A COFFIN FULL OF DOLLARS

Last week Encore Westerns aired an excellent print of this spaghetti western under the aka of A BARREL FULL OF DOLLARS. Jack Betts looked great and was billed on this print as Jack Betts (normally he used the aka of Hunt Powers)....but was basically in a supporting role. Even though Klaus Kinski was top-billed Jeff Cameron and Dennis Colt got most of the screen time along with Gordon Mitchell who seemed to be channeling Arthur Hunnicutt. Movie moved fast...lottsa riding and lottsa shooting and diving through the air and rolling on the ground by Cameron. Seemed each of the extras were trying to outdo each other when shot.....by twisting and turning several times while falling through the air and flailing wildly on the ground...and seeing who could roll down the hill the most times before coming to a rest. As Klaus and one of his henchmen try to escape with wads of paper money, the henchman says, "we've got enough dollars here to fill a coffin." He barely gets the words out before Kinski gut shoots him. There is a cuppla embarrassing...and sometimes unintentional funny, pieces of dialogue between Cameron and Sam the former slave. "How did they catch you, Sam." "They surprised me." Simone Blondell, who had very little to do, looked very good in her brief role. ALL IN ALL ENJOYABLE. Leone he ain't Deems he be. Something to look for: Look at the horses' feet in the opening scene when they are coming down the hill. One of the horses seems to have a problem with its right hind leg......kinda does a double step like the leg or foot is injured.