Day of Anger
A mistreated town outcast becomes a formidable gunslinger under the tutelage of a dangerous veteran, upsetting Clifton's entrenched power structure.
Overview
A timid man finds strength and purpose when a gunfighter arrives, igniting a battle for power in a small town.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- tense
- stylized
- morally ambiguous
- classic western night
- action movie marathon
What critics said
Retrospective critics value the film's unusually developed protagonist and nuanced treatment of society and violence, while contemporary critics found its later plotting muddled and overlong.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Frank Talby trains the formerly submissive Scott Mary, establishing an age and experience contrast that later generates conflict.
Scott begins as Clifton's despised garbage collector and gains influence as Talby teaches him to command fear and respect.
Clifton's prominent townspeople mistreat Scott and protect an established balance of power that his transformation disrupts.
The Italian-European production uses heightened gunfighter mythology, dramatic violence, and a prominent Riz Ortolani score.
Films like Day of Anger, and why
Death Rides a Horse
shared spaghetti western style, mentor protégé dynamic, and morally ambiguous violence
For a Few Dollars More
shared older gunslinger mentorship, revenge-driven western mythology, and shifting power dynamics
The Big Gundown
shared Italian western stylization, gunfighter spectacle, and social hierarchy themes
The Great Silence
shared character transformation, cynical frontier society, and psychologically charged gunplay
Movie Details
- Director
- Tonino Valerii
- Release Date
- 1967-12-19
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (161)
Cast
- Giuliano Gemma
- Lee Van Cleef
- Walter Rilla
- Ennio Balbo
- Lukas Ammann
- Andrea Bosic
- José Calvo
- Giorgio Gargiullo
- Yvonne Sanson
- Christa Linder
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Night Flight Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Day of Anger about?
- A mistreated town outcast becomes a formidable gunslinger under the tutelage of a dangerous veteran, upsetting Clifton's entrenched power structure.
- What is Day of Anger like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Day of Anger as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Day of Anger violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Day of Anger as graphic.
- What did critics think of Day of Anger?
- Retrospective critics value the film's unusually developed protagonist and nuanced treatment of society and violence, while contemporary critics found its later plotting muddled and overlong.
- Which films are like Day of Anger?
- Films with a similar feel include Death Rides a Horse, For a Few Dollars More, The Big Gundown, and The Great Silence.
- How long is Day of Anger?
- Day of Anger runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch Day of Anger?
- In United States, Day of Anger streams on Amazon Prime Video, Night Flight Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
