The No Mercy Man (also known as Bad Man, Trained to Kill, and Trained to Kill USA) is a 1973 action film with elements of a modern-day Western starring Steve Sandor, Rockne Tarkington, Sid Haig, Ron Thompson, Mike Lane, and Richard X. Slattery. The film was co-written (with Michael Nolin) and directed by Daniel Vance in his first and last feature film.[1][2] The film was shot in Todd-AO by Dean Cundey in his first feature film with Buddy Joe Hooker arranging the stunt work and acting as second unit director. Master Jerry Druckerman acted as the film's martial arts technical advisor.
| The No Mercy Man | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Daniel Vance |
| Written by | Daniel Vance Mike Nolin (Michael Nolin) |
| Produced by | Bill Coker Paul Rubey Johnson |
| Starring | Steve Sandor Rockne Tarkington Sid Haig Ron Thompson Mike Lane Richard X. Slattery |
| Cinematography | Dean Cundey |
| Edited by | George Jay Nicholson |
| Music by | Don Vincent |
| Distributed by | Cannon Film Distributors |
Release date | 1973 |
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Film director Quentin Tarantino programmed The No Mercy Man as part of a March 2011 revenge film triple feature at the New Beverly Cinema, which Tarantino took over in March 2007.[3][4][5][6] The websites Letterboxd, and The Grindhouse Database list this movie as belonging to the vetsploitation subgenre.[7][8]
Plot edit
Prophet and his friends are carnies and itinerant criminals in Arizona. After robbing a liquor store Prophet and a friend evade the local Sheriff and stop at the ranch of Mark Hand, a decorated war veteran. Feeling suspicious, Mark tells Prophet he can help himself to water at a pump behind the house but covers him with a rifle. Prophet's friend overpowers Mark from behind, ties him up and beats him prior to robbing Mark's house. Attracted by the mass amount of firearms in Mark's cabinet, they are distracted by Mark's daughter Mary who Prophet's friend attempts to rape. Mary wounds him with a knife and escapes in the desert coming across the car returning home driven by Mrs Hand and Mary's brother Olie who has returned from the Vietnam War with decorations and mental illnesses. Prophet and his friend make their escape with Mark puzzled that Olie doesn't want to hunt the criminals, preferring to let the sheriff handle the matter.
Though glad to be home, Olie grows more sullen and uncommunicative. Two of Olie's war buddies visit the Hand ranch and reveal that Olie was their legendary commander of a 6-man long-range reconnaissance patrol of United States Army Rangers, with one patrol taking them to Haiphong where they escaped in a Russian ship. Despite the supporting presence of his comrades in arms and loving family Olie grows more withdrawn and prone to flashbacks to the war where he nearly kills one of his friends when the two engage in good-natured sparring.
Meanwhile, Prophet and his friends plan more criminal acts where they steal a large recreational vehicle that they plan to sell across the border in Mexico, but the gang murders the family who own it. Some members of Prophet's gang stop off at a gas station where they abuse the attendant until they are beaten up by Olie and his army buddies. Enraged, the Prophet plans revenge and a big criminal score where they will attack the Hand ranch, steal Hand's mass arsenal, recruit a motorcycle gang led by Pillbox to distract the sheriff, and rob the town's bank where they will split the proceeds with Pillbox and make their escape to Mexico that lies across open rangeland adjoining the Hand ranch. Olie bids his army buddies farewell then further descends into a self-pitying alcoholic stupor.
Cast edit
- Steve Sandor as Olie Hand
- Rockne Tarkington as Prophet
- Richard X. Slattery as Mark Hand
- Heidi Vaughn as Mary Hand
- Mike Lane as Jack "Big Jack"
- Sid Haig as "Pillbox"
- Ron Thompson as John Dunn
- David Booth as "Beetle"
- Daniel Oaks as Corporal Lyle Talbot
- Tom Scott as Parrish
- Michael Prichard as Bruce Bennett
- Peg Stewart as Mrs. Hand
- Richard Collier as Joshua White
- Darlene Feasel as Dora Adams
- Russell Morrell as Sheriff Harris
Songs edit
The No Mercy Man
Written by Lois and Don Vincent
Performed by Al Gambino & Glory
Sunshine Lady
Written and Performed by Chris Christian
Fighting The Forgotten Feeling
Written and Performed by Chris Christian
Ballad of Olie Hand
Written and Performed by Chris Christian
Lonely Lonely Times
Written by Lois and Don Vincent
Performed by Al Gambino & Glory
Reach Out
Written by Lois and Don Vincent
Performed by Al Gambino & Glory
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Sandra Brennan. "The New York Times". Movies & TV Dept. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
- ^ "TV Guide". TV Guide. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
- ^ "Quentin Tarantino's March Programming For The New Beverly". Ain't It Cool News. 2011-02-25.
- ^ "Around Town: Catherine Deneuve, Outfest Fusion, world cinema and a tribute to Chris Morris at L.A. revival houses". Los Angeles Times. 2011-03-03.
- ^ John Scott Lewinski (2010-02-18). "Quentin Tarantino saves L.A. theater". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "Tarantino's March Madness Pt.2". Schofizzy.com. 2011.
- ^ "Vetsploitation. List by Jarrett". Letterboxd. 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ "Category. Vetsploitation. From The Grindhouse Cinema Database". The Grindhouse Cinema Database. February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
