ma-cortes The war with Mexico over , the new republic of Texas is born . Set in 1836's Texas just after the Republic won its independence from Mexico. President Houston is actively working to have the new republic join the United States of America . But rebel forces , aided by a foreign power , are plotting against him . Houston , busy reorganizing the exhausted forces of Texas sends his faithful scout Erastus . As President Sam Houston instructs one of his agents to put down the plotters , the tough deaf-mute Erastus Smith (Anthony Quinn and based on real-life character) to carry out a dangerous mission . Deaf Smith is the man who hears with his eyes and speaks with his gun . Accompanying him is his best friend the sex-obsessed Johnny Ears, (Franco Nero) who falls for a beautiful prostitute (Pamela Tiffin) , Susie the ¨hooker¨ . But the rebels and the general Martin (Franco Graziosi) have intercepted a message that a deaf-mute spy is in their midst . At the beginning ,there takes a place a massacre executed by rebel henchmen (Romano Puppo , Luciano Martino) against McDonald family and things go wrong .Pasta Western picture is set post American-Mexican war but ignores the wealth of the authentic history and becomes yet another action/adventure/humor Western and this decent production delivers what it should . However , it relies heavily on the peculiar relationship between Deaf Smith/Anthony Quinn and Johnny Ears/Franco Nero . Here there are some historical remarks about Texas , as the Republic's future is in doubt, with various factions and foreign powers hoping to sway matters to their own advantage . And based on facts , as Deaf Smith was a soldier in Houston's army distinguished for destroying a bridge and there's actually a Deaf Smith County in Texas . Although it has some anachronisms as an out of time machine gun and hokey historical events . It is a decent Western with comedy , tongue-in-cheek , action and plenty of shoot'em up , gun-play , explosion , and some moments results to be quite entertaining . Including a spectacular ending when our protagonists using a machine gun and a lot of dynamite execute a slaughter in which they take down themselves the enemy army . Anthony Quinn gives over-acting as the deaf-mute Erastus "Deaf" Smith , to infiltrate and put down one of the growing rebel factions and sympathetic acting by Franco Nero as his companion Johnny Ears who must not only do Smith's hearing for him, but must also conceal Smith's handicap . Acceptable support cast full of ordinary Spaghetti secondaries as Luciano Rossi , Goffredo Unger , Tom Felleghi , Renato Romano and Romano Puppo . It packs an anti-climatic musical score by Daniel Pattucci and attractive ¨ballad of Deaf Smith and Johnny Ears¨ sung by Ann Collin . And an atmospheric cinematography in Eastmancolor by Tonino Delli Colli , though a perfect remastering is necessary , being shot on location in Gelato falls , El Lacio , Rome and Almeria , Spain , as usual . The motion picture was regularly directed by Paolo Cavara , a craftsman who made all kinds of genres . As Paolo directed Giallo as ¨Black belly Tarantula¨ , ¨E Tanta Prava¨, Drama/war : ¨La Cattura¨, ¨comedy : "Virility" , ¨Il Lucamone¨, ¨La Lacandiera¨ and especially shock-documentary as ¨L'Occhio Salvaggio¨, ¨Mondo cane¨ , ¨La Donna Nel Mondo¨, ¨Witchdoctor in Tails¨, and ¨I Malamondo¨ .

krocheav With the talent assembled in the production of this tosh, it should have at least been tolerable. The films English title "Deaf Smith and Johhny Ears" attracted my curiosity, but a film about a deaf commando (gunfighter!) set in a historic Texas, where more people end up in Boot Hill than seem to live in the township was certainly difficult to believe. What could they have been thinking?...a 'deaf' 60ish protector of the countries president......I ask you! I see from other posts, a few have enjoyed it but I'm with those who looked deeper and found very little. After a string of films just like this, it's little wonder the Western genre was well and truly killed off. Leone's Cinematographer Tonino Delli Colli may have had an eye for detail, but he obviously did not get the budget, or the time, to create any magic here. Any promise in the idea, is quickly killed off with shoddy Italian and Spanish writing and film technique (or lack off it) A halfway interesting Music score attempts to give more than the script can deliver (the song lyrics promise a strong idealistic storyline but it's not forthcoming) In fact, the music score not only seems to belong to another film, it sounds somewhat familiar. The film wastes beautiful Pamela Tiffen, and reduces the Franko Nero role to little more than a clone of the 'Trinity' films character, and Quinn, well he just appeared to be enjoying getting paid in his old ageItalians could not make intelligent films about the 'American' west (even Sergio Leone's epic 'Once Upon a time in the West' while it looked good at the time, in retrospect, is filled with the type of foolishness that drags this work down to 'C' grade level) The near ridiculous body count and callous way people are killed puts 'Deaf Smith' in the 'Dollar' film category. The undiscerning viewer could be impressed, anyone else may want to leave town. Maybe with better handling....but I doubt it. TCM in Australia screened this (as with most of their movies) with the 'Automatic Sound Leveler' on... creating what sounds like a constant hailstorm in the background when no-one is speaking. In this age of technical excellence when will they ever get it right? KenR

