Die Letzten vom Red River

The film talks about a semi-retired sheriff (Robert Mitchum) who finds his nemesis , an old outlaw (George Kennedy) . He is abandoned by his band (leaders are David Carradine and John Davis Chandler) of cutthroats for being too old to execute a bank-heist that the gang is planning . Demystified Western was one of a group of much-imitated which changed the concept of their particular genre each bent on disproving a popular myth , yet tinged with humor , spoof and combining anti-heroes , replacing cars and horses ; in addition , the inevitable decadence of protagonists . The formula deals to enhance the comic observations of the western originated on the decade of the 60s by the following filmmakers : Andrew McLagen and Burt Kennedy , fine director of this movie .

Burt Kennedy directed similar Western with comedy such as :¨Support your local gunfighter¨ (one of the best spoof Western) , ¨Support your local sheriff¨ (his highpoint) , ¨Dirty Dingus Mcgee¨ and ¨War Wagon¨ . The picture is wonderfully amused and enjoyable with Robert Mitchum as a tough but dreary sheriff with his Maverick image who uses brains as well as brawny and guns . He cleaned a lawless town in his own highly individual way but he is fired by the Mayor , rightly played by Martin Balsam . Mitchum in one of the best interpretations was much stronger actor when being something older than a straightforward hero . George Kennedy makes a robustly likable characterization . Stars have a splendid fight aboard a train towards the end ; furthermore , it contains excellent action sequences , as well as the pursuits and derailing train . Ronald Cohen's screenplay besides having more than its fair scraps of funny lines , throws up rich characters . Thus , Douglas Fowley as the old brawler likeness Walter Brennan (Support you local..) clearly relishing his comic relief . John Davis Chandler , as always, plays a sadist gunfighter. There appears uncredited Christopher Mitchum , Robert's son , along with Buddy Hackett . Film exteriors were shot in New Mexico by cameraman Harry Stradling who reflects stunningly the marvelous landscapes . Jolly and agreeable musical score by William Lava and songs by Ned Washington. The motion picture was well directed by Burt Kennedy .

All right,I admit it,I'm a sucker for Westerns. I grew up on them and I still watch every new one I can find. That said, this is a somewhat above average western with some pretty funny moments. Robert Mitchum spoof his tough guy image as the marshall who insists that bad guy George Kennedy,an over the hill outlaw, is still a dangerous villain. For his troubles he gets a surprise retirement party. Mitchum and Kennedy then team together to upstage the young whippersnapper bad guys. All in all, a fun "buddy" western, I think most western movie lovers will get a chuckle from this film

This movie was directed by Burt Kennedy, who also directed another great western in 65 called The Rounders, that had Henry Fonda and Glenn Ford. This one is sort of different but they both had some comedy in them. This one stars Robert Mitchum as an old sheriff who is retired against his wishes by the mayor, played by Martin Balsam, who only cares about the election coming up. George Kennedy plays an outlaw who used to big in his day but now is the third wheel in a gang run by David Carradine. Both Mitchum and Kennedy, even though they used to be enemies, sort of team up together to stop Carradine from robbing the train even though they don't have too. This movie came out in 1969 the same year as The Wild Bunch, which Mitchum turned down but this movie is closer to Peckenpah's earlier film Ride The High Country.

"The Good Guys and the Bad Guys" doesn't work that well. It has a split-personality the good cast can't overcome. The serious scenes work well. The scenes between Robert Mitchum and George Kennedy are very good. The comedic scenes, however, don't work at all. The chase scene is silly and way too long. Inside "The Good Guys and the Bad Guys" there is a great serious western but it is smothered by all of the lame jokes. Honorable mention: Tina Louise's all too brief flash of her rump.

I am often critical about the movies spun out of Hollywood, overblown, ridiculous, far fetched, untrue etc, but one type of film they usually get right are Westerns, after all the Wild West was on the backdoor of Hollywood and deeply woven into American history, so they know exactly how to present one. This is a comedy, not much comedy in the west but the realistic scenes and sets are there, all down to a fine detail.

This is one they got right, a Comedy Western with great actor Robert Mitchum and great supporting actor George Kennedy, the acting is good, a bit tongue in cheek, but its a comedy, it has to be that, the scenery is great filmed in New Mexico and Colorado, the theme song (by Glen Yarborough) sung throughout is spot on and fits the film well. Directed well and good pacing, it could have been longer which I believe would have made it better, but no real complaints

David Carradine is good as the bad man, as is Martin Balsam as the Mayor, the town set is excellent and the train is spot on a real steam locomotive, not one of those fake Disney ones 3/4 the size, the costumes and sets are very realistic, the story is ok, not likely, but this is comedy, not a documentary on the west.

The modern westerns are usually poor compared to the better older ones, like this one, pity, but we can still watch films like this to reminisce.