The Mercenary
Il mercenario
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Spanish movie poster
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| Country
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 Italy
 Spain
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| Directed by
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Sergio Corbucci
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| Release Date
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1968
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| Language
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Italian
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| Studio
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Produzioni Europee Associati (PEA)
Profilms 21
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| Distributor
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United Artists
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The Mercenary (Il Mercenario) is a 1968 Italian western set during the Mexican Revolution directed by Sergio Corbucci. The film stars Franco Nero as a Polish mercenary who arrives in Mexico, Tony Musante as Paco Roman, leader of a Mexican revolutionary band, and Jack Palance as the casino owner Ricciolo, also known as "Curly". Their paths cross when all three conspire to steal a trove of silver from the García brothers, owners of a silver mine.
The following weapons were used in the film The Mercenary:
Pistols
Astra 400
Sergei Kowalski (Franco Nero) carries an Astra 400 throughout the film as his personal pistol. This is an anachronism, as the film is set at the beginning of the Mexican Revolution, and the Astra 400 began production in 1921, a decade after the conflict ended.
Kowalski aims his Astra 400 at Studs in the casino.
Kowalski grabs Paco Román and aims his Astra 400 at him.
Kowalski aims and shoots his Astra 400 at the trumpet of a Mexican soldier.
Kowalski uses his Astra 400 to threaten the Mexican Army Captain (Guillermo Mendez).
Kowalski wields his Astra 400 during the duel in the Mexico Arena.
Sharps Pepperbox
Curly (Jack Palance) uses a Sharps Pepperbox to execute one of the Garcia cousins (Vicente Roca).
Sharps Model 1C - .32 Short Rimfire
Curly prays after firing his Sharps Pepperbox to kill the silver mine owner.
Remington 1866 Derringer
Studs (Franco Ressel) receives a Remington 1866 Derringer from Curly (Jack Palance) and he use it in an attempt to kill Sergei Kowalski (Franco Nero).
Remington 1866 Derringer w/ blued finish and black grips - .41 Short Rimfire
Studs grabs the Derringer that Curly left him in a glass.
Studs threatens to kill Kowalski after the latter reveals that he cheated at the casino.
Revolvers
Single Action Army
Numerous characters use Single Action Army revolvers, mostly revolutionaries, including Paco Roman (Tony Musante) and Columba (Giovanna Ralli). All the Single Action Armys seen on screen are modern replicas made by Uberti.
Colt Single Action Army with 7.5" barrel - .45 Long Colt
Paco threatens Garcia with his Single Action Army while grabbing a lizard to force him to eat it.
A good side shot of Paco's Single Action Army.
Colt Single Action Army with 5.5" barrel - .45 Long Colt
A Mexican officer (
Lorenzo Robledo) aims his Single Action Army at Kowalski and Paco.
A close-up shot of Columba's Single Action Army barrel.
Columba aims his Single Action Army at Alfonso Garcia to keep him from moving.
Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action
Studs (Franco Ressel) and one of the Garcia cousins (Tito Garcia) are seen carrying a Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action. Given the shooting location, it is presumed to be a Spanish replica.d
Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action (Éibar replica) - .455 Webley
a close-up of the .44 Double Action in Garcia's cousin holster.
On the way out of the casino, Studs aims his nickel-plated .44 Double Action at Kowalski...
...but Curly stops him when he sees that the polish got a good business opportunity, not to mention that he doesn't trust Studs because he's too nervous.
Paco inspects the military camp safe, finding an unsatisfactory amount of money according to him.
At his side can be seen a .44 Double Action.
Smith & Wesson Model 10
Sergei Kowalski (Franco Nero), Paco Roman (Tony Musante), Columba (Giovanna Ralli), and several revolutionaries are seen carrying Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolvers. They are probably of Spanish production considering the filming location.
Guisasola Hermanos G.H. Modelo 10 - 8x27mm SR
Paco fires his Model 10 during the revolutionaries attack on the military camp.
Paco inspects the military camp safe, finding an unsatisfactory amount of money according to him.
At his side can be seen a Model 10.
A revolutionary fires his Model 10 into a prison lock.
Kowalski grabs the Model 10 from one of the revolutionaries to shoot the water tank above him.
Several revolutionaries carry Model 10 revolvers in the ambush on the Mexican army during a traditional fiesta.
Columba fires a Model 10 at the lock to free Paco Roman.
Webley Bulldog
Curly (Jack Palance) carries a Webley Bulldog during the casino scene.
Webley Bulldog with folding trigger (Belgian manufacture) - .320 Short Revolver Centerfire
A close-up shot of Curly's Webley.
Rifles
Garate El Tigre
Sergei Kowalski (Franco Nero), Paco Roman (Tony Musante), Curly (Jack Palance), and several other main and supporting characters use the Garate El Tigre throughout the film.
Garate Anitua & Co. El Tigre - .44 Largo
Columba with his Garate El Tifre on his shoulder while reading a newspaper that narrates the recent events where the revolution is involved.
