A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die
"A handful of condemned men on an impossible mission, against hopeless odds..."
A dishonored Union Army officer leads a group of convicts to retake Fort Holman from the Confederate Army.
Curator's Take
“James Coburn and Bud Spencer in a 'Dirty Dozen' style civil war mission. It’s a big, loud action movie with a surprisingly grim edge. The chemistry between the leads carries it.”
Why This Movie Is Important
A 'Men on a Mission' movie that borrows heavily from 'The Dirty Dozen'. It creates high stakes by placing a group of expendable criminals in an impossible situation, generating tension through their volatile group dynamics.
Production Details
A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die is a 1972 western film directed by Tonino Valerii. Originally released in Italy under the title "Una ragione per vivere e una per morire", the film was produced during the golden era of European westerns. The soundtrack was composed by Riz Ortolani. Cinematography was handled by Alejandro Ulloa. The screenplay was written by Ernesto Gastaldi. The film stars James Coburn as Colonel Pembroke, Telly Savalas as Major Ward, and Bud Spencer as Eli Sampson. Running 1 hour and 32 minutes, it is a well-paced entry in the genre. It holds a solid average rating of 6.2 from 65 ratings.
Did You Know?
The film's plot is essentially a civil war remake of 'The Dirty Dozen'. The producers openly admitted they wanted to capitalize on that film's massive success in Europe.
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