This is one of those obscure ones where an Internet search will leave you none the wiser plot- wise.
It opens with Furio (Gustavo Rojo), the "Captain of Iron" of the original title, returning to his village to find it burned to the ground by German usurper Walter von Rauchwitz (Mario Petri), who seems to be on a one-man mission to conquer 16th century Italy and assassinate the pope.
While taking his own sweet time getting revenge between having a good time in his favourite tavern, Furio also finds time to romance both gypsy Douchka (Susan Terry / Silvana Jachino) and von Rauchwitz's fiancée Floriana (Barbara Steele, whose screen time doesn't really justify her second billing), his rather willing prisoner.
Petri gets to wear some fabulous designer leather wear and has a really protracted death scene while Barbara gets ravished by a hunchback – what's not to like!
One thing you can be sure of is that the sets must have been really cold as you can clearly see the actors breath in nearly every scene.
Sadly not some undiscovered classic, but it is good light-hearted fun and the pace keeps up throughout, so it's certainly deserving of a better fate than the obscurity it currently enjoys.
Finally, contrary to what the IMDb listing says, the film is not in black and white, but is in fact in glorious colour!
It opens with Furio (Gustavo Rojo), the "Captain of Iron" of the original title, returning to his village to find it burned to the ground by German usurper Walter von Rauchwitz (Mario Petri), who seems to be on a one-man mission to conquer 16th century Italy and assassinate the pope.
While taking his own sweet time getting revenge between having a good time in his favourite tavern, Furio also finds time to romance both gypsy Douchka (Susan Terry / Silvana Jachino) and von Rauchwitz's fiancée Floriana (Barbara Steele, whose screen time doesn't really justify her second billing), his rather willing prisoner.
Petri gets to wear some fabulous designer leather wear and has a really protracted death scene while Barbara gets ravished by a hunchback – what's not to like!
One thing you can be sure of is that the sets must have been really cold as you can clearly see the actors breath in nearly every scene.
Sadly not some undiscovered classic, but it is good light-hearted fun and the pace keeps up throughout, so it's certainly deserving of a better fate than the obscurity it currently enjoys.
Finally, contrary to what the IMDb listing says, the film is not in black and white, but is in fact in glorious colour!
