The Deserter
La spina dorsale del diavolo
“A savage renegade and the chosen few... they followed him into Hell just for the chance to kill him!”
Synopsis
A young cavalry officer finds his woman tortured by the Apaches and blames the Army for not properly protecting the outpost, so becomes a deserter and an avenger, stalking and killing Indians without warning.
Top Cast
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Bekim Fehmiu
Captain Victor Kaleb
John Huston
General Miles
Richard Crenna
Major Wade Brown
Chuck Connors
Reynolds
Ricardo Montalban
Natachai
Ian Bannen
Cpt. Crawford
Brandon De Wilde
Ferguson
Slim Pickens
Sgt. Tattinger
Albert Salmi
Schmidt
Woody Strode
Jackson
Patrick Wayne
Cpt. Bill Robinson
Fausto Tozzi
Orozco
José Terrón
Apache
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 28, 1971
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Burt Kennedy
- Screenplay & Story
- Clair Huffaker
- Original Score
- Piero Piccioni
- Original Title
- La spina dorsale del diavolo
- Country of Origin
- Italy, United States of America, Yugoslavia
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 44m
- Production Studios
- Jadran Film, Heritage Enterprises Inc., DDL Cinematografica
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Burt Kennedy
Clair Huffaker, Stuart J. Byrne, William H. James, Massimo D'Avak
Piero Piccioni
Aldo Tonti
Frank Santillo
Norman Baer, Dino De Laurentiis, Ralph B. Serpe
Department Leadership Roster
Burt Kennedy
Director
Clair Huffaker
Screenplay
Aldo Tonti
Director of Photography
Frank Santillo
Editor
Mario Chiari
Production Design
Elio Micheli
Costume Design
Norman Baer
Producer
Dino De Laurentiis
Producer
Ralph B. Serpe
Producer
Piero Piccioni
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Deserter.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Deserter.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Deserter
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Deserter about?
A young cavalry officer finds his woman tortured by the Apaches and blames the Army for not properly protecting the outpost, so becomes a deserter and an avenger, stalking and killing Indians without warning.
Who directed The Deserter?
The Deserter was directed by Burt Kennedy.
Who stars in The Deserter?
The principal cast of The Deserter includes Bekim Fehmiu, John Huston, Richard Crenna, Chuck Connors, Ricardo Montalban.
When was The Deserter released and how long is it?
The Deserter was released in 1970 with a total runtime of 1h 44m.
Who composed the musical score for The Deserter?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Deserter was composed by Piero Piccioni.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Deserter?
The Deserter holds official age classifications: US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).