A Man Called Sledge is a 1970 Italian Spaghetti Western film starring James Garner in a Playing Against Type role as a grimly evil thief, and featuring Dennis Weaver, John Marley, Claude Akins and Wayde Preston. The film was written by Vic Morrow and Frank Kowalski, and directed by Morrow.
With his partner killed, the rugged outlaw, Luther Sledge, assembles his old gang of opportunistic cut-throats, in high hopes of getting his hands on $300,000 in gold, after hearing an old man's tantalisingly impossible story. The immense treasure is heavily guarded inside an impregnable vault in the bowels of a dark prison stronghold, and what is even worse, no one has ever succeeded in stealing it for the past ten years. Under those circumstances and obsessed with making a fortune, Sledge needs a recklessly bold tactic merely to get close to the gold, when the men of his band are already starting to make plans of their own. Will the man called Sledge manage to pull off an unexpected victory?
Tropes:
- All for Nothing: Nobody ends up with the gold. All of the gang apart from Sledge are dead. The old man hid the gold before he died, so Sledge—who has decided he doesn't want the gold any more anyway—rides out of town with nothing to show for all the bloodshed and death.
- Dangerous Key Fumble: The prisoners grab the guard holding the keys and are passing him from cell to cell to a point were Sledge can cover him with a gun. However, the crazy prisoner called Wolf strangles the guard, causing him to drop the keys. They land just out of reach of the prisoner in the closest cell, who strains his arms through the bars in an attempt to grab them.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: After agreeing to leave the gold in the town square, Sledge finds Ria dying of injuries inflicted by the gang. He holds her in his arms as she dies, and she says they did not need the gold to be happy, and uses her dying breath to warn that Bice is behind him with a rifle.
- Even Evil Has Standards: After the old man reveals their kidnapping of Ria to Sledge, she is then badly hurt by Bice throwing her from a high wall. A horrified Hooker vows to kill Bice when they get the gold.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": John Marley's character is only ever addressed as 'Old Man'.
- From Dress to Dressing: After being stabbed in his gun arm by Kehoe, Sledge uses his neckerchief to strap a crucifix to the arm as a makeshift splint so he can keep shooting.
- Gambling Brawl: Sledge is visiting his prostitute girlfriend when one of his gang is shot over a poker game.
- Gatling Good: There is a Gatling gun mounted on the wagon transporting the gold, and one on the guard tower in the centre of the prison. Sledge's men seize control of the one in the prison and use it against the guards during the mass breakout.
- Gold Fever: Drives the plot as a gang of outlaws fall out over the fortune in gold they have stolen.
- The Heist: After meeting the Old Man and learning about the gold shipment from the Big Rock Canyon mines, Sledge starts formulating a plan to heist the gold as it stored overnight in the maximum security wing of Rockville Prison.
- A House Divided: Following the successful gold heist, the surviving gang members gloat over the successful robbery at an abandoned Indian village. A spirited game of cards breaks out between the men, but Sledge remains aloof. When Joyce tries to cheat, the old man kills him and the others are shocked when Sledge does not intervene. Disgusted, Beetle takes his remaining share and departs. Angered, Sledge plays the old man in a two-man game and, winning all of the gold, departs alone. The old man then convinces Hooker, Kehoe and Bice to hasten to the Mexican village ahead of Sledge in order to ambush him.
- Human Shield: When he and gang are caught scouting out the town of Rockville, Sledge grabs Sheriff Ripley and uses him as a human shield to force his way out of town; knowing that the deputies won't dare shoot at him while he is holding the sheriff.
- I Have Your Wife: Sledge leaves with his winnings despite the gang's protestations, and the old man proposes they kidnap Sledge's girlfriend Ria. With her, they follow Sledge to a Spanish Mission town, deserted for a local festival. Now leading the gang, the old man attempts negotiating with Sledge, while one of the others tries to ambush him. Sledge is wounded while killing the bushwhacker, Kehoe, but still refuses to bargain, so the old man reveals their kidnapping of Ria, who is then badly hurt by Bice throwing her from a high wall
- Impersonating an Officer: To gain access to Rockville Prison, Sledge is taken to the prison by his accomplice Ward, who poses as a U.S. Marshal needing to lock up his prisoner for the night.
- It's Personal: After Sledge kills one of his deputies, it becomes personalfor Sheriff Ripley, and he takes the opportunity to inflict a heavy beating on Sledge when he has Sledge in his custody.
- Kick Them While They Are Down: When Sledge is playing Trojan Prisoner to gain access to Rockville Prison, Sheriff Ripley punches him while his hands are manacled and the kicks him several times while he is on the floor.
- Lawman Baton: One of the warders threatens Sledge with a truncheon; thinking that Sledge is safely handcuffed. Sledge snatches the club off him and knocks him out with it.
- Murderous Thighs: Kehoe jumps and Sledge and manages to wound him with a knife. They roll around on the ground fighting until Sledge manages to lock his legs around Kehoe's throat: squeezing till he chokes the life out of Kehoe.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Sledge's plan relies on him being locked up in the prison for the night. However, the warden plans to hand him over to Sheriff Ripley to be held in the county jail overnight because he hasn't been convicted of anything yet. So Sledge goads Ripley by taunting over the death of his deputy till Ripley not only punches him, but kicks him several times while he is own the floor. The warden is horrified and—fearing Sledge might not survive a night in the jail—agrees to hold him overnight.
- Of Corpse He's Alive: Sledge knocks out one of the guards in the prison and is searching for the keys, only to be told he doesn't have the keys. When another guard enters, Sledge and Ward grab the unconscious guard and haul him up against the bars of their cell so it looks like he is standing there talking to them. The ruse works briefly, but then fails when the unconscious guard's feet slip out from under him.
- Police Brutality: Sledge's plan relies on him being locked up in the prison for the night. However, the warden plans to hand him over to Sheriff Ripley to be held in the county jail overnight because he hasn't been convicted of anything yet. So Sledge goads Ripley by taunting over the death of his deputy till Ripley not only punches him, but kicks him several times while he is own the floor. The warden is horrified and—fearing Sledge might not survive a night in the jail—agrees to hold him overnight.
- Prison Riot: Sledge triggers a riot by turning loose all of the prisoners in Rockville Prison as a cover for The Heist of the gold shipment being stored in the prison.
- Protagonist Title
- Safe Cracking: The gold is held in a safe in a cell, but only the warden knew the combination. Sledge locks the old man up in his former cell, adjoining the cell with the safe, which he heard being opened for years. By sound, the old man guides Bice through opening the safe.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: A spirited game of cards breaks out between the men, but Sledge remains aloof. When Joyce tries to cheat, the old man kills him and the others are shocked when Sledge does not intervene. Disgusted, Beetle takes his remaining share and departs.
- The Sheriff: The efficient and ruthless Sheriff Ripley of Rockville almost scuppers Sledge's entire plan when he recognises the old man as a former prisoner. After Sledge kills one of his deputies in his escape, it becomes personal, and Ripley takes the opportunity to inflict a heavy beating on Sledge when he has Sledge in his custody.
- Shoot Out the Lock: After freeing the prisoners, Sledge shoots the padlocks off the rifle rack and the ammo cage so they can arm themselves.
- Tap on the Head: Sledge knocks out one of the warders with a quick rap from the Lawman Baton he grabbed off him.
- Trojan Prisoner: To gain access to Rockville Prison, Sledge is taken to the prison by his accomplice Ward, who poses as a US Marshal needing to lock up his prisoner for the night.
- Villain Protagonist: James Garner plays a grimly evil outlaw who connives his way into a prison in hopes of getting his hands on a large shipment of gold stored there.
