Ein Fressen für die Geier

When the French army took control of the country we call Mexico, they counted on one factor to help them subdue the population, . . . fear! The use of Fear, through, intimation, torture, and outright execution worked, but not in the way they thought it would. The French brutality had an effect alright, it had the disastrous consequence of cementing the people, their friends and hundreds of mercenaries into an avenging force. Although there are many stories of the revolution, several stand out as movie classics. The Professionals, is one favorite, another is, "Two Mules for Sister Sara." In this story we have an American mercenary (Clint Eastwood) named Hogan who has bitter memories of the Civil War and decides to try for a quick Gold fortune in Mexico. He agrees to help Mexican Col. Beltran (Manuel Fabregas) take the French Garrison in exchange for half the treasury. Along the way, Hogan is joined by a traveling Catholic Nun, named Sister Sara (Shirley MacLaine) who has more secrets than just fear of being captured by the French. Innicially captured by three whiskey drinking rouges who strip, humiliate and threaten the beautiful Nun, she becomes a surprising and necessary ally. In their wondering, they save each other's life until the end, when Hogan is completely shocked with Sister Sara as she reveals her most guarded secret. I loved the movie, especially it's memorable and haunting theme at the beginning of the film. Superb! ****

It was a different kind of western with a surprising ending. Clint Eastwood and Shirley McClaine had great chemistry and gave great performances; especially Clint Eastwood. It was fun to watch with a good story line. Very entertaining!

Clint and Shirley have great chemistry together. The movie is light on action and works as a lighthearted comedy. The music by Ennio Morricone is cool . The movie is really funny in some places like the talk about the ass. The dialogue is often witty. There is no unnecessary violence. The movie has moments when it gets little serious , but not too serious . The plot is not quite predictable as one could suspect. The final battle is quite exciting.

Despite what IMDb tells you this is not really a war movie. It is set during war , but it's western. It's one of Eastwood weaker westerns , but still a good and enjoyable movie. I give it 7/10.

P.S. For those who don't understood the title - Eastwood is stubborn as mule , get it ? It's a joke.

Sure, he's in the shadow here of his more famous Leone westerns, but this vehicle, amiably directed by Don Siegel and aided by a quirky Ennio Morricone score, is an entertaining little spaghetti western knockoff shot on location in Mexico. Story-wise, it's an old west Heaven Knows Mr. Allison with a comic twist, and with an offbeat nemesis in the French Army. The humorous chemistry between Eastwood's Hogan and MacLaine's Sara at times clicks so well it's hard to believe they reportedly didn't get along very well during production. Though when it comes to Shirley MacLaine nothing really surprises me.

As far as Eastwood's post Spaghetti movies, he's rarely been in better form than this. Essentially continuing his man with no name persona, he gets far more dialogue this time around which fleshes out his character and makes him a little more three dimensional. It's a nice change of pace from the Leone westerns to hear Clint spout a few humorous lines and have the odd hilarious facial expression in between his trademark squinting and snarling and cigar chomping.

Disciples of Leone's trilogy may never warm up to an admittedly hammier Clint in this, but as Clint's Hollywood westerns go, this is a fun and well made duster. Shouldn't be missed.

With the intervention of Napoleon III of France, Archduque Maximilian was installed as emperor in Mexico but Mexican countrymen known as Juaristas (Juarez' resistance) were fighting to demonstrate that their country could act independently, that - as the reform contended - all men were equal under law, and that foreign monarchical adventures in Mexico were futile...

Sister Sara (Shirley MacLaine), presumably a nun, has adopted their cause and is being pursued by the French army for raising money to the Juaristas... Hogan (Clint Eastwood) is a wonder obliged to neither party... He appears unexpectedly when Sister Sara is about to be raped by three men... Fortunately for her, he kills them all...

But unlike the 'Man With No Name,' Eastwood doesn't turn and ride away... He escorts the good-looking nun in her mission...

But the nun's strange behavior intrigues his curiosity... She smokes cigars, she drinks whiskey and her language comes to be every day more profane...

Hogan's fascination with her arrives at its peak when she removes an Indian arrow from his shoulder, having rendering him half insensible by intoxicating him with shots of Whiskey...

After joining her to blow up a French supply train, he is persuaded to help a group of Juaristas led by Colonel Beltran (Manolo Fabregas) in a final attack on a French garrison...

The climax of "Two Mules for Sister Sara" displays the differences between Leone's conclusion which the 'Stranger' merely disappears into the mists of time... The change of image didn't excite the audience leaving the picture with enough nostalgia for the myth of the loner, the super hero, the 'Man With No Name.'

The film (beautifully shot in Color) is really a two-character story... The interesting team gives amusing and tender performances... The motion picture echoes "The African Queen," but is far away from being Hepburn/Bogart exciting adventure...