It is the first film in The Sabata Trilogy by Parolini, and stars Lee Van Cleef as the title character.

They conceived the theft to use the money to purchase land that would soon be wanted for railroad development, vastly increasing its value.

Stengel commissions a man named Oswald to kill the acrobats and dispose of their wagon - the only evidence of their involvement.

Sabata then raises the price to $60,000 and agrees to accept delivery the next day at Los Palos.

A group of men from Banjo's past try to kill him, but he dispatches them with expert skill using a rifle concealed in his instrument.

With the help of Charrincha's Indian acrobat friend, they trick the men into entering a canyon and trap them there with dynamite.

Sabata, only playing dead, shoots the money bag off of his horse and takes it back - their agreement was 50/50.

For this final betrayal, Sabata offers Banjo only the original $5,000 bundle, which he then shoots, scattering it to the wind.