If you’re scrolling through old Westerns and see Lee Van Cleef’s squinty eyes staring back at you, you might think you’ve seen it all before. You haven't. Honestly, Day of Anger—or I giorni dell'ira if you want to sound fancy and Italian—isn't just another shoot-em-up. It’s basically the "tough love" mentor movie that makes modern action films look a bit soft. Released in 1967 during the absolute peak of the Spaghetti Western craze, it managed to do something most of its peers couldn't: it actually cared about the characters.
Tonino Valerii directed this. He was Sergio Leone’s protégé. You can see the influence in every sweat-drenched close-up. But while Leone went for grand myths and operas, Valerii kept things gritty and grounded.
The Story Most People Get Wrong About Day of Anger
Most folks think this is a simple "master and apprentice" story. It’s not. It’s way darker. You’ve got Giuliano Gemma playing Scott Mary, the town’s "garbage boy." He’s literally the guy who cleans the toilets and gets bullied by every mediocre man in Clifton. Then Frank Talby (Lee Van Cleef) rides into town on a black horse. He’s cool. He’s lethal. He kills a man just for being a jerk to Scott.
Suddenly, the power dynamic shifts.
The movie focuses on Talby’s "Lessons." There are ten of them. They aren't about being a good person; they’re about staying alive in a world that wants you dead. This is where the film gets its meat. It’s a cynical, brutal education. But here’s the kicker—as Scott gets better at shooting, Talby gets worse as a human being. The mentor becomes the villain. It’s a slow-motion car wreck of a relationship that you can’t look away from.
Why the 10 Lessons Actually Matter
Usually, in movies, training montages are quick. Here, the lessons feel like a philosophy.
- Lesson 1: Never beg another man.
- Lesson 2: Never trust anyone.
- Lesson 5: If you wound a man, you’d better kill him, because sooner or later he’ll kill you.
It's grim. Really grim. But in the context of the 1960s, this was radical. It subverted the "Hero Western" where the good guy teaches the kid how to be a "man of honor." Talby is teaching Scott how to be a predator. You watch Gemma’s face change throughout the film. He goes from this wide-eyed, pathetic kid to a cold-blooded killer who looks eerily like his master.
The Casting Genius of Van Cleef and Gemma
Lee Van Cleef was a god in Italy. After For a Few Dollars More, he wasn't just a character actor with a sharp nose; he was a leading man. In Day of Anger, he plays Talby with this weirdly charming menace. You kind of want him to win, even when he’s burning down the town.
Then there’s Giuliano Gemma.
In Italy, he was huge. He had this athletic, almost "pretty boy" vibe that contrasted perfectly with Van Cleef’s weathered, desert-baked face. Putting them together was a stroke of genius. Gemma did most of his own stunts, and his physical transformation in this film is one of the best in the genre. He starts out slumping his shoulders, looking at the dirt. By the final duel, he’s standing tall, eyes like ice.
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It’s worth noting that the chemistry isn't just "acting." It feels like a real passing of the torch. Or a stealing of the torch, depending on how you view the ending.
That Iconic Riz Ortolani Soundtrack
You can't talk about a Spaghetti Western without the music. While Ennio Morricone usually gets all the glory, Riz Ortolani’s score for Day of Anger is an absolute banger. It’s brassy. It’s funky. It has this driving rhythm that makes you want to go out and buy a holster.
The main theme has been used in everything from Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained to Japanese arcade games. Why? Because it sounds like power. It captures that transition Scott Mary goes through. It’s not a "cowboy" song; it’s a "taking what’s mine" song.
The Realism in the Gunfights
One thing that sets Day of Anger apart from the dozens of generic Westerns from 1967 is the technical detail. Valerii was obsessed with how guns actually worked. There’s a scene where they discuss the mechanics of a cross-draw. It’s not just fast editing; it’s actual technique.
The final duel isn't just two guys standing in a street. It’s a tactical chess match. It involves a long-range rifle vs. a pistol, and the use of the sun to blind an opponent. It treats gunfighting like a professional trade rather than a magical skill.
A Note on the Different Versions
If you’re looking to watch this, be careful. There are several cuts. The original Italian version is nearly two hours long and develops the side characters a lot more. The American theatrical cut was hacked down to about 90 minutes. It loses a lot of the nuance.
If you can, find the restored Blu-ray versions (like the one from Arrow Video). They keep the scene where Scott has to choose between his old life and his new one, which is vital for understanding why he does what he does at the climax.
Is Day of Anger Actually a Political Movie?
Kinda.
A lot of film critics, especially in Europe, saw the film as a critique of power. Talby represents the old guard—the cynical, violent power that takes over through force. Scott represents the new generation. Does the new generation just become the old one? Or can they break the cycle?
Clifton, the town, is full of hypocrites. The leaders are cowards who once betrayed Talby. When Talby returns to get his revenge, you almost cheer for him because the "respectable" citizens are so loathsome. But then you see what his "justice" looks like, and it’s just as bad. It’s a very cynical look at how authority works. No one is "good" in this movie. Some are just less pathetic than others.
The Legacy of the Film
Today, Day of Anger is widely considered one of the "Top 5" Spaghetti Westerns outside of Leone’s Dollars trilogy. It influenced the way mentors are portrayed in cinema. You can see echoes of Talby in characters like Alonzo Harris in Training Day. It’s that idea of: "I'll show you the world, but the world is a dumpster fire."
It also marked the peak of Tonino Valerii’s career. He went on to direct My Name is Nobody with Henry Fonda, but many fans think Day of Anger is his true masterpiece because it’s so much tighter and more focused.
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How to Appreciate Day of Anger Today
If you want to get the most out of this film, don't just watch it as an action flick. Watch the eyes. Watch how Van Cleef looks at Gemma—sometimes with pride, sometimes with genuine fear as he realizes he’s created a monster he can’t control.
Next Steps for the Western Fan:
- Watch the Italian Cut: Seek out the 115-minute version. The pacing is better, even if it’s longer, because the character arcs actually make sense.
- Listen to the Score: Find the Riz Ortolani soundtrack on vinyl or streaming. It’s a masterclass in using brass to create tension.
- Compare with 'The Big Gundown': If you like this, watch Van Cleef in The Big Gundown. It’s a different vibe but shows just how much range he had as the genre’s go-to "tough guy."
- Study the 10 Lessons: Seriously, pay attention to the dialogue during the training scenes. It’s some of the best writing in the genre and explains the entire ending of the movie before it even happens.
The film holds up because it’s about a universal human experience: realizing your heroes are flawed and having to decide who you’re going to be once you stop following them. It's a brutal, stylish, and incredibly smart piece of cinema that deserves more than just a "cult classic" label.