History Film / AReasonToLiveAReasonToDie

* ThrowawayGuns: After Maj. Ward surrenders to him, Col. Pembroke pulls the trigger on his revolver, only to have the hammer fall on an empty chamber. With a resigned expression on his face, Pembroke tosses the empty gun aside. [[spoiler:And stabs Ward with the sabre he had just surrendered to Pembroke.]]

* GotVolunteered: After he collects his [[BoxedCrook 'volunteers' off the gallows]], Col. Pembroke opens Sgt. Brent's tunic and yanks the jewelled cross of his neck. He shows the cross to Maj. Ballard, who recognises it as the cross that Pembroke's wife always wore, and therefore that Brent stole it. Ballard then tells Pembroke "Sergeant Brent also volunteers for the mission".

* OpeningScroll: Following a scene showing the aftermath of the massacre at fort Holman, an opening scroll purporting to be an article from the ''Joplin Gazette'' several years after the event is used to segue into HowWeGotHere.

* RecycledInSpace: It's ''Film/TheDirtyDozen''...in UsefulNotes/TheAmericancivilWar!

* BaldOfEvil: Creator/TellySavalas plays Major Ward, the insane commander of Fort Holman and personal nemesis of Colonel Pembroke.

* SuicideMission: Col. Pembroke recruits his squad of {{Boxed Crook}}s literally off the gallows, telling them that there is a very good chance they will not survive the mission.

* StormingTheCastle: The film climaxes in a battle scene with Col. Pembroke and his small group of {{Boxed Crook}}s attempting to take the 'impregnable' Fort Holman from the Confederates.

* ActorAllusion: Col. Pembroke first appears with his hat tipped forward over his eys--seemingly asleep--and ignoring someone trying to talk this. This is almost identical to how the character Britt is introduced in ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven1960''. Both characters were played by Creator/JamesCoburn.

* DramaticAmmmoDepletion: Sgt. Brent fires his [[GatlingGood Gatling gun]] at Col. Pembroke's feet; demanding to know where the hidden gold is. When Pembroke doesn't answer, he goes to shoot him but the Gatling gun ruuns dry. Brent quickly changes clips, but the delay gives Eli time to bring his own Gatling gun to bear on Brent and gun him down before he can fire again.

* LaughingMad: Sgt. Brent snaps and starts laughing insanely while [[ObigatoryWarCrimeScene machine-gunning enemy soldiers who are attempting to surrender]].

* PhonyVeteran: Eli pretends to a veteran who has [[ObfuscatingDisability lost a leg]] in the war to try to con people out of food. Which unit he claims to have serve with changes depending on who he is talking to.

* InnOfNoReturn: Pembroke and his men encounter a family of seemingly religious homesteaders who invite them in to share a meal and stay the night. However, while searching the farm Will finds the body of the their missing member [=MacIvers=] in the barn with his throat cut. The amount of possessions stored in the barn indicate the fanily has been robbing and murdering travellers for some time.

* InstantlyProvenWrong: Eli is telling the townsfolk that the Confederate mortar is out of range when a shell explodes in the street behind him. He then amends his staement to "almost out of range".

''A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die'' (Italian title ''Una Ragione Per Vivere E Una Per Morire'', also known as ''Massacre at Fort Holman'') is a 1972 Italian SpaghettiWestern movie starring Creator/JamesCoburn, Creator/BudSpencer and Creator/TellySavalas.

* ActorAllusion: Col. Pembroke first appears with his hat tipped forward over his eys--seemingly asleep--and ignoring someone trying to talk this. This is almost identical to how the character Britt is introduced in ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven1960''. both characters were played by Creator/JamesCoburn.

* Actor Allusion: Col.