Die Unbesiegten

Set in the period just after the Civil War, "The Undefeated" pits ex-Union officer John Wayne against ex-Confederate officer Rock Hudson in an amiable, if uneven, big-budget western. Hudson, as Colonel James Langdon, leaves his ancestral home after the defeat of the Confederacy and leads his family and friends southwards on a trek to find a new home in Emperor Maximilian's Mexico. Meanwhile, Colonel John Henry Thomas, played by Wayne, gathers his ex-army buddies and endeavors to round up and sell horses to the U.S. Army. The two men and their followers meet up in Northern Mexico and find themselves embroiled in the struggle between French-backed supporters of Maximilian and Mexican nationalists who back Benito Juarez. The resulting film, directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, is a predictable western with enough action and friendly verbal sparring between the former battlefield enemies to entertain for the two-hour running time.

Besides Wayne and Hudson, the cast benefits from such veteran western stalwarts as Bruce Cabot, Ben Johnson, Paul Fix, Harry Carey Jr., John Agar, and Dub Taylor. However, the film's most outstanding assets are a fine musical score by Hugo Montenegro and exceptional cinematography by William H. Clothier; Clothier captures sweeping vistas of northern Mexico, a herd of galloping horses, mounted cavalry advancing across battlefields, and horse-drawn wagons fording a river that enhance the visual spectacle of "The Undefeated."

Unfortunately, the film falters during a silly mass fist fight between the Northerners and Southerners, and the anachronistic romance between a Native American scout and Langdon's daughter creates a time warp; the pairing of a Southern white woman with a Native American in the days after the fall of the Confederacy is pure fantasy. Well coiffed and made-up ladies in formal French gowns dining on make-shift tables outside their covered wagons is also a stretch of credibility; no dust or grime intrudes on their frontier life. The friendly bonding between the former adversaries Langdon and Thomas and their followers is equally unlikely, and, although Wayne and Hudson make strange bedfellows, they work well together. While not among the landmark westerns of Wayne's career, "The Undefeated," elevated by Clothier's outstanding cinematography, Montenegro's score, and a supporting cast of familiar western faces, is solid entertainment and well worth discovering or re-discovering.

"The Undefeated" (1969) teams up John Wayne and Rock Hudson as ex-Union and Confederate officers after the Civil War in Mexico. Langdon (Hudson) wants to relocate his family & friends whereas Thomas (Wayne) wants to make money selling horses to Emperor Maximilian. The problem is that Benito Juarez and his followers are at war with Maximilian and this causes unforeseen problems for the Americans, who have no choice but to team-up.

The set-up of story is great and loosely based on Joseph Orville "Jo" Shelby and his Missouri raiders and their families who really did seek to relocate to Maximilian's Mexico, but had to return after the victory of Juarez' forces. The movie starts with a Civil War battle and the announcement that Lee has surrendered and the war is over, which segues into Langdon and Thomas and their people going to Mexico for completely different reasons; and then they meet. This is great, but the filmmakers add some goofiness, like an over-the-top, fun-spirited brawl between the Confederates and Federals at a 4th of July party in the wilderness. These types of scenes were fairly common in Wayne Westerns at the time and I always thought they detracted from these movies. There's a way to mix realistic comedy into a movie and a way not to and this isn't the way. Besides, how can a serious brouhaha be fun? When you punch people in the face in real life they get bloody noses and missing teeth; here they just laugh it off.

Another problem is NFL quarterback Roman Gabriel as a full-blooded Native American and adopted son of Thomas. No matter how you slice it, he looks like a white dude with a mop of black hair. To add insult to injury, Langdon's cute daughter (Melissa Newman) falls head-over-heals in love with him and the way it happens simply isn't realistic. Would a genuine Southern belle really swoon over a full-blooded Indian who visits their encampment? Would no one notice that the two have wandered off to make-out, in plain view of the others? Would Col. Langdon really not mind that his daughter is sucking face with a full-blooded Native? In our day and age it's no big deal and most people could care less, but it's still an issue in some circles; how much more so back then, particularly with a proud Southern Colonel and his people?

If you can overlook these flaws, however, this is a very worthwhile Western with quality drama, action, characters and locations (shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Durango, Mexico). The cast is also notable. Besides the two stars, you also get Lee Meriwether, Marian McCargo, Jan-Michael Vincent (in a too-small role), Merlin Olsen, Ben Johnson and various Wayne Western staples.

