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Extensive use of DERRINGER pistols in this movie

posted 15 years ago by jeffyoung1
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ADIOS, SABATA, is a unique Spaghetti-Western (1971) which I note for the widespread and frequent use of the derringer pistol (a popular, tiny pocket pistol with top and under barrels).

The hero of the movie, Sabata (Yul Brynner) several times pulls out and shoots his derringer, which is his back-up firearm to his main weapon, a variation of the famous Mare's Leg from the 1958 television western show, 'Wanted: Dead or Alive', which is shortened or cut-down Winchester 1892 lever action rifle. Interestingly, Sabata does not use a six-shooter revolver as a secondary firearm.

The bad guys are the Austrian occupiers of Mexico in 1867. The Austrian ruler, Archduke Maximillian, employs a large, Gestapo-like police force. They are all European guys dressed in black, ala Wyatt Earp style, with bowler hats. The bad guys all use derringer pistols as well. But they use derringers as their primary handgun. When outdoors and in need of stronger firepower, they employ single-shot rifles, which look to be either Remington rolling blocks or break-open actions (shotgun style).

ADIOS, SABATA is clearly a well-dated cowboy western, campy by today's standards but thoroughly enjoyable by fans of Spaghetti Westerns.

[–] Professicchio 11 years ago

The Derringer is actually a trademark of the director Gianfranco Parolini (aka Frank Kramer) which used two anachronistic 4-barrel versions as the weapons of choice for both Sartana in "If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death" (1968) and the original Sabata with Lee Van Cleef from 1969.

For the record Yul Brynner's character here is not meant to be called Sabata at all (that was an idea of the American distributors) but "Indio Black" hence you hear that name shouted by the choir in the soundtrack throughout.