Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears
– In this unusual spaghetti western departure for exploitation filmmaker Paolo Cavara (La Tarantola da..
In this unusual spaghetti western departure for exploitation filmmaker Paolo Cavara (La Tarantola dal Ventre Nero), two friends help Sam Houston work for Texas statehood. Johnny Ears (Franco Nero) and his deaf-mute sidekick Erastus "Deaf" Smith (Anthony Quinn) go after a Mexican general (Franco Graziosi) under orders from Germany to agitate the populace. The film looks terrific, thanks to cinematography by Tonino Delli Colli (Once Upon a Time in America), but is often lacking in the story department. Perhaps part of the blame belongs to co-screenwriter Harry Essex, fresh off the dreadful sci-fi flop Octaman (1971). Pamela Tiffin appears as a prostitute, and the film co-stars Tom Felleghy and Renato Romano.
29 Mar 1973
Italian
Some material may not be suitable for children. Parents urged to give "parental guidance". May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.
Paolo Cavara
Oscar Saul (screenplay), Harry Essex (screenplay)
Franco Nero, Anthony Quinn, Pamela Tiffin, Ira von Fürstenberg
Set in 1830's Texas just after the Republic won its independence from Mexico. The Republic's future is in doubt, with various factions and foreign powers hoping to sway matters to their own advantage. President Sam Houston instructs one of his agents, deaf-mute Erastus "Deaf" Smith, to infiltrate and put down one of the growing rebel factions. Accompanying him is his friend Johnny Ears, who must not only do Smith's hearing for him, but must also conceal Smith's handicap, as the rebels have intercepted a message that a deaf-mute spy is in their midst.