This is a likable Western because the people are so likable. For instance, the way one group is unselfishly willing to let go of something of great worth on behalf of another group blows the mind, but it reveals their nobility and the fact that they value human beings more than they do monetary gain, but only because they've found them worthy. It also reveals respect and the willingness to forgive & heal after the nation's most bloody war.

The film runs 119 minutes.

GRADE: B-

The Civil War is over but certain Confederate units refuse to call it quits. Colonel John Henry Thomas (played by The Duke)and his gang encounters one such band of rebels at the start of this film. Then there is the unit led by Colonel James Langdon played by Rock Hudson. They accept the fact the war is over but decide rather than live under the stars and stripes head out lock stock and barrel for Mexico women and children included. Wayne and his men bid farewell to the Army and set out to make a buck or two rounding up and selling wild horses. Wayne and his men cross paths along the way with Hudson and his refugees which make up the bulk of the story.

It's a little easy to understand Thomas and his men but not so easy to understand the Langdon group. When they encounter trouble it's almost hard as a viewer to have any pity for them.

Wayne gets support from a number of actors who co-starred with him in several of his films. Veteran character actor Dub Taylor is along as a nasty Chuck Wagon driver. Former Los Angeles Rams Quarterback Roman Gabriel is cast as a native American who served for Wayne during the war and is now his main man when it comes to tracking, scouting etc. Gabriels Ram teammate Merlin Olsen is also featured as a Confederate soldier who hates to fist fight but is called upon to do so. Decent western John Wayne film all in all. The Confederates may have lost the war but in this film they certainly ate better than the Yankees do.

Wayne, discovering that the Union army is planning to cheat him on a horse-trading deal, decides instead to drive his herd down to Mexico to sell to the Emperor Maximilian; Hudson, meanwhile, is leading a wagon train of disgruntled Southerners to settle in Mexico at the Emperor's invitation. Their odysseys converge, and when their arrival in Mexico coincides with the Juarez revolt, they decide that the good old US of A provides better choices than these pesky foreigners after all.

Characteristically folksy Western, the Undefeated has a lively supporting cast, great camera work by William Clothier, and a very inspiring idea, exploring the relation between the former Union and Confederate post-civil war, and they realise they have something in common.

It's a good western, a bit slumbering in places, especially in the first half, then after that moves briskly. It's got a mix of action (horse stampede at the end is exciting), humour and drama, but it's the two stars The duke and Rock Hudson that carry the film. Both actors are like chalk and cheese, but they work well together. The romantic subplot can be a bit contrived, though.

There's a great one liner: "The conversation sorta dried up, ma'am" when a lady asks him why they stopped the conversation and shot the bandit.

This moving western has Yankee colonel Henry Thomas (John Wayne) joining forces with Confederate official named Langdon (Rock Hudson), during the post-Civil War and in Mexican territory . Wayne tries to sell wild horses to the French military in Mexico and Hudson leading a wagon train to Durango . Both colonels battling it out toe to toe and side by side across 2000 miles of thundering adventure . They feared no one , Juarista rebels , cut-throat bandits, the armies of Maximilian, as they challenged an angry land and each other . The two big men with reckless courage clash and nothing can match them ,the big men ride and nothing can stop them . Through a thousand dangers and a thousand thrills they fight their glorious way to destiny , conquering desert , risks , savage outlaws , and enemy soldiers.

This agreeable Western packs adventures , silly romance , action , shootouts and historical events about American Civil War and Mexican war between Emperor Maxilimilian and Juaristas . Casting is frankly good, the legendary John Wayne , Rock Hudson . Before filming began, John Wayne had to lose most of the weight he had put on in order to play Rooster Cogburn in True grit (1969). According to director Andrew V. McLaglen, his first choice for the role of Colonel James Langdon was James Arness, who was willing to do it but backed out just before shooting began ; Rock Hudson was brought in as his replacement . John Wayne became good friends during the shoot with Rock Hudson and even joked that he'd rather have been born with Hudson's movie star face than his own. Magnificent plethora of secondaries , as usual John Ford's actors , Ben Johnson, Bruce Cabot, John Agar, Harry Carey Jr , among others . Furthermore , ordinary cameraman William H Clothier (Cheyemne Autumm , Man who shot Liberty Valance , Horse soldiers) who creates a luminous and colorful cinematography . Lively and evocative musical score by Hugo Montenegro . The motion picture was well directed by Andrew V. McLagen , a known Ford's disciple . He's a Western expert (McLintock, Shenandoah, Bandolero, Chisum , Cahill , Way west) and warlike genre craftsman (Return to Kai, Wild Geese , Sea Wolves). Rating : acceptable and passable. The movie will appeal to Wayne and Hudson die-hard fans.