Ich heiße John Harris (1966)

Ich heiße John Harris: Directed by Francesco Prosperi. With Robert Webber, Franco Nero, José Luis de Vilallonga, Cec Linder. Hit-man Clint Harris has one more job to do before he can retire. He’s to kill an ex-employee who has become a snitch for the police. At first Harris refuses, but when his brothers assassinated, he’s forced to accept. He’s assigned an assistant, whom he teaches the ropes as they pursue their prey. When a beautiful woman identifies the target, it turns out it’s the wrong man. As bodies pile up as he wonders whom he can really trust.

“This is a fairly quiet movie, more French in tone than Italian starring veteran Hollywood actor, Robert Webber and featuring an early appearance by Franco Nero, who would the same year go on to star in Django and never look back. In this though he looks and sounds (well in my dub) more like the fictional character, Clark Kent. Webber carries most of the film in a most assured manner and though there is not masses of action, interest is well held by director Prosperi (he of Mondo movie fame). Engaging from the wordless beginning the movie has a good feel and plays more like a noir than an Italian 60s crime movie. Soundtrack surprises too and instead of a steady lush score of some abrasive industrial sound this a real mixture ranging from 60s pop to full on orchestral. There is a car chase and there are fights and shootings, even slight sex and drugs inclusion but basically a decent story carefully told.”