A Man Called Sledge

A Man Called Sledge is a 1970 Italian Spaghetti Western film starring James Garner in an extremely offbeat role as a grimly evil thief, and featuring Dennis Weaver, Claude Akins and Wayde Preston. The film was written by Vic Morrow and Frank Kowalski, and directed by Morrow in Techniscope. Garner wrote in his memoirs that this movie was "one of the few times I've played a heavy and one of the last. I wish I could remember why I let Dino de Laurentiis talk me into this turkey. The poster says 'Not suitable for children.' It should say 'not suitable for consumption.'" Plot Luther Sledge, a wanted outlaw, is visiting his prostitute girlfriend, Ria, when one of his gang is shot over a poker game. Sledge kills the murderers, and is recognized by an old man, who follows him. Sledge waylays the old man, who then relates a tale of a periodic gold shipment that is heavily guarded by forty riders, but stops at a prison where the old man was incarcerated for years. Sledge assembles his regular gang (including Joyce, Bice, Gutherie, Beetle, Kehoe and Hooker), they investigate the story, and equip themselves for the endeavor. The local sheriff recognizes the old man from the prison, causing a shootout, and Sledge and his gang flee.