Buddy Goes West

Buddy Goes West (Occhio alla penna, 1981) is a comedy western headlined by Bud Spencer, available to watch online on iFILM. Buddy, a hulking drifter, rolls into a small town with his Native American sidekick after the two accidentally swipe a bag of surgical tools. The locals promptly mistake him for the doctor they've been waiting for.

Buddy plays along with the white-coat charade reluctantly — the townsfolk are far too thrilled to take no for an answer. Then a gang of bandits rides in, and it turns out the big man can't stitch a wound to save his life, though he hands out plenty of bruises. From there you get exactly what these movies promise: long, clattering brawls, upturned tables and stacks of flattened outlaws without a drop of blood.

Director Michele Lupo built the film around Bud Spencer flying solo, minus his usual partner Terence Hill, but firmly in his lane as a gentle mountain of muscle who hits rarely and hits hard. Boxer Joe Bugner tags along as his companion. The whole thing is as simple as a jab to the jaw, made for anyone raised on Italian comedies about clumsy strongmen. Stream Buddy Goes West (1981) online on iFILM.