Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 22, 2021

Franco Giraldi's "A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die" (1967) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include exclusive new audio commentary by filmmaker Alex Cox and extended international finale with optional commentary. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The quickest gun in the West

I am unsure why A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die does not enjoy a better reputation. It tells a terrific story with some great twists and has a very interesting noirish identity that reminds of Quantez and The Great Silence. It even promotes a message that seems oddly relevant at this moment.

Alex Cord is Clay McCord, a notorious gunslinger with a long record of crimes. He is on his way to New Mexico because he has learned that the governor (Robert Ryan) has issued an amnesty that would allow outlaws a fresh start – if, of course, they are interested. McCord is intrigued by the possibility of wiping out his criminal past, but is unsure if the governor is sincere or the whole thing is a smart play to get rid of as many troublemakers as possible.

But soon after he enters New Mexico McCord begins to have seizures that threaten to make him an easy target for his former foes. Around the town of Tuscosa, McCord then discovers that the local sheriff (Arthur Kennedy) has organized a posse and plans to kill all outlaws that dare to show up and take advantage of the governor’s amnesty. When the sheriff’s men capture him, it looks like it is only a matter of time before he is executed, but Lady Luck decides to give him a second chance.

Directed by Franco Giraldi, A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die has all of the key strengths that fine Euro westerns are remembered for, which is actually a bit surprising because its identity is shaped up entirely by its three American stars -- Cord, Ryan, and Kennedy. Indeed, even though the intensity of its action and violence is very typical for a Euro western, the attitudes of its three stars are not. This becomes particularly obvious after Ryan emerges, which happens in the final third of the film, but even earlier Cord just does behave like the attractive macho star a Euro western would promote. Indeed, he is a vulnerable gunslinger who is slowly coming to terms with the realization that something is irreversibly destroying his body and, in the process, his ability to defend himself. He looks genuinely doomed -- until he no longer does.

There is plenty of terrific, very nicely shot action footage, but A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die has a lot more to offer. The screenplay introduces quite a few very good and entirely logical twists that effectively alter the main relationships and then change the balance of power. Also, the stars are not invincible. On the contrary, they are constantly tested in different violent conflicts where their opponents routinely look stronger.

Giraldi worked with cinematographer Aiace Parolin, who is probably best known for his contribution to Pietro Germi's classic commedia all'italiana Seduced and Abandoned.

This release makes it possible to view the film with two different finales. The extended international finale should have been fully restored and reinstated in the film because it is clearly the better one. It wraps up the film with the type of cold cynicism that only the very best Euro westerns knew how to get right.

A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The film was remastered in 4K and I think that it looks very nice on Blu-ray. However, the key word here is 'remastered', which would mean that it was not fully restored. It is why there are still some white specks and blemishes popping up here and there, and in one particular area even a thin white line that splits the screen for a second. But the basics are still quite nice. Indeed, depth ranges from good to very good, while delineation remains strong throughout the entire film. Clarity is really, really good, too. The color grading job is excellent. The primaries look healthy and appropriately lush, while the current ranges of existing nuances are terrific. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. However, the encoding is a bit shaky, so from time to time grain exposure becomes a bit too loose. Image stability is good. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I did not encounter any anomalies to report in our review. The dialog was clear and very easy to follow. Dynamic intensity was good, too. However, like most Euro westerns, A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die features some overdubbing, so from time to time balance could be a bit off. The upper register, where older films usually reveal signs of ageing, is healthy.

A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - an exclusive new audio commentary recorded by filmmaker Alex Cox.

• Extended International Ending - it can be seen with an optional commentary by Alex Cox. (6 min).

A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If the extended international finale was made to be the original finale of A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die, I think that this film would have enjoyed a very different reputation on both sides of the Atlantic. It has a very fine noirish atmosphere and the extended international finale would have effectively legitimized it. The 4K master that was prepared for it is very good, but the encode on the Blu-ray could have been optimized better. Regardless, if you enjoy Euro westerns, consider picking up a copy for your collection. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.