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Duccio Tessari

Writer and director · Died September 6, 1994, aged 67 · Genoa, Italy

Duccio Tessari was an Italian director, screenwriter and occasionally actor, considered one of the fathers of spaghetti westerns. Born in Genoa, Tessari started in the fifties as documentarist and as screenwriter of Peplum films. In 1964 he co-wrote Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars, one year later he gained an impressive commercial success and launched the Giuliano Gemma's career with A Pistol for Ringo and his immediate sequel, The Return of Ringo. He later touched different genres and worked in RAI TV, directing some successful TV-series. He died of cancer in Rome, at 68. He was married to actress Lorella De Luca.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 11, 1926
Died
September 6, 1994 (aged 67)
From
Genoa, Italy
Works as
Writer and director
Titles
24 on MovieCove · 56 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 9% in 30 days

What are Duccio Tessari's films like?

Across their 24 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Power.

Genres

Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 19th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
38%
Power
26%
Bonds
20%
Self
12%
Survival
3%
Society
1%
Justice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 24 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 14 · Serious 6 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 8

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 13 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 6

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 18 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Thrilling
13
Absurd
8
Joyful
3
Romantic
5
Other
12

How their films linger

Fun15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Duccio Tessari's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Duccio Tessari's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

56 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Beyond Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • In camera mia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Verso Sera

  • The Law of the Desert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • There Was a Castle with Forty Dogs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Please, Let the Flowers Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director

  • Baciami Strega (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director

  • Tex and the Lord of the Deep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Un centesimo di secondo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · Screenplay

  • The Fifth Commandment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Director · Writer

  • La madama (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Safari Express(1976)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Zorro(1975)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Puzzle(1974)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Three Tough Guys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • No Way Out(1973)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Heroes(1973)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Winged Devils (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Don't Turn the Other Cheek!(1971)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Bloodstained Butterfly(1971)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Death Occurred Last Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Quella piccola differenza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid(1969)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Bastard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director · Writer

  • Better a Widow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director · Writer · Actor

  • A Train for Durango (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Screenplay · Story

  • Per amore... per magia... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Dick Smart 2.007 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Writer

  • Kiss Kiss... Bang Bang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • Balearic Caper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Writer

  • Seven Guns for the MacGregors(1966)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Return of Ringo(1965)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Woman from Beirut (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Story

  • A Pistol for Ringo(1965)

    Director · Screenplay · Story · as Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Dangerous Pleasures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director · Screenplay

  • A Fistful of Dollars(1964)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Secret of the Sphinx (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director · Writer

  • The Avenger of Venice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Screenplay

  • Il fornaretto di Venezia(1963)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • My Son, the Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • Marco Polo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Writer

  • Duel of the Titans(1961)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Hercules in the Haunted World(1961)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World(1961)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Wonders of Aladdin(1961)

    Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Goliath and the Vampires (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Screenplay · Story

  • Hercules and the Captive Women(1961)

    Dialogue · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Colossus of Rhodes(1961)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Revolt of the Slaves(1960)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Love, the Italian Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    First Assistant Director

  • Call 22-22 Lieutenant Sheridan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    First Assistant Director

  • Colossus and the Amazon Queen(1960)

    First Assistant Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Goliath and the Dragon(1960)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Messalina(1960)

    First Assistant Director · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Carthage in Flames (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Co-Writer

  • The Last Days of Pompeii(1959)

    First Assistant Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Cannon Serenade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Writer

Career shape

A full career of 55 titles from 1958 to 1992.

Biggest box office

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

$15M worldwide

Highest rated

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting3 of 55: 1 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting31 of 55: 10 only directing, 21 with another role · typical Midcredits score50thWriting42 of 55: 18 only writing, 24 with another role · typical Midcredits score28thOther crew5 of 55: 2 only other crew, 3 with another role

55 titles, 24 with more than one role — writing and directing overlap on 21 of them.

By decade

1950s2 · crew1960s33 · 2 acting · 33 crew1970s12 · crew1980s4 · crew1990s4 · 1 acting · 3 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Duccio Tessari's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 30th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 39th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Approval · how many liked their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Midcredits score across 24 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 24 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · writer

Hercules and the Captive Women (1961)

66th percentile spread · 56% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 38/100 and the plot and story 43/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Duccio Tessari work with?

People who share at least 2 of Duccio Tessari's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ennio De Concini shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers