MovieChat Forums > Per qualche dollaro in più (1967) Discussion > Colonel to Bounty Hunter

Colonel to Bounty Hunter

posted a year ago by Mulletor (524)
8 replies | jump to latest

So aside from Prophet's explanation of "It was those damn trains!" it's never explained how Douglas Mortimer went from army colonel to "lowly" bounty hunter.

What do you think he did? He's still being referred to by rank so perhaps he wasn't booted from the army?

My guess - Retired from the army to pursue Indio until the time came when he had a bounty on him so he could kill him legally. Living on the army pension but supplementing his income with bounty hunting.

[–] [deleted] a year ago

You pretty much answered your own question. Retired as a Colonel and lived on his pension. Bounty hunting was a side gig that honed his skills for the final and very personal hunt.

[–] Mulletor (524) a year ago

There could be other theories though. Wacky ones at that.

[–] Mulletor (524) a year ago

Wacky theory:

It was The Colonel that put Indio up to killing his sister's husband because he didn't like/approve of him. Assassination money paid through a third party - that's why Indio didn't recognize him on sight. However, Indio became infatuated with Douglas Mortimer's sister and took it too far.

[–] [deleted] a year ago

Mortimer was more than capable of ending that marriage or engagement all by himself if he thought the guy wasn’t good enough for his sister.

No Indio was insane and probably obsessed with Mortimer’s sister.

[–] MeYouFools (161) 2 months ago

Well, you know, he was a civil war officer on the side of the Confederacy (he's specifically said to be from Carolina). The war was over and I don't believe the U.S. army would've allowed Confederates into their ranks.

"Colonel" is a title for him now, not a rank. So his skills in fighting in the war would have parlayed into bounty hunting well.

[–] Mulletor (524) a month ago

Good call. I had to do some searching and see that CSA soldiers didn't seem to keep their rank from the CSA after the war.

His being from the Carolinas doesn't 100% guarantee that he was a CSA soldier though. There were Union regiments from those regions during the war as well.

[–] MeYouFools (161) a month ago

"His being from the Carolinas doesn't 100% guarantee that he was a CSA soldier though."

I guess you're right about that, but do keep in mind the movie was written by Italians and would they know the nuances of the American Civil War and its politics of the time? Probably not. Of course, Leone would do his homework for "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly," but for this one? Also probably not.

[–] Mulletor (524) a month ago

I assume as much as my knowledge of the Spanish Civil War. It happened....and there were two sides.