(1996)

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Last Man Standing

“John Smith” (Bruce Willis) plays hired gun to both sides of the gang war, bidding up his fee and switching sides frequently between Strozzi (Ned Eisenberg) and Doyle (David Patrick Kelly) until he gets a soft spot in his heart for Doyle’s “girlfriend,” and he frees her from her concubinage. When Doyle’s men realize that he’s responsible for the woman’s escape, they capture Smith, and beat him within an inch of his life. Even as a bloody pulp, he retains his wits enough to escape, and leads Doyle to believe that he’s fled back to Strozzi. Doyle’s men murder Strozzi’s’s entire gang, but don’t find Smith. Evenually, Doyle realizes that Joe Monday the innkeeper (William Sanderson) is helping Smith, and uses him as bait in a trap. Our hero returns for two more showdowns, which leave Doyle’s gang dead. Smith heads out of the now-peaceful town, no richer (but certainly much wiser) than when he arrived.

This movie was is a remake of Yojimbo and and was previously remade as A Fistful of Dollars.