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IMDbPro

A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die

Original title: Una ragione per vivere e una per morire
  • 19721972
  • PGPG
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
2K
YOUR RATING
James Coburn, Telly Savalas, and Bud Spencer in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
Union Colonel Pembroke (Coburn) rescues seven condemned men from the gallows in order to attack Fort Holman, which is commanded by the insane Confederate Major Frank Ward (Telly Savalas, Kojak). Under the guise of seizing the fortress for its strategic location, Pembroke in fact wants revenge for Ward's cowardly murder of his son. The siege that follows pits criminals and Confederates against each other in bloody battle. On this impossible mission, against impossible odds, who will survive?
Play trailer3:23
1 Video
61 Photos
Western
Branded a coward for surrendering his New Mexico fort to the Confederates without firing a shot, a Union colonel attempts to redeem himself by leading a band of condemned prisoners on a suic... Read allBranded a coward for surrendering his New Mexico fort to the Confederates without firing a shot, a Union colonel attempts to redeem himself by leading a band of condemned prisoners on a suicide mission to recapture it.Branded a coward for surrendering his New Mexico fort to the Confederates without firing a shot, a Union colonel attempts to redeem himself by leading a band of condemned prisoners on a suicide mission to recapture it.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
2K
YOUR RATING
    • Tonino Valerii
  • Writers
    • Ernesto Gastaldi(story)
    • Tonino Valerii(story)
    • Rafael Azcona(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • James Coburn
    • Bud Spencer
    • Telly Savalas
    • Tonino Valerii
  • Writers
    • Ernesto Gastaldi(story)
    • Tonino Valerii(story)
    • Rafael Azcona(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • James Coburn
    • Bud Spencer
    • Telly Savalas
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:23
    Watch Trailer

    Photos61

    Bud Spencer in It Can Be Done Amigo (1972)
    Bud Spencer in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    James Coburn in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    James Coburn and Telly Savalas in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    James Coburn in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    Bud Spencer in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    Telly Savalas in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    Telly Savalas in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    Telly Savalas and Bud Spencer in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    Bud Spencer in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    Bud Spencer in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
    Telly Savalas in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Coburn
    James Coburn
    • Colonel Pembroke
    Bud Spencer
    Bud Spencer
    • Eli Sampson
    Telly Savalas
    Telly Savalas
    • Major Ward
    Reinhard Kolldehoff
    Reinhard Kolldehoff
    • Sergeant Brent
    • (as René Kolldehoff)
    José Suárez
    José Suárez
    • Major Charles Ballard
    Francisco Sanz
    • Farmer
    • (as Paco Sanz)
    Ángel Álvarez
    Ángel Álvarez
    • Scully the Monger
    Mario Pardo
    Mario Pardo
    • Roger, Farmer's Son
    Ugo Fangareggi
    Ugo Fangareggi
    • Ted Wendall
    Concha Rabal
      Benito Stefanelli
      Benito Stefanelli
      • Samuel Pigott
      Guy Mairesse
      • Donald McIvers
      Alejandro de Enciso
        Fabrizio Moresco
        • Ward's Assistant
        Adolfo Lastretti
        Adolfo Lastretti
        • Will Fernandez
        Turam Quibo
        • Apache
        Carla Mancini
        Carla Mancini
        Joe Pollini
        • Union Sergeant
          • Tonino Valerii
        • Writers
          • Ernesto Gastaldi(story) (screenplay)
          • Tonino Valerii(story) (screenplay)
          • Rafael Azcona(screenplay)
        • All cast & crew
        • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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        Storyline

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        Did you know

        Edit
        • Trivia
          The homestead encountered when the group leave the train (at 43 minutes) is the same as the McBain homestead in Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
        • Goofs
          Car tyre marks clearly visible in the dust as the group ride away from the hanging in the early part of the movie.
        • Quotes

          Colonello Pembroke: Gentlemen, I can promise you nothing, except a chance to die honorable, and possibly live. In any case, freedom at the end.

        • Alternate versions
          For its initial American release, the film was cut to 92 minutes. This version still airs on the MGM-HD Channel.
        • Connections
          Edited into Dusk to Dawn Drive-in Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 9 (2002)

        User reviews19

        Review
        Review
        Featured review
        3/10
        If only there was a reason to watch
        This film stood on my must-see list for one reason, namely the three major names in the cast and particularly because I'm an enormous fan of Telly Savalas' naturally malignant charisma. I should have guessed, however, that Savalas' part here is not much more than an small supportive role during the last half hour and that everything else isn't worth sitting through, neither. "A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die" is a poor, dull and forgettable hybrid between Spaghetti Western and (Civil) War movie that steals ideas and stylistic aspects from numerous classics but doesn't contribute the slightest thing itself. Director Tonino Valerii carefully watched all the blockbuster hits that got released during previous years (like "The Dirty Dozen", "The Wild Bunch", "The Great Escape", "The Magnificent Seven"…) and mishmashes a familiar story of a group convicted criminals that are offered the choice between the noose or fighting along in a battle to re-conquer a lost fortress. Colonel Pembroke gave up the fortress all too easily and, in order to avoid total loss of dignity, he embarks on a crazy mission to reclaim it with an 8-headed posse of outcasts that he promised a gold treasure that isn't there. James Coburn, who looks like he's been sleeping under a bridge for two years, depicts the anti- hero Colonel, Bud Spencer – in a largely non-comical role – is one of his henchmen and the great Telly Savalas is the evil Confederate Major they have to chase out of the fortress. "A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die" is incredibly long and tedious, especially because it's mainly derivative plodding during the first hour and a half. The trek towards the fortress is full of clichéd obstacles and macho arguments, while the final battle is dire and unspectacular. Being an Italian western from the early seventies, there's an unforgivable shortness of violent action, filthy bastard characters and general nastiness.
        helpful•4
        4
        • Coventry
        • Aug 1, 2017

        Details

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        • Release date
          • August 6, 1973 (Spain)
          • Italy
          • France
          • West Germany
          • Spain
          • English
        • Also known as
        • Filming locations
          • Almería, Andalucía, Spain
        • Production companies
          • Atlántida Films
          • Europrodis
          • Heritage Entertainment Inc.
        • See more company credits at IMDbPro

        Technical specs

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        • 1 hour 32 minutes
          • Color
          • Mono

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        James Coburn, Telly Savalas, and Bud Spencer in A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
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