Any Gun Can Play (1967)
Directed by Enzo G. Castellari, Any Gun Can Play (Italian title: Vado… l’ammazzo e torno) is a rollicking, genre-savvy Spaghetti Western that mixes gold heists, double-crosses, and tongue-in-cheek homages to the icons of the Wild West. With a cast led by George Hilton, Gilbert Roland, and Edd Byrnes, the film is a stylish, action-packed ride through betrayal, greed, and shifting alliances.
Plot Summary
A gang led by Monetero (Gilbert Roland) pulls off a daring train robbery, stealing $300,000 in gold. But one of his own men, Pajondo, betrays the gang and escapes with the loot. Enter The Stranger (George Hilton), a bounty hunter who’s been tracking Monetero and sees a chance to claim both the gold and the outlaw.
Meanwhile, Clayton (Edd Byrnes), a banker and secret insurance investigator, is also after the treasure. As the three men circle each other, alliances shift, identities blur, and the hunt for the gold becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse. The film’s climax is a chaotic showdown filled with gunplay, deception, and a fractured medal that holds the key to the treasure’s location.
Cast Highlights
- George Hilton as The Stranger
- Gilbert Roland as Monetero
- Edd Byrnes as Clayton
- Stefania Careddu as Marisol (credited as Kareen O’Hara)
- José Torres, Ivano Staccioli, Gérard Herter, and Ignazio Spalla in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The film opens with a meta gag: Hilton guns down three outlaws dressed like Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Django—a cheeky nod to genre icons
- Italian censorship visa #49845 was issued on September 19, 1967, marking its official release
- At the 2014 Memphis Film Festival, Edd Byrnes revealed he was frustrated that producers didn’t let him dub his own voice for the English version
- The film was shot in Italy and Spain, with sweeping desert landscapes and stylized action sequences typical of the genre
