• Source: The Fastest Guitar Alive

The Fastest Guitar Alive is a 1967 American musical comedy Western film, directed by Michael D. Moore with singer Roy Orbison in his only starring role as an actor.
The film features Orbison performing seven original songs, which appeared on his 1967 MGM album of the same name. His song "There Won't Be Many Coming Home" is featured in the 2015 western film The Hateful Eight.




Plot


Near the end of the American Civil War, a Southern spy (Orbison) with a bullet-shooting guitar is given the task of robbing gold bullion from the United States Mint in San Francisco to help finance the ill-fated Confederacy's last-ditch war effort.




Cast


Roy Orbison as Johnny Banner
Sammy Jackson as Steve Menlo
Maggie Pierce as Flo Chesnut
Joan Freeman as Sue Chesnut
Lyle Bettger as Charlie
John Doucette as Marshal Max Cooper
Patricia Donahue as Stella DeWitt
Ben Cooper as Deputy Rink
Ben Lessy as Indian Chief
Douglas Kennedy as Sheriff Joe Stedman
Iron Eyes Cody as First Indian
Sam the Sham as First Expressman




Production and release


Filming began September 1966. Although Orbison was pleased with the film, it proved to be a critical and box office flop. While MGM had included five films in his contract, no more were made.




Soundtrack



A soundtrack album for the film was released in June 1967 on MGM Records. It was the only album to consist entirely of Roy Orbison/Bill Dees originals. Its single "There Won't Be Many Coming Home" reached No. 18 in the UK and entered the Australian chart at its highest position of #32 before slipping down the chart.
The album was also included in the 2015 box set The MGM Years 1965–1973 – Roy Orbison.




= Reception

=
Richie Unterberger of AllMusic said the album "includes what may be his best obscure tune, the rarely anthologized "Whirlwind." With its galloping rhythm, emotive operatic vocals, swirling strings, and ghostly backing vocals, it recalls the best uptempo ballads that he recorded during his early-'60s heyday at the Monument label."
Billboard described as "a pack powerful emotion."




= Track listing

=




See also


List of American films of 1967




References






External links


The Fastest Guitar Alive at IMDb
The Fastest Alive at AllMovie
The Fastest Guitar Alive Virtual Museum Archived 2007-05-19 at the Wayback Machine

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