The Grand Duel (Italian: Il Grande duello), also known as Storm Rider and The Big Showdown, is a 1972 Spaghetti Western film directed by Giancarlo Santi, and starring Lee Van Cleef.
Philip Vermeer has been framed for the murder of a powerful figure known as The Patriarch. Vermeer escapes, but the three Saxon brothers, sons of The Patriarch, have arranged for a large bounty on Vermeer's head. Clayton is a grizzled ex-sheriff stripped of his office in Jefferson after refusing to acknowledge Vermeer's guilt. During a series of fire-fights, Clayton contrives to help Vermeer escape from attacks of bounty-hunters. Together, the two make their way to Jefferson, where they can confront the three powerful Saxon brothers, and reveal the surprising truth about who killed The Patriarch.
Tropes:
- Ambiguously Gay: Adam Saxon is a Sissy Villain who dresses entirely in white, and seems completely uninterested in his Arranged Marriage to Elizabeth; whining to his brothers about whether one of them could marry her instead.
- Arranged Marriage: Elizabeth has traveled to Saxon City to marry Adam Saxon, whom she has never met.
- Blast Out: The Saxons agree to meet Clayton at the cattle pens. At the confrontation, when Clayton approaches, David says that the three must draw first to overcome Clayton's faster and expert gunplay. Vermeer, from a distance, shoots off Clayton's hat so that he draws first. It works and Clayton reacts by killing the three men and only getting a small wound.
- Bloody Handprint: In one scene, a dying victim of one of the villains leaves his bloody handprint on his immaculate white suit.
- Bounty Hunter: Vermeer is being pursued by a swarm of bounty killers, who want his $3,000 reward, posted by Saxon's three sons David, Eli and Adam.
- Carnival of Killers: Most of the Bounty Hunters chasing after Vermeer for the $3,000 reward are little better than hired killers, and none of them have any intention of bringing him alive.
- Counting Bullets: When Vermeer confronts Clayton in the saloon at Gila Bend, he levels his revolver at the ex-sheriff. Clayton is completely unconcerned, and tells Vermeer he would be a lot more worried if Vermeer hadn't just fired all six shots at the Bounty Hunters getting into the saloon. Vermeer does a quick mental count, realises Clayton is right, and starts reloading his gun.
- Hollywood Darkness: Obvious day-for-night footage - the bounty hunters cast strong shadows as they approach the lake, and sunlight can be seen glinting off the water in some shots.
- Improperly Placed Firearms: The film takes place during the old west sometime after 1870. However it features a German MG42 machine gun. The MG42 was put into service by the German army in 1942 during WWII.
- Leave No Witnesses: David Saxon orders Adam to stop the people heading to the silver mine. Shortly after, Adam massacres Vermeer's followers with hidden explosives and a machine gun. He also kills his own men, following his brother David's instructions to not leave any witnesses.
- No Honor Among Thieves: Hole and two of the other Bounty Hunters kill the others in their pack, then ride off with Vermeer, so they will only have to split the bounty three ways.
- Sissy Villain: Adam Saxon is the baby of the Saxon brothers, a dressed-all-in-white dandy, and a psychotic killer to boot who goes into near orgasmic delight whenever he gets to kill someone.
- Villain in a White Suit: Sissy Villain Adam Saxon is the baby of the Saxon brothers, a dressed-all-in-white dandy, and a psychotic killer to boot who goes into near orgasmic delight whenever he gets to kill someone.
