In A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die, Colonel Pembroke (played by James Coburn) is court-martialed by the Union Army for desertion during a battle. He is given a second chance when he is tasked with leading a group of condemned prisoners on a mission to retake the strategic Fort Holman from the Confederate Army.
Pembroke's men are a motley crew of criminals, including a murderer, a thief, and a former Confederate soldier. Together, they plan a daring attack on the heavily fortified fort, which is guarded by a large Confederate force under the command of Colonel Pembroke's former protege, Colonel Ward (Telly Savalas).
The mission is full of risks and challenges, and the men face numerous obstacles along the way. Pembroke's leadership and his redemption arc become the main themes of the movie, as he learns to trust and rely on his unlikely allies while dealing with the demons of his past and his misguided honor.
The movie features intense battle scenes and gritty action, with a focus on the human cost of war and the nature of heroism. The cast includes notable actors such as Bud Spencer, who plays a mute Native American, and Anthony Dawson, who plays a sadistic Confederate officer. A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die is regarded as a classic spaghetti Western, known for its character development and depiction of the American Civil War.