(1995/ITALY)
(aka. TRINITA & BAMBINO...E ADESSA TOCCA A NOI, TRINITY & BAMBINO: THE LEGEND LIVES ON, TRINIDAD Y BAMBINO: TAL PARA CUAL, EIN BEGRABNIS UND DIE AUFERSTEHUNG DER VIER FAUSTE)Review By-Devin Kelly
CAST: Heath Kizzier, Keith Neubert, Renato Scarpa, Yvonne De Bark, Siegfried Rauch, Ronald Nitschke, Renato D'Amore, Fanny Cadeo, Eduardo MacGregor, Riccardo Pizzuti, Blaki, Jack Taylor, Jorge Bosso, Jose Ruiz Lifante, Luiz De Oteyza Ortiz, Juan Ruiz Garcia, Carlos Alonde, Salvador Friab, Luis Castellano Fernandes, Angel Cortes Fernandez, Juan Gomez, Pilar Valero Ortega, Cesar Varona Martin
DIRECTOR: Enzo Barboni
PRODUCER: Italo Zingarelli
Trinidad Film s.r.l / Rialto Film / Motion Picture S.A
RUNNING TIME: 105 min. 18 seconds
DVD SOURCE: Platinum Disc
Here we have an entertaining return to old stomping grounds for a by then well-traveled, 73 year old Enzo Barboni, with his ongoing and final installment of the highly popular Trinity series - TRINITA & BAMBINO...E ADESSO TOCCA A NOI (1995). Ol' E.B. Clucher himself saddles up one last time with crew in tow and trots off to Spain to russle up a few familiar faces and a couple of new talented thoroughbreds. Filling the boots of the slapstick legend Terence Hill (Mario Girotti) and lovable grizzly Bud Spencer (Carlo Pedersoli) is no stroll to the saloon, but stars Heath Kizzier and Keith Neubert prove to be more than up to the task.
Keeping very much in tone with the initial adventures of Trinity and Bambino - 1970's LO CHIAMAVANO TRINITA (MY NAME IS TRINITY) and 1971's ...CONTINUAVANO A CHIAMARLO TRINITA (TRINITY IS STILL MY NAME) - this one also succeeds in being funny and entertaining. This time however, it's the offspring of the bumbling bandit brothers that keep us laughing our hats off. These cousins are about as bold and wacky as their daddies though - just as fearless and occasionally foolish also, without question. Trinity (Heath Kizzier) and Bambino (Keith Neubert) are back alright...carrying the names proud through a whole new generation.
With Trinity travel plan firmly in place, we get our first look at the new happy-go-lucky hero as he kicks back in his horse-guided cot (a relaxing method of getting around, well mastered by his Pa). The opening score from Stefano Mainetti - best known to B Euro buffs as the man behind the compositons of some of the later 80's harder to come by Italian action guilty pleasures - sets a mood of zany things to come as Trinity heads off through the dust. After a flashback to when these two, soon to be handfuls of joy, entered the world leads us to a conversation between Trinity and the delivering Doc (Blaki), the mission of our title son soon becomes apparent...find cousin Bambino and get acquainted with the big lug.
It's not that hard to put two and two together though when he stumbles across a cowardly hangman (LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE's José Ruiz Lifante) being harassed by a group of Mexican bandits who want revenge for the execution of one of their compadres. After saving the unfortunate soul, the hangman has a chat with our boy Trinity and speaks of a large, beast of a man he's heading off to execute the next day. A no good horse thief, he claims. A cowbell soon rings in Trinity's head though and he becomes certain it's cousin Bambino he's hearing about. Sure enough, like any kin of such a cunning clown as Trinity would do, he "borrows" the executioner's suit and rides off with the release of a beloved bull behind bars in mind.
When Trinity arrives at the local jail of Pringle City, he finds before him a shifty Sheriff (Ronald Nitschke) and a Judge (Eduardo MacGregor) ready to prosecute and knows he's got to put his plan into action to bust Bambino out. When the Sheriff and his deputy take our imposter hangman back to the cell to meet the angry giant, right off the bat, the two supposed lawmen take joy in tormenting Bambino. "Quiet Buffalo Man! Your blowhard days are over", the Sheriff announces, much to his own entertainment. To his surprise however, he soon finds a six-shooter in his face as Trinity reveals himself and helps Bambino out of his cuffs. Bambino's gratitude is few and far between as he looks over at his cousin with, "I knew I'd have to put up with you sooner or later". Oh, and who the heck needs doors? Bambino proceeds to walk over and rip-out the clearly styrofoam section of the wall, holding the bars in, and they're off! Well, why didn't he just do that in the first place?!
