The Price of Power

The Price of Power is a 1969 Spaghetti Western directed by Tonino Valerii. The film stars Giuliano Gemma as the hero Bill Willer who tries to get revenge against the killers of his father while at the same time trying to prevent an assassination plot against president James Garfield (played by Van Johnson, with José Suárez playing Vice President Chester A. Arthur) in 1881. Plot The president ends up dying from an assassin's bullet, but Willer's further quest for revenge is ultimately more successful. Spanish actress Maria Cuadra plays Lucretia Garfield, the President's wife. In her role she portrays pretty much the role of Jackie Kennedy as a glamorous President's wife. Even in the assassination scene, Cuadra seems to emulate many of the same actions from Jackie Kennedy's last moments with John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963. Cast Giuliano Gemma as Bill Willer Warren Vanders as Arthur MacDonald Benito Stefanelli as Sheriff Benny Jefferson Fernando Rey as Pinkerton Ray Saunders as Jack Donovan Michael Harvey as Jeff Wallace Van Johnson as James A. Garfield José Suárez as Chester A. Arthur Maria Cuadra as Lucretia Garfield Antonio Casas as Mr. Willer Manuel Zarzo as Nick Julio Peña as Governor of Texas José Calvo as Dr. Strips Production The film's concept was conceived by Massimo Patrizi, Luigi Comencini's brother-in-law, and serves as an adaptation of the story of John F. Kennedy's assassination in the form of a Western. Patrizi also imposed another true story in his script, that the attempted murder of James A. Garfield in 1881.