Take a Hard Ride (1975)

It's surely no coincidence that Lee Van Cleef is clad in dark colours in a lot of Westerns - it suits his persona to a tee. In Take a Hard Ride he's a determined bounty hunter on the trail of Fred Williamson and Jim Brown, two men who've formed an uneasy alliance in order to transport a $86,000 payroll through dangerous territory, back to its current legal Ranch owner.
Dir. Antonio Margheriti's cheap and quick approach to film-making makes everything feel a little schizophrenic at times, as does Goldsmith's score, but the part Spaghetti and part Hollywood blend is different enough from works with similar themes to make it all worthwhile. The great cast is another plus; Jim Kelly features, too, he says very little but leaves an impression.

3 snakes in a bag out of 5