the finale is good as Lon and Hobie are pinned down in a hotel with numerous gunfighters and their brothers gunning for them outside. If you liked HELLBENDERS, you may also like this one, too.
