A condemned gunfighter faces a deadly choice—kill for the railroad or betray his new friends and forbidden lover.
CHINA 9, LIBERTY 37
The railroad wanted one man dead. His wife gave the gunman another reason to stay.
Clayton Drumm rides out to kill a stubborn landowner blocking the railroad, but loyalty gives way to betrayal when he refuses the job and runs off with the man’s restless wife.
Quick Answer
China 9, Liberty 37 is a 1978 Italian-Spanish romance western directed by Monte Hellman about a condemned gunslinger offered a reprieve if he murders a stubborn miner blocking the railroad's expansion.
Programmer's Pick
Monte Hellman’s Europe-shot western turns bounty, betrayal, and bathtub encounters into a spaghetti-infused meditation on loyalty and lust. Come for Warren Oates and Fabio Testi’s soulful standoff, stay for the simmering tension and a railroad company with dirtier hands than the titular outlaw.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Why This Matters
This Italian-Spanish Western is notable for its direction by Monte Hellman, a rare acting appearance by director Sam Peckinpah, and a sparse U.S. theatrical release that delayed its exposure in some cities until years after its completion.
Cast & Crew
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Why Cult
This Italian-Spanish take on the western reimagines outlaw ethics and loyalty in a morally gray frontier.
Warren Oates, Fabio Testi, and Jenny Agutter tangle with betrayal, railroad politics, and forbidden passion.
The central conflict pivots on land, greed, and a bullet: a condemned man’s fate tied to a company’s expansionist ambitions.
Love triangles, shifting alliances, and stolen moments of intimacy keep danger simmering at every turn.
Scene Gallery
Questions from the Vault
Who directed China 9, Liberty 37? +
China 9, Liberty 37 was directed by Monte Hellman.
How long is China 9, Liberty 37? +
China 9, Liberty 37 runs for 105 minutes.
What genre is China 9, Liberty 37? +
China 9, Liberty 37 is a romance, western, and drama film.
Where can I watch China 9, Liberty 37? +
China 9, Liberty 37 is available for streaming on SassyFlix.