Kowalski, before escaping from the revolutionaries hideout, fires his Garate El Tigre at an airplane in mid-flight.
One of Curly's men (¿
Lou Castel?) wields a Garate El Tigre in the arena where Paco Roman was hiding.
Paco Roman holds a Garate El Tigre during the duel in the arena.
Curly inserts a single cartridge into the loading gate of his Garate El Tigre.
Curly lifts his Garate El Tigre in triumph.
Colonel Alfonso García holds his Garate El Tigre as he prepares his men to ambush Paco Román.
Mauser Model 1893
Several Mexican army soldiers are seen carrying 1893 Spanish Mauser rifles throughout the film.
Spanish Mauser Modelo 1893 - 7x57mm Mauser
Two revolutionaries hold the water tank used by Kowalski to bathe with two Spanish 1893 Mausers.
Several Mexican army soldiers arm themselves with their Spanish 1893 Mausers when Alfonso Garcia orders them to shoot Kowalski and Paco Roman.
A slightly better shot of the Spanish 1893 Mausers rifles.
Mauser Model 1916
The soldiers of the Mexican army and, later, some revolutionaries, are armed with several 1916 Spanish Mausers. This is an anachronism, since it is implied that the film takes place during the beginning of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1913) by a dialogue of General Alfonso Garcia, where he implies that Francisco Madero had not yet been assassinated (he died in 1913).
Spanish M1916 Guardia Civil Short Mauser Rifle - 7x57mm Mauser
Paco Roman points his Spanish Mauser at Kowalski in the silver mine.
A close-up of one of the Spanish Mausers in the hands of a Mexican soldier.
Another close-up of the barrel a Spanish Mauser in the hands of another Mexican soldier.
Winchester Model 1873
One of Curly's henchmen (unidentified actor) carries a Winchester Model 1873.
Winchester Model 1873 (Uberti replica) - .38-40 WCF
One of Curly's men holsters his Winchester Model 1873 after the attack on the town where Paco Roman and his gang were hiding.
Machine Guns
Hotchkiss M1914
Sergei Kowalski (Franco Nero) buys a Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun that is later used by Paco Roman (Tony Musante) and his gang of revolutionaries. This is an anachronism, as the film is allegedly set between 1910 and 1913, while the Hotchkiss M1914 was introduced in 1914, one year later.
Hotchkiss M1914 - 8x50mmR Lebel
Pepote shows Kowalski the Hotchkiss M1914 he boasted so much about.
Kowalski “negotiates” the purchase of the Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun with Pepote (
Franco Giacobini).
A godd shot of the Hotchkiss M1914 on the ground during the Mexican army attack on the silver mine.
Kowalski places the Hotchkiss M1914 on the tripod after Paco has paid him the 200 pesos.
Kowalski fires the Hotchkiss M1914 at the troop of Mexican soldiers riding toward the silver mine.
A revolutionary fires the Hotchkiss M1914 at Mexican soldiers.
Paco Roman fires a Hotchkiss M1914 during the film's climactic battle at the Mexican fort.
Naranjero (Mocked-up as a Maxim Gun)
Sergei Kowalski (Franco Nero) arms himself with a multi-barreled machine gun fed by an ammunition belt during the film's climax. An close observation reveals that the machine gun is actually a prop made around a submachine gun (most likely a "Naranjero") and that it resembles a Maxim gun.
Franco Nero had already used a similar multi-barrel machine gun mock-up in Django (1966) and would also use it in Compañeros (1970) and Django Strikes Again (1987).
Modelo 1929 "Naranjero" - 9x23mm Largo
Spanish copy of the MP28/II.
A Mexican army soldier anxiously watches the execution of Paco and Kowalski as he guards the machine gun.
Note that the ammunition belt is not inserted in the feed box of the machine gun, so its function is only aesthetic.
Kowalski arms himself with the machine gun and begins firing at the Mexican soldiers.
A close-up of the machine gun barrel firing.
Note that the protrusion that the ammunition belt is trying to hide is a magazine from a submachine gun.
Franco Nero holds the machine gun in a production still.
Note the vent holes at the front of the barrel shroud, bolt and ejection port on the
side of the barrel jacket, further evidence this is a mock-up from a submachine gun, likely an MP28.
Maxim 1895
A Maxim 1895 machine gun can be seen in the armory of the military base of Alfonso Garcia (Eduardo Fajardo). Unlike the Maxim gun used by Franco Nero, this one appears to be genuine and not a prop.
Maxim 1895 - 7.92x57mm Mauser
What appears to be a genuine Maxim gun is in the room where the Mexican army keeps its weapons and where Paco Roman arms himself with a Hotchkiss M1914.
Others
F1 hand grenade
Curly (Jack Palance) uses F1 hand grenades to get rid of some revolutionaries.
F1 High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade with Mle1935 fuse.
Curly pulls two grenades from his bag when he spots some revolutionaries.
A close-up shot of Curly pulling the pin on the two grenades.
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