Wizard-8
With the success of the two of the "Trinity" spaghetti westerns starring Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, it was inevitable that other Italian film producers would try to copy the formula, which is what "Jesse And Lester" is. Like the "Trinity" films, the two main characters are half-brothers, and to further the connection there's a town by the name of "Trinity"! I wouldn't mind this copying had this clone been funny, but it isn't. Richard Harrison and Donald O'Brien aren't exactly actors known for their comic skill, and the two of them have absolutely no chemistry put together. Not only is the movie desperately unfunny, there is no real plot to speak of - it's just one vignette after another with no real connection to each other. I usually love spaghetti westerns, so it should be real clear how bad this effort is if even I hated it.
FightingWesterner
Gunslinging whore-monger Richard Harrison and uptight Mormon Donal O'Brien are estranged brothers who inherit a ranch from their mother, only to find it inhabited by a rowdy group of strip-miners. Unfortunately, getting their land back turns out to be much easier than dealing with each other or keeping a handle on the resulting cash.Another loosely plotted, low budget entry from the waning days of the Italian western and full of the usual comedic hijinks, this is definitely no classic. However, it is somewhat more interesting than a lot of similar movies, thanks to it's stars and slightly more restrained use of comedy.When watching Richard Harrison in something like this or his later ninja movies, it's hard to imagine why he would allegedly turn down iconic leading roles in A Fistful Of Dollars and Django!
Woodyanders
Charming, blithely amoral devil-may-care rogue Jesse Smith (nicely played to the suavely cool hilt by Richard Harrison, who also co-directed this film) and peaceful, devout straight-arrow Mormon Lester O'Hara (a lively and credible performance by Donald O'Brien) are estranged half brothers who reunite after receiving a sizable inheritance from their deceased mother. The wildly contrasting mismatched duo get into all kinds of trouble while trying to claim said inheritance. Directors Harrison and Renzo Genta relate the story at a constant quick pace, maintain a lighthearted tone throughout, and pitch the amusing lowbrow humor at a very broad, yet still enjoyable level. Moreover, the plentiful outbursts of gunplay and fisticuffs are staged with considerable aplomb, with a fierce rough'n'tumble barroom boxing match between Jesse and a hulking brute rating as a definite thrilling highlight. Harrison and O'Brien display an engagingly spiky chemistry in the leads, with sound support from Gino Maturano as ruthless one-eyed bandit gang leader Poker, Anna Zinnemann as brassy prostitute Elena Von Schaffer, George Wang as an irritable Chinese restaurant owner, and Federico Boido as wily outlaw Blondie. Carlo Savina's bouncy, jaunty score further enhances the infectiously bubbly merriment. A perfectly amiable diversion.
django-19
This easy-to-like Italian western comedy was one of the many early 70s knock-offs of the financially successful "Trinity" films starring Terence Hill and Bud Spencer. Although I've always liked the Hill/Spencer vehicles, JESSE AND LESTER is to me a much better film. First of all, Richard Harrison possesses a charisma and sexual appeal that Hill has never had--he's also an actor with a lot of depth and plays the charming rogue character very well. And Donald O'Brien is quite convincing as the devout Mormon. Also, the film is beautifully shot and a pleasure to watch throughout. And that comes through even on the cheap Venezuelan video I own. While the film may run a bit too long (comedies, for me, tend to work better when approx. 80 minutes), it is a little- known gem that should appeal to any fan of the Trinity series... or anyone who likes a good western comedy.
