CHINA 9, LIBERTY 37

Spain/Italy, 1978, 109 minutes, Colour.
Warren Oates, Fabio Testi, Jenny Agutter, Sam Peckinpah.
Directed by Monte Hellman.

China 9, Liberty 37 is in the tradition of the spaghetti westerns as well as the tradition of the Sam Peckinpah westerns (epitomised by The Wild Bunch). Peckinpah himself has a cameo role in this film and the star is Warren Oates, who appeared in The Wild Bunch.

The film was made in Spain and has the characteristic look of the west, Spanish style. The film also highlights some of the key plot lines of the western: prison break, lone gunfighter, isolated family, marital strife, gamblers, saloons, gunfights, revenge.

The star is Giuliano Gemma, star of many westerns of the '60s and '70s. The international cast also includes Jenny Agutter as Warren Oates's wife.

The film was directed by Monty Hellmann, a cult director who has not made many films but is esteemed by film buffs and writers. His films include Ride the Whirlwind, Two-Lane? Black Top, Cockfighter (also with Warren Oates).

1.Interesting and entertaining western? The blend of the American traditions with European and spaghetti westerns? The violent western?

2.The Spanish locations, the town, the hills, the river, farms and the railway? The musical score in the spaghetti western tradition?

3.The title and its focus, the signpost, isolation, the towns, travelling, the lone gunfighter's riding?

4.The focus on the cowboy, the hanging, the escape? The deal? The character of the cowboy, his career? Leaving and travelling? Encountering Matt and settling? The work, the bond he made with the family? The commission to kill Matt? The attempts - and his decision not to kill him? The infatuation with Matt's wife, voyeur as she bathed in the river? The relationship with her, sexuality? The build-up to the confrontation, his leaving? The pursuit? The brothers and their pursuit? The build-up to vengeance and the gunfights, the shootouts? The irony of his help? The achievement? His future?

5.The background of railway interests and their wealth? The antagonism towards Matt? Wanting his farm? The deal with the cowboy to get rid of him? The financial deals, violence and murder? The manoeuvres?

6.Matt and his settling on the farm, the mine? In the way of the railway? His past and settling down? Work? His relationship with his brothers, their families, the family gatherings? With his wife, love for her? The tensions? The arrival of the cowboy, accepting him, in the shed, working? Growing suspicions? Their discussions? The killing? Anger, pursuit? The build up to the confrontation, the shootout? Being saved - but dying?

7.The wife and her relationship with her husband? How she came to be there, why she stayed? Their life together? The gunfighter's arrival, watching him, his watching her? Coming together? The morning after, her decisions? His leaving? The pursuit, her being taken, the shootout, the transformation of her life?

8.The railroad businessmen, their attitudes, greed, violence, deals?

9.The people in the town, the saloons, the gunfighters? The contrast with the settlers and farmers?

10.The influence of Sam Peckinpah, his presence in the film? The mythology of the western that he created? Highlighting the tension, the violence and its consequences on people?

11.Themes of law, order, justice? A stark west, a European view of the west and the American western?