Which 1966 Spaghetti Western stars Lee Van Cleef as bounty hunter Jonathan Corbett?

Which 1966 Spaghetti Western stars Lee Van Cleef as bounty hunter Jonathan Corbett? The Big Gundown. Directed by Sergio Sollima, this politically charged Spaghetti Western follows Corbett, a celebrated bounty hunter nearing retirement, as he pursues the Mexican fugitive Manuel “Cuchillo” Sánchez.

Corbett initially believes Cuchillo raped and murdered a 12-year-old girl. The hunt is encouraged by railroad tycoon Brokston, who offers political support for Corbett’s possible Senate campaign. As the chase crosses the American Southwest and into Mexico, Corbett discovers that the official story is false and that Cuchillo may be a convenient scapegoat.

Lee Van Cleef brings controlled authority to Corbett, while Tomas Milian plays Cuchillo with speed, humor and cunning. Their relationship gradually shifts from hunter and prey toward an uneasy alliance. That reversal gives the film more moral complexity than a straightforward revenge or manhunt picture.

The film is also remembered for Ennio Morricone’s score and its striking Spanish locations, including Almería, where it was shot in late 1966. It was followed by Sollima’s Run, Man, Run in 1968, although Milian—not Van Cleef—returned as the continuing lead.