Born in 1919, Strother Martin emerged from the American theater scene to become a staple of cult cinema. He is best remembered for his role in The Wild Bunch (1969), where his commanding presence added depth to the gritty narrative. Martin's performances in Hannie Caulder (1971) and Sssssss (1973) showcase his ability to navigate the realms of exploitation and western genres, making him a significant figure in the landscape of cult film. His work in The Deadly Companions (1961) further solidified his status as a versatile actor in the era of grindhouse cinema.
Hannie Caulder
Hannie Caulder (Raquel Welch) is a frontier wife, living with her husband at a horse station between towns in the American West. After a disastrous bank raid, the inept Clemens brothers gang arrives at the station. They murder Caulder's husband, gang-rape her, burn down her house, and leave her for dead. The brothers go on a crime spree, while Caulder recruits bounty hunter Thomas Price (Robert Culp) to help her get revenge by training her to be a gunfighter. The pair travels to Mexico to have gunsmith Bailey (Christopher Lee) build her a specialized revolver, to be a fast draw specialist. When bandidos surround the house, a gun battle erupts, but Hannie is unable to kill a man face-to-face. Price recommends she give up her quest for revenge, but she refuses, telling him to get out and that she was only using him and does not need him anymore. He leaves, telling her she is a bad liar. As he goes, Price sees the Clemens brothers arrive in town. His attempt to take down Frank goes awry, because Emmett (Ernest Borgnine) throws a knife into Price's belly, mortally wounding him. Hannie goes after them, killing Frank (Jack Elam) in a whorehouse. The two brothers swear revenge on her, but she gets Rufus (Strother Martin) in a store when he tries to kill her. Hannie lures Emmett to an old prison for a showdown and almost meets the same fate as Price, but Emmett's attempt to throw a knife into her back is thwarted by the preacher, who shoots it from his hand. Hannie kills Emmett face-to-face, but realizes that Price was right – taking revenge will change her forever.
