''China 9, Liberty 37'' (, "Love, Lead, and Fury") is an Italian-Spanish 1978

Western film The Western is a film genre defined by the American Film Institute as films which are "set in the American West that mbodythe spirit, the struggle, and the demise of the new frontier." Generally set in the American frontier between the Calif ...

directed by

Monte Hellman Monte Hellman (; born Monte Jay Himmelbaum; July 12, 1929 – April 20, 2021) was an American film director, producer, writer, and editor. Hellman began his career as an editor's apprentice at ABC TV, and made his directorial debut with the ho ...

, starring

Warren Oates Warren Mercer Oates (July 5, 1928 – April 3, 1982) was an American actor best known for his performances in several films directed by Sam Peckinpah, including '' The Wild Bunch'' (1969) and ''Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia'' (1974). ...

Jenny Agutter Jennifer Ann Agutter (born 20 December 1952) is an English actress. She began her career as a child actress in 1964, appearing in '' East of Sudan'', '' Star!'', and two adaptations of '' The Railway Children'': the BBC's 1968 television seri ...

, and

Fabio Testi Fabio Testi (born 2 August 1941) is an Italian actor. After growing up witnessing film work done around Lake Garda, Testi entered the sets of the film and began work as a stuntman and a double on set, where he worked as a stuntman on ''The Good, ...

. Noted director

Sam Peckinpah David Samuel Peckinpah (; February 21, 1925 – December 28, 1984) was an American film director and screenwriter. His 1969 Western epic '' The Wild Bunch'' received two Academy Award nominations and was ranked No. 80 on the American Film Instit ...

has a small, rare acting role. The film was shot in locations in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

and

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...

Giuseppe Rotunno Giuseppe Rotunno (19 March 1923 – 7 February 2021) was an Italian cinematographer. Biography Sometimes credited as Peppino Rotunno, he was director of photography on eight films by Federico Fellini. He collaborated with several celebrated Ita ...

Pino Donaggio Giuseppe "Pino" Donaggio (born 24 November 1941) is an Italian musician, singer, and composer of film and television scores. A classically-trained violinist, Donaggio is known for his collaborations with director Brian De Palma, and for his work i ...

composed the musical score. The English title refers to a sign seen at the beginning of the movie on U.S. Route 90 in

Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, located in Southeast Texas on the Neches River about east of Houston (city ...

, utilized the scenic location of the highway to enhance the authenticity of its setting. Its inclusion adds an interesting detail to the narrative and showcases the attention to detail in the production. The film had a very sparse theatrical release in the United States, and did not play in some cities until as late as 1984.

Plot

Gunslinger Gunfighters, also called gunslingers () or in the late 19th and early 20th century gunmen, were individuals in the American Old West who gained a reputation of being dangerous with a gun and participated in shootouts. Today, the term "gunslin ...

Clayton Drumm is in jail, about to be hanged, when railroad company men offer him a chance to live if he will agree to murder Matthew Sebanek, a miner who has steadfastly refused to sell his land to the railroad. Instead, Drumm befriends Sebanek and has an affair with Sebanek's wife. Sebanek discovers the affair and joins with the railroad men to hunt down the couple.

Cast

Versions

A 102-minute DVD release was made by Synergy Ent on 29 May 2007. The full 98-minute director's cut, containing nudity, in English language and original scope, has been broadcast by TCM. Clips of the film can be seen in the documentary '' Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession''.

References

External links

* * {{Monte Hellman 1978 films 1978 Western (genre) films English-language Italian films English-language Spanish films Spaghetti Western films Spanish Western (genre) films Films directed by Monte Hellman Films scored by Pino Donaggio Films shot in Almería 1970s Italian films