His Name Was King is a 1971 movie directed by Giancarlo Romitelli.
His Name Was King tells the story of King, a bounty hunter who seeks revenge on the brutal gang who murdered his brother.
Here’s a quick description of this movie: it may contain the greatest Spaghetti Western theme song ever, the action scenes are well done and the Benson Brothers are classic villains.
What more do you need?
The Luis Bacalov-penned theme song is spectacular and represents everything special about the genre. It’s a song that creates a soulful, legendary aura for its main character – basically before we even meet him. However, in the true spirit of the genre, the character can’t match the soaring expectations of the song.
Veteran actor Richard Harrison plays King – aka John Marley – who is an expert tracker and bounty hunter. He looks the part and appears skilled with weapons and riding horses – prerequisites for any Western lead. He boasts a Marlboro Man, early Tom Selleck vibe but ultimately proves a bit wooden.
Harrison comes to life during the movie’s climatic final shootout. His character battered, he finally displays some much lacking emotion. Yet, he’s easily overshadowed by the dynamic Klaus Kinski who sleepwalks through his limited scenes.
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