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The Big Gundown

The Big Gundown is a 1966 film from Italy and Spain, directed by Sergio Sollima, running 110 minutes. reelscum files it under spaghetti western.

Poster for The Big Gundown
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Year
1966 · 1960s films
Country
Italy · Spain
Runtime
110 min
Updated
29 Oct 2026
Obscurity
known (33/100)

Defined in the glossary: Spaghetti western

Sollima's best. A manhunt that keeps turning into a political argument.

Sergio Sollima's best film, a manhunt that keeps turning into a political argument. A celebrated lawman with senatorial ambitions is sent to capture a Mexican peasant accused of rape and murder, and the closer he gets the more the official story falls apart.

Lee Van Cleef is the hunter and Tomas Milian the hunted, and the film uses the chase to interrogate class and justice on the border. Morricone's score is among his most exciting. It is smarter than its premise lets on.

A thinking person's spaghetti western, and unjustly overshadowed by Leone.

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