The pair don't get far though before their stomachs lead them to trouble. After entering a gloomy saloon to munch on some of the house grub, Trinity doesn't think twice before interfering in the poker game of a couple of sharp-shooting, sharp-dressed outlaws (among them, stunt coordinator and veteran Barboni actor, Riccardo Pizzuti - also his last role). As soon as the food starts to hit the mouths of the two cousins, they're forced to drop their spoons and pick up their pistols. They won't need those though. Not with Bambino's club-sized fists available to pound a few heads. No rest for these boys - and that's just the beginning!
These two just can't seem to get away from anybody, and are next tracked down by a trio looking for their help. They catch up to Trinity and Bambino and one of them, who introduces himself as Pablo (Renato Scarpa), explains the hardship of their town, San Clementino, at the hands of a family of cattle thieves - the Ramirez brothers. Hilariously named after the numbers one to eleven, the Ramirez's have taken away the livelihoods of these men and the other locals of San Clementino by constantly stealing their cattle and other means of getting by. Now they want someone reliable and capable enough to stop these dirtbags as new Sheriff and Deputy of the humble town. Are Trinity and Bambino crazy enough to take on the task? You're darn tootin' they are!
When it's all rounded-up, SONS OF TRINITY is one hell of a fun time. It works well as both an example of Italian comedy and as a good time spaghetti western, and is a great last hurrah for the late Enzo Barboni. The director would pass away in March of 2002. His output of highly enjoyable comedic westerns in the early seventies however, have helped create an important legacy in the line of Italian spaghetti cowboy flicks and no doubt, he's the man responsible for making Terence Hill a much loved star. Barboni remained active right up until this film, and even though he maintained a good working relationship with Terence Hill and Bud Spencer (using them both again several times), some of his eighties stuff was hit and miss. When he veered off into other genres and tired to inject comedy into them, it wasn't always a pretty sight - as with his painful 1982 war comedy, CIAO NEMICO (THE ODD SQUAD). Still for the most part, with the Trinity films, Barboni will be remembered forever as a man with an eye for something special.
The cast in SONS OF TRINITY is bang-on, both with delivery during the funnier moments and combining to bring forth an overall, very well acted effort. Heath Kizzier as the new Trinity in town is excellent - not coming off as a forced Terence Hill, but more bringing his own light-hearted charm to the production. He did sport more than a slight resemblence to Mr. Hill as well. Keith Neubert is equally liked here, and watching him throw his weight around and bounce noggins at his leisure is the stuff smiles are made of. The veteran European actors showing up in this, for fans, are also a pleasant surprise. German favorite Siegfried Rauch (THE URANIUM CONSPIRACY '78, CONTAMINATION '80) has a nice supporting part as Mr. Parker - a man out to get his stolen horses back at any cost, and Ronald Nitschke (LOLITA '70) as the grinning Sheriff of Pringle City, is perfect, coming across like an evil, older Dan Van Husen and bringing a great camp flavor to his part. Respected actor Renato Scarpa (DON'T LOOK NOW '73, SUSPIRIA '76) is top-notch as usual also as the gentle, Pablo. Cool seeing the always welcome Riccardo Pizzuti (MY NAME IS TRINITY '70, TRINITY IS STILL MY NAME '71, THE ODD SQUAD '82) getting involved in these films again, chiming in with his displeasure at one point during a pretty funny moment, saying, "Another Trinity?! Ugh...". The most unexpected and puzzling pop-up comes near the beginning, as veteran star of Spanish horror, Jack Taylor (VAMPIRE'S NIGHT ORGY '72, THE NINTH GATE '99) shows up all too briefly during a flashback to the birth of Trinity (and strangely credited at the beginning as Jack Taylor, but at the end as George Brown). This likely could only have been purely a money inspired choice as Taylor has voiced his dislike previously for the western genre. Ah well, we always like seeing Jack regardless, even if it is for about two minutes. Of interest as well, especially for her appearances in a couple of Lucio Fulci and Ruggero Deodato films, is that one of the assistant directors on this was Penny Brown - known from films such as A LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN (1971), ROME 2072 A.D. - THE NEW GLADIATORS (1983), and CUT AND RUN (1985).
Some fun ideas thrown around and a film that falls into place on every level, SONS OF TRINITY is one to see. Barboni can rest in peace knowing he's done more than his share of helping us laugh. A letterboxed DVD with a few extras - even a trailer - would be a welcome addition, but this Platinum Disc release is at least tops in terms of picture and sound quality and an above decent source to solely view the film in spite of it's lack of bonus material.Also read Devin's Interview with SONS OF TRINITY star, Heath Kissier!
STORY: 4.5/5 BITCH SLAPS
PICTURE: 4/5 BITCH SLAPS
AUDIO: 5/5 BITCH SLAPS
EXTRAS: 0/5 BITCH SLAPS
OVERALL FILM: 4/5 BITCH SLAPS-or-
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