A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972)
"Una ragione per vivere e una per morire" (original title)

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.

Director:

Tonino Valerii

Writers:

Rafael Azcona (screenplay), Ernesto Gastaldi (screenplay),

Stars:

James Coburn, Telly Savalas, Bud Spencer

Cast

Credited cast:
James Coburn	...	Colonello Pembroke
Telly Savalas	...	Maggiore Ward
Bud Spencer	...	Eli Sampson
Georges Géret	...	Sergente Spike
Reinhard Kolldehoff	...	Sergente Brent (as Rene Kolldehoff)
Guy Mairesse	...	Donald MacIvers
José Suárez	...	maggiore Charles Ballard (as Jose Suarez)
Ugo Fangareggi	...	Fred
Benito Stefanelli	...	Samuel Pickett un ex condannato
Adolfo Lastretti	...	Will Fernandez / Will Culder (as Guy Ranson)
Fabrizio Moresco	...	Ward's Assistant
Francisco Sanz	...	Farmer (as Paco Sanz)
Carla Mancini
Joe Pollini	...	Jeremy
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrew Dean

Storyline

A dishonoured army officer saves the lives of some hardened criminals on condition that they help him regain his honour. Will they live up to his expectations?

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Plot Keywords:

fort | officer | army | mission | recapture | 

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Taglines:

A handful of condemned men on an impossible mission, against hopeless odds...

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Spain Italy France West Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 August 1973 (Spain)

Also Known As:

A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die!

Company Credits

Production Co:

Atlántida Films, Europrodis, Heritage Entertainment Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min 109 min (1973) (theatrical) 113 min (Northern Countries PAL DVD) 119 min (original uncut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 9 (2002)

User Reviews

The Dirty Bunch

Disgraced Union officer James Coburn saves himself and a few degenerates, including Bud Spencer, from hanging by suggesting a daring raid on the impregnable Fort Holman, currently being held by mad rebel General Telly Savalas. As the introductory crawl suggests, Coburn has greater motivations than that of simple patriotism.

Inspired by The Dirty Dozen with a bit of Where Eagles Dare and The Wild Bunch thrown in, this is an entertaining Italian western/Civil War movie that makes good use of the massive sets previously built for the film El Condor.

Generally worth recommending, Massacre At Fort Holman (also widely known as A Reason To Live, A Reason To Die, with Coburn dubbed by someone else and Bud Spencer apparently by character actor R.G. Armstrong!) sags some in the middle but things pick up and the final battle is fairly exciting.

There's a great performance by the always cool James Coburn, while that of the supposedly insane Telly Savalas is actually more subdued than usual. He was much more zesty in Pancho Villa and A Town Called Hell, though this is still a better movie.