A legendary epic Western movie is airing on TV tonight

Stephen Porzio

Starring two Oscar winners, it was made by the best Western filmmaker ever.

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Friday, 11 October) is A Fistful of Dynamite (also known as Duck, You Sucker!), the legendary spaghetti Western from 1971.

Co-written and directed by all-time great filmmaker Sergio Leone (The Dollars Trilogy, Once Upon a Time in West), its story takes place at the beginning of the Mexican Revolution in 1913.

“Greedy bandit Juan Miranda (Oscar-winner Rod Steiger) and idealist John H. Mallory (Oscar-winner James Coburn), an Irish Republican Army explosives expert on the lam from the British, fall in with a band of revolutionaries plotting to strike a national bank,” the plot synopsis reads.

“When it turns out that the government has been using the bank as a hiding place for illegally detained political prisoners, who are freed by the blast, Miranda becomes a revolutionary hero against his will.”

A Fistful of Dynamite was the last Western directed by Leone, coming after his hugely beloved and iconic Dollars trilogy (which includes The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and Once Upon a Time in West.

The 1971 epic currently holds a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score, with critics praising it for its lead performances, its stylish direction, its dark humour and its score from legendary composer Ennio Morricone.

Though now considered a bit of a cult classic, A Fistful of Dynamite was not as commercially and critically successful at the time of its release as Leone’s other Westerns. As such, it is less well-known and ripe for discovery.

The film is airing on TG4 tonight at 9.05pm. It is also available to rent on Apple TV, Google Play and the Sky Store.

Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight:

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – E4 – 9pm

One of the best entires in Tom Cruise’s very solid action spy franchise.

The Hard Way – Legend – 9pm

The hit ’90s buddy action flick in which a famous Hollywood actor (Michael J. Fox) researching a role is allowed to tag along with a hardboiled New York City policeman (James Woods).

The King’s Man – Film4 – 9pm

This prequel in the Kingsman series of action spy comedies takes place during WWI and stars Ralph Fiennes.

Bullitt – ITV4 – 9.05pm

This very cool ’60s neo-noir action thriller starring Steve McQueen boasts one of the best car chases ever captured on film.

GI Jane – RTÉ2 – 9.30pm

Demi Moore headlines this decent ’90s action drama from director Ridley Scott as the first woman who joins the US Navy Special Warfare Group.

Insidious – Sky Showcase – 10.10pm

A family (led by Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) find themselves being haunted by demonic entities in this modern classic horror with a legendary jump scare.

The Book of Eli – Film4 – 11.40pm

Denzel Washington plays a nomad in a post-apocalyptic world on a mysterious mission in this solid action thriller.

A Good Woman is Hard to Find – Legend Xtra – 10.55pm

This crime thriller starring Irish actress Sarah Bolger (In America) as a young recently widowed mother seeking the truth about her husband’s murder has a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Back-up Plan – Comedy Central Extra – 11pm

A J.Lo rom-com.

The Hunter’s Prayer – Legend – 11.10pm

Avatar’s Sam Worthington plays a conflicted hitman helping a young woman to avenge the death of her family in this 2017 action thriller.

Married Life – RTÉ One – 11.15pm

A period drama set in the ’40s and revolving around the topic of infidelity starring Chris Cooper, Patricia Clarkson, Pierce Brosnan and Rachel McAdams.

Rocky Balboa – ITV4 – 11.25pm

The solid sixth entry in the legendary boxing franchise.

Relic – BBC Two – 11.50pm

This very creepy and emotionally affecting Australian horror tells the story of a daughter (Bella Heathcote), mother (Emily Mortimer) and grandmother (Robyn Nevin) whose family home becomes haunted.

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