Character Relationship Map: Ace High

Characters

• Cacopoulos (played by Eli Wallach) — protagonist

  Ruthless gangster and primary antagonist, controls a casino and employs henchmen.

• Cat Stevens (played by Terence Hill) — protagonist

  Talented boxer and con artist, travels with Hutch Bessy seeking gold and revenge.

• Hutch Bessy (played by Bud Spencer) — supporting

  Clever and resourceful partner to Cat Stevens, skilled in cons and combat.

• Thomas (played by Brock Peters) — supporting

  Local figure involved in the casino underworld, connected to Drake's operations.

• Drake (played by Kevin McCarthy) — supporting

  Corrupt official or gang leader, employs henchmen and manipulates local politics.

• Thomas' Wife (played by Tiffany Hoyveld) — minor

  Spouse of Thomas, involved in the local social and criminal dynamics.

• Paco Rosa (played by Livio Lorenzon) — supporting

  Local outlaw or associate, participates in the region's lawless activities.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Thomas' Wife → Thomas (wife)

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Cat Stevens → Thomas (Alliance Partner) — Collaborators in the casino infiltration plan.

  Cat enlists Thomas's help by telling him about Cacopoulos's treasure. Later, Thomas and Cat use acrobatics to enter the casino attic for the heist.

• Cat Stevens → Hutch Bessy (Alliance Partner) — Long-time companions traveling together throughout the film.

  Cat and Hutch arrive together in El Paso, travel south together, and work together to infiltrate the casino attic with Thomas.

• Cacopoulos → Hutch Bessy (Alliance Unwilling Ally) — Partner in crime who is betrayed and abandoned by Cacopoulos.

  Cacopoulos tricks Hutch into helping collect debts. After escaping Canganceiro, Cacopoulos shoots off their saddles, quoting that 'two are too many,'...

• Cacopoulos → Cat Stevens (Alliance Unwilling Ally) — Initially robbed by Cacopoulos, then forced into an uneasy alliance for revenge.

  Cacopoulos robs Cat and Hutch initially. He later tells Hutch about his past and asks for help collecting debts from the other two partners. They even...

• Cacopoulos → Drake (Conflict Arch Enemy) — The primary antagonist and final target of Cacopoulos's revenge.

  Drake is the third partner who put Cacopoulos in jail. In Memphis, Drake confronts Cacopoulos at the casino, leading to a shootout where Drake is woun...

• Cacopoulos → Paco Rosa (Conflict Enemy) — Local revolutionary leader who becomes a victim of Cacopoulos's violence.

  Cacopoulos encounters Paco, a 'revolutionary' presiding over kangaroo courts. Paco's men capture them, but Cacopoulos defeats them and kills Paco in w...

• Cacopoulos → Thomas (Alliance Ally) — Cacopoulos hires Thomas as an accomplice for the casino heist.

  Cacopoulos pays Thomas and his assistant money to help him. Later, Thomas uses acrobatic prowess with Cat to gain entrance to the casino attic to help...

Story Analysis

A tale of greed, revenge, and chaotic alliances across the American Southwest.

Plot Progression

1. The Booty Hunt — Cat and Hutch arrive in El Paso and force banker Harold to pay them for gold stolen by Bill San Antonio. Meanwhile, condemned man Cacopoulos escapes prison and confronts Harold.
2. Revenge Begins — Cacopoulos kills Harold and pursues Cat and Hutch, robbing them. He joins them temporarily to seek revenge on his former partners, starting with Paco.
3. Revolutionary Chaos — The group encounters rival revolutionaries. Paco is killed, but Canganceiro captures Cacopoulos. Cat and Hutch help Cacopoulos escape, only to be betrayed in Memphis.
4. The Casino Heist — Cat and Hutch set up a rigged roulette scheme in Memphis. Cacopoulos, having lost his money, forces his way into the casino and breaks the bank.
5. Vengeance and Victory — A massive shootout occurs between Cacopoulos and Drake. The customers turn on Drake, and Cacopoulos survives to leave with his new allies.