Johnny Hamlet (1968) | Region-Free (Blu-Ray) | Directed by Enzo G. Castellari

Title: Johnny Hamlet (1968)

Alternate Title: Quella sporca storia nel West

Genre: Western, Drama

Plot Synopsis:
Returning home from the Civil War, Johnny Hamilton discovers his father has been murdered and his mother has hastily remarried his uncle, Claude. Haunted by his father’s ghost urging him to seek vengeance, Johnny embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind the murder, leading to a confrontation with the outlaw Santana and his gang.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Enzo G. Castellari
• Writers:
  • Sergio Corbucci (story)
  • Enzo G. Castellari (screenplay)
  • Francesco Scardamaglia (screenplay)
  • Tito Carpi (screenplay)
• Cast:
  • Andrea Giordana as Johnny Hamilton
  • Gilbert Roland as Horace
  • Horst Frank as Claude Hamilton
  • Françoise Prévost as Gertrude Hamilton
  • Gabriella Boccardo as Emily

IMDb Link:
Johnny Hamlet (1968)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Filipe Furtado – ★★★★☆
   “It turns out the solution to Castellari’s dramatic weaknesses was just going the Shakespeare route. This is a lot better than spaghetti Hamlet should be and far more precise.”
2. Scott R – ★★★★☆
   “Spaghetti Western plus classic English play? It sounds like it could be a recipe for disaster. But Johnny Hamlet is a surprisingly effective and faithful adaptation.”
3. Michael Ewins – ★★★★☆
   “A fascinating transposition of Shakespeare’s tragedy to the Old West, with Castellari’s dynamic direction elevating the material.”

Meta Description:
Johnny Hamlet (1968), also known as Quella sporca storia nel West, is a Spaghetti Western directed by Enzo G. Castellari. The film reimagines Shakespeare’s Hamlet in a post-Civil War Western setting, following Johnny Hamilton as he seeks to avenge his father’s murder.