Until reading Petra's review of "Lo chiamavano Trinità," (My Name Is Trinity, 1970, directed by Enzo Barboni with the pseudonymn of E.B. Clucher in 1970) I had not realized that Terrence Hill was the subordinate(ly billed) half of the comedy team of Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill in Italian movies that (with the exception of "Trinity Is Still My Name" did not make it to America. Given Spencer's bulk, the duo (supposedly half-brothers) reminded me a bit of Oliver Hardy and in his insouciance, Terrence Hill reminded me a bit of Stan Laurel (in a team that was billed, not in alphabetical order, "Laurel and Hardy"). The Hill and Spencer team was far more effectual than Laurel and Hardy ever were. And I'd say that create pratfalls for others more than suffered pratfalls themselves. There is a lot of cartoonish violence, even for a spaghetti western, but the defenders of the settlers against the would-be baron of grassland (for grazing horses), Major Harriman, played by Farley Granger (Strangers on a Train, They Live By Night, Senso) in big hats and tight britches.

I saw Hill trailing (it can't be stalking if it's so visible!) Henry Fonda in "My Name Is Nobody" (Mio nome è Nessuno, 1973) in which Terrence Hill also plays the title character with the incongruous name ("Nobody" is his name -- which teeters more on Abbott and Costello territory than that of Laurel and Hardy). I think that "My Name Is Nobody" is very funny and has a delightful ending.

"My Name Is Trinity" is funny in the manner of the James Garner western comedies (Support Your Local Sheriff, Support Your Local Gunfighter) or Ralph Nelson's "The Wrath off God" rather than that of "Blazing Saddles," but is a buddy comedy in which much of the humor comes from the antagonism between the buddies (here, half-brothers).

"Bambino" (Spencer) has taken up the position of sheriff from a real lawman he held up on the way to the town heretofore fun by Maj. Harriman. While waiting for his sidekicks to show up (and rob the major's horse herd), the sheriff defends Mormon settlers in a valley that the major wants.

Bambino is none too happy when Trinity shows up with a prisoner on whom there is a bounty. Bambino keeps trying to get Trinity to leave, but Trinity takes up the cause of the settlers (harassed by a small band of Mexican bandits led by Remo Capitani as well as by the major's hired thugs), in part from interest in the blonde daughters of the Mormon patriarch, "Brother" Jonathan (Steffen Zacharias). (Actually, the settlers seem more Mennonite than Mormon, except for the ploygamy.) Although desire throbs in the movie, there is no sex.

There is a lot of cartoonish violence and a fair bit of verbal wit (delivered in English--all Italian movies of that time had dialogue dubbed later, not necessarily by the actors on screen, but often so). And visual humor, especially the dustiness of Trinity, who, too lazy to ride his horse, is pulled behind it on a pallet (through streams and over innumerable bumps with the barrel of his pistol dragging in the dust).

It is impossible to rile Trinity. Abuse makes him grin, though he may retaliate (Clint Eastwood is the model of "I don't get mad, I get even," though the line is not from one of his spaghetti westerns). It is easy to rile Bambino, though impossible to knock him out. He doesn't get mad in the sense of losing control. His retaliations are not always swift, but are certain.

There is no novelty in the plot, except that the familiar peace-seeking settler/ troublemaking rancher, crops vs. cows or sheep vs. cows conflict here is cows vs. horses. The final fight in "Call Me Trinity" goes on too long for me, but has a lot of comic touches (Jackie Chan, Stephen Chow flixs come to mind for highly choreographed fight scenes--or "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"? I don't remember if there is a fight scene in that), The ending is not as clever as "Nobody" but is apt. Hill and Spencer were a good comedy team (as were Hill and Fonda).


© 2008, Stephen O. Murray



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