With the mountains in Tuscany standing in for 19th-century Montana, this Italian western avoids the conventions of the country's better-known spaghetti western and offers an idealized, less-violent view of the American West. The tale features popular comic actor Leonardo Pieraccioni in a rare dramatic role as Doc, a small-town physician who loathes violence, doesn't eat meat, supports environmental awareness, prescribes herbal remedies, and leads an impeccably moral life devoted to his Native American wife and his son Jeremiah. However, Doc's pacifistic existence is greatly upset when his notorious, estranged father of 20 years suddenly rides back into their lives. A famed gunslinger, Johnny (Harvey Keitel) has vowed to retire and never kill again. Still, Doc worries that Johnny will have a negative effect on his impressionable son. Real trouble comes when Johnny's ruthless nemesis Jack (David Bowie) rides to town looking for a final showdown. Seeking to provoke Johnny into reneging upon his promise, Jack rapes and murders the madame of the local saloon and then begins to terrorize the entire town until Johnny finds himself left with no recourse but to accept Jack's challenge. Much to his surprise, Johnny discovers that he will not have to face Jack alone.