Cry, Onion!
Onion Jack has bought a piece of land on which to settle, but the property is still in possession of the orphans of the original owner and is coveted by the local oil baron.
The film earned $39.6M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Onion
Donahue
Father Donahue
Petrus
Maria
Sheriff
Main Cast & Characters
Onion
Played by Franco Nero
A wandering gunslinger and onion farmer who uses his agricultural knowledge and quick draw to help a small town oppressed by a cattle baron.
Donahue
Played by Sterling Hayden
A powerful and ruthless cattle baron who controls the region through intimidation and violence, seeking to expand his land holdings at any cost.
Father Donahue
Played by Martin Balsam
A priest and brother to the cattle baron, torn between family loyalty and moral conscience.
Petrus
Played by Leo Anchóriz
An eccentric old farmer who befriends Onion and provides local knowledge about the town's troubles.
Maria
Played by Emma Cohen
A young woman from the town who becomes romantically interested in Onion and supports his fight against Donahue.
Sheriff
Played by Romano Puppo
The ineffective local lawman who is under Donahue's thumb but eventually finds his courage.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Onion rides peacefully through the dusty Western landscape with his mule, establishing him as a wandering pacifist who carries onions instead of weapons, embodying a gentle soul in a violent world.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when Lamb's men attack a farming family, and Onion witnesses the violence firsthand. Despite his pacifist nature, he cannot ignore the injustice unfolding before him, disrupting his wanderer's detachment.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Onion makes the active choice to stay and help the oppressed farmers, using his unconventional onion-based methods to humiliate Lamb's enforcers rather than fight them with violence., moving from reaction to action.
At 46 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Onion achieves a false victory when his tactics successfully drive away a large group of Lamb's enforcers, and the town begins to believe they can win. But Lamb, humiliated, escalates to deadly force., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 69 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Holy Joe is beaten nearly to death by Lamb's men as a message. Onion finds his friend broken and bleeding, forcing him to confront whether his pacifism has endangered those he cares about., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 74 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Holy Joe, recovering, reminds Onion that true strength isn't about weapons but conviction. Onion realizes he can stay true to his nature while still fighting—he just needs a bigger, bolder plan., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Cry, Onion!'s emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Cry, Onion! against these established plot points, we can identify how Enzo G. Castellari utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Cry, Onion! within the comedy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Onion rides peacefully through the dusty Western landscape with his mule, establishing him as a wandering pacifist who carries onions instead of weapons, embodying a gentle soul in a violent world.
Theme
A townsperson remarks that "a man without a gun in these parts is either a fool or a saint," establishing the film's thematic question about whether pacifism can survive in a violent frontier society.
Worldbuilding
The corrupt town controlled by land baron Petrus Lamb is established. Onion arrives and we see the oppressed farmers, the violent enforcers, and the alcoholic former preacher Holy Joe sleeping in the streets.
Disruption
Lamb's men attack a farming family, and Onion witnesses the violence firsthand. Despite his pacifist nature, he cannot ignore the injustice unfolding before him, disrupting his wanderer's detachment.
Resistance
Onion debates whether to get involved. He meets Holy Joe, who warns him about the danger of standing against Lamb. The farmers plead for help while Onion resists being drawn into conflict.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Onion makes the active choice to stay and help the oppressed farmers, using his unconventional onion-based methods to humiliate Lamb's enforcers rather than fight them with violence.
Mirror World
Onion forms a genuine partnership with Holy Joe, the fallen preacher. Joe represents what Onion could become if he abandons his principles, while Onion offers Joe a chance at redemption through purpose.
Premise
The comedic promise of the premise unfolds as Onion and Holy Joe use absurd, non-violent tactics to outwit Lamb's men. Onion's onion-throwing skills prove surprisingly effective, winning small victories for the farmers.
Midpoint
Onion achieves a false victory when his tactics successfully drive away a large group of Lamb's enforcers, and the town begins to believe they can win. But Lamb, humiliated, escalates to deadly force.
Opposition
Lamb brings in professional gunfighters and increases the violence. Onion's pacifist methods become increasingly inadequate. Holy Joe relapses into drinking. The farmers lose faith and some abandon the cause.
Collapse
Holy Joe is beaten nearly to death by Lamb's men as a message. Onion finds his friend broken and bleeding, forcing him to confront whether his pacifism has endangered those he cares about.
Crisis
Onion tends to Holy Joe and contemplates abandoning his principles. The farmers hide in fear. Everything Onion built seems destroyed, and he must decide if non-violence is still the answer.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Holy Joe, recovering, reminds Onion that true strength isn't about weapons but conviction. Onion realizes he can stay true to his nature while still fighting—he just needs a bigger, bolder plan.
Synthesis
Onion executes an elaborate, comedic scheme that turns Lamb's greed against him. Using trickery, misdirection, and his signature onion skills, he defeats the villain without compromising his pacifist code.
Transformation
Onion rides out of the liberated town with Holy Joe, now sober and renewed. The farmers wave goodbye to their unconventional heroes—proving that kindness and cleverness can triumph over violence.