vandino1 Whenever you have a lively Franco Nero (or his clone Terence Hill) in a western you've got one thing in your favor already. But that's the only thing in this film's favor. Otherwise you have the flat dubbing, tinny and wretched music scoring, and predictably imbecilic action scenes typical of these spaghetti westerns. First of all, Anthony Quinn plays a deaf mute, a casting decision on the far side of stupidity (although obvious that his name would lend box office value). An actor of such ebullience and renown for his growling/shouting presence is reduced to pantomime. It takes you right out of the film in every scene because you keep expecting that famous voice to come bursting out any moment. And then there is co-star Tiffin who plays a likable character but her voice is mostly shrill. Better if SHE had been the mute. And the rest of the cast is the usual standard issue Italians-on-the-range from central casting in Rome. The script is also standard issue (with the exception of the deaf-mute angle) so we get parts of 'Duck You Sucker/A Fistful of Dynamite' and a Gatling gun finale ala 'The Wild Bunch.' The finale is especially bad since a platoon of gunslingers blast away at Gatling gun-wielding Quinn with no discernible effect, as if the act of using such a gun makes you impervious to all lead fired in your direction. Then there is the hideous music score that features two absurdly dated songs: one during the opening credits that sounds like a TV commercial jingle for hair spray, and a second one in the middle so derivative of Burt Bacharach that it's lawsuit-worthy. Needless to say, it's a tortured viewing experience to watch a western set in Texas in 1836 that is almost completely cast with Italians and features soft pop tunes from 1972. And how can you think of this film at all without scratching your head at the incredibly bizarre freeze-frame at the very end? What in blazes were the director/writer/powers-that-be thinking with that shot of Nero screaming in what should have been a sweet-to-bittersweet final moment? All it needed was horror music. Yeesh!

marc-366 Set in 1830's Texas, Erastus 'Deaf' Smith (Anthony Quinn) is an ageing but trusted spy for the president, despite the obvious handicap of being a deaf mute. His friend and companion is the sexually charged Spaniard Johnny Ears (Franco Nero), seemingly on a constant mission to obtain another notch on his bed post (or should I say, someone elses!). In fact, unlike your usual Spaghetti Western hero, he is probably more likely to be found in bed than in a bar brawl or gunfight.The two have been sent by the president to halt the uprising down south, where a rebel by the name of Morton is rallying a rebellion to create independence and domination, with the help of German backing.The whole emphasis of the story is the great bond between Nero and Quinn, which is quite enjoyable throughout. Comically, Johnny Ears is constantly throwing stones at the laid back Smith in order to get his attention. Ears' relationship with the luscious local whore Susie (Pamela Tiffin) is also a fine display of character play, as their interplay changes from flirtation to sexual tension, and from lust to love. Hell, by the end, Ears seems willing to quit his womanising ways and settle down with the blonde beauty.There are entertaining one-liners throughout (all obviously left to Nero, who is in fine comic form). As for Quinn, the whole idea that a deaf gunhand can survive and be held in such esteem is entertaining in itself (as he walks away completely unaware of the explosions metres behind him, and sneaks up on opponents oblivious to the fact that the bells on a whores garter - given to him whilst he awaited the return of the promiscuous Ears from the local brothel - are jangling together).Aside from these highlights, the film is fairly average fare. At times Smith's inability to communicate can be as frustrating to the viewer as it must be to Smith himself. The Director does however highlight this disability to some effect, with silence at any time when the story is shown from Smith's eyes. Too much weight is also placed on the final action-packed climax, which goes on for an age with a maximum explosion count (although it does contain a priceless moment when Ears is unable to operate the enemies' machine gun - a skill mastered to great effect by Nero's Django).In summary, this is an entertaining little film, high on cheese but low on substance. And there are days when that is exactly the sort of "popcorn" movie that you want to watch. If you are in that mood (I was) you will probably enjoy it (I did!). But it is definitely more "watchable" than "recommended".