Der Schatz von Caboblanco

It is no secret that Charles Bronson became a star in Europe before he became one in the US because of Death Wish. In Cabo Blanco, somewhat a takeoff of 'Casablanca', Bronson starred in the most European looking of all his movies. Yes he did films in Europe like Love and Bullits, and there is a brief sequence in Naples of the superior 'The Mechanic.' But due to casting, it has a feel of a European movie, the most since Someone Behind the Door'. Of course, the film does take place in Peru, and was filmed in Mexicao, but certainly the participation of the film with Dominique Sanda, Fernando Rey, and Camilla Spav certainly gives the film that feel. Also it is only the other time that Bronson worked with Jason Robards, (Once Upon a Time in The West) this time as a villain.

It is also perhaps the most romantic film that Bronson has done, and all though he was 58 when he did the film, he looks the younger than he had ever looked since his role as Jeff in 'Violent City'.

It is also a curious puzzle in Bronson's career, as it did not get much theatrical play in the US, if at all. Why this is has never been explained. On first viewing, it is an entertaining film, at least I was when I first saw it in 86 on video. Perhaps one of the problems also was that it was short at 87 minutes, and Bronson's popularity was on decline, though, sadly, the Cannon films with Death Wish II, and 10 to Midnight, with its incredible violence would shoot Bronson back up to big box office status.

It would be, I believe, the last time we would see Bronson without a shirt on. Perhaps he might have been having trouble keeping that athletic looking body that he had, less than 20 years later he would need a hip replacement.' In fact, in the film, he is seen that way from the back, as he walks away from camera, it is almost as if he is saying through this scene, you won't see me with my shirt off again.

This is a fun movie to watch, also if you are a person who likes to see a lot of naked women, you won't be disappointed. Though I don't recommend it for that.

The film does have its flaws though, The song 'The Very Thought Of You, gets played to many times that it becomes a cliché. Also the climax, and some of the scenes before that are so contrived and silly. I would also suggest that it is condescending to some of the supposedly native Peruvians, though this might harkin back to the days of the 40 American movies, which have some scenes which begin in black and white. However, if you think about it, the ending shot is ironic, and can make one think. The narration does add a veneer of sophistication to the film. Listen very closely at the end, as you might miss some important details.

Director J. Lee Thompson and actor Charles Bronson always made an interesting team, and this particular effort was the last one I needed to see. Compared with most of their collaborations in the 80s, this is a diamond in the rough and quite an off-kilter, old-fashion adventure / mystery story that sets out to be intriguing and creates a nice feel of the times, than anything relying on Bronson handing out nasty punishment. Well on that point, the violence when it does eventuate is surprisingly brutal, if quick and too the point. When it happens, it comes from nowhere. However Bronson is given a chance to spread his wings, and act with confidence and stalwart appeal. It's a terrifically surly, down-played performance by Chuck in a suitable heroine role. Working off Bronson is a tremendously solid cast. Jason Robards' is subtly powerful in a fine turn and Fernando Rey's sly style always amuses. Dominique Sanda displays a potently classy presence. The support cast rounding it off are just as good with Simon Mac Corkindale, Dennis Millar, Clifton James and Camilla Sparv.

Looming from the presentation is a film-noir tone, and I don't really get the 'Casablanca' references (from it being a rip-off to an unfunny spoof) made about it. There's no denying it's rather talky though, but the script is involving and smartly weaved together. This works due to the screenplay having a busy (if muddled) plot and still keeping a breezy (almost brooding) air to it. Some contrived, and convenient actions occur, and the drama can seem a little uncertain. But it never becomes a worry. Also how they used the breathtakingly erotic Mexican backdrop in the action was accordingly staged and well-framed. Talk about nice sight seeing. The swirling, wide-screen camera-work had that ability to capture that organic sense of place, although the underwater shots came off terribly murky. Thompson's direction is undoubtedly workman-like, slow and effective on a much larger scale, despite the dreary look to its visual styling. Jerry Goldsmith's rousing melancholic score is picture-perfect. Everything boils up to an thrilling climax, as the calmness makes way for a stormy (literally) confrontations of two men, who share something in common, but how they go about things are entirely different. They have a past they like to forget, and this is their chance for that to happen and put away that lingering fear of something catching up.

One of Bronson's interestingly obscure oddities, which unjustly flopped and deserves an audience.

p.s I would love to see a good DVD print of this film, because the grainy VHS copy I rented doesn't do it any justice.

Judging solely from the cool poster art (featuring a mean looking Bronson with a .357 magnum in hand) I expected a gritty 70s/80s style crime flick with the main twist being that it's set in a tropical Latin American location instead of the typical NYC or LA. Instead what we get is a 1940s era neo-noir with shades of 'Casablanca'. I guess I would have been fine with that as it would have been an interesting change of pace for a Bronson flick (so long as it were accompanied by plenty of hard-hitting action). However whatever potential this film had quickly deteriorates as the plot becomes nothing more than a lame, slow paced, sunken treasure movie.

Highlights include a few creative(though underwhelming) action scenes, topless Latina chicks, and appearances by Fernando Rey and Jason Robards (who isn't very convincing as a German expatriate). Even a cameo by a talking parrot can't save it. Avoid.

This is very slickly made film which sadly doesn't have a good reputation or a decent widescreen release. The camera-work on the film is excellent with much moving camera a great score and good locations.

The odd thing is the bursts of full frontal nudity and one really graphic death scene. These seem to be included for fans of Bronson's gritty films but seem totally out of place here.

Sondra is dull as usual. Bronson solid. Robards doesn't seem to want to be bothered by doing a German accent. It has real visual sweep. Odd rather forced voice over which seems to be trying to set this up for a sequel perhaps at the end.

Despite these forced elements--of violence, nudity,and nostalgia--the bulk of the film works as a mystery and intrigue--rather than say action. One of the few of director Thompson's later films that really hearken back to his early Hollywood career of sweeping location quasi epics.

The ending builds suspense only to pay it off in an offbeat--and perhaps off putting way for some. Jerry Goldsmith contributes a fantastic score too, btw.

Deserves more respect and proper restoration than it gets especially among the later career of Bronson. In fact, as a bit of an update a blu ray of the film does now exist, you can see and enjoy the widescreen phototgraphy to it's full impact. The blu ray also includes a well made making-of-film done at the time, by one of Gregory Peck's children, no less!

Cabo Blanco (1980)

** (out of 4)

Peru, 1948 is the setting for this adventure film about a group of criminals living in Cabo Blanco. A bar owner (Charles Bronson) finds himself caught up in a mystery dealing with missing gold, which includes a beautiful woman (Dominique Sanda) searching for her husband, a Nazi war criminal (Jason Robards) and a crooked police chief (Fernando Rey).

CABO BLANCO is often laughed at because it's considered a rip-off of CASABLANCA. While this film does borrow heavily from that classic picture, the overall movie isn't nearly as bad as its reputation. At the same time, I really have to scratch my head as to why the producers would call the film CABO BLANCO because with that title you just know people were going to compare it to a much better film. It didn't really matter how this movie turned out, the odds of it being better than that Humphrey Bogart classic was very slim so why put your film in a bad position from the word go?

As for the film itself, it's slight entertainment, although there's no question that there are plenty of flaws throughout. I think the biggest problem is the actual screenplay, which has way too much story and at times it gets rather bogged down in dialogue. The story itself could have been more interesting had there simply not be so many characters talking about so many different things. I know the film had some production issues so perhaps this might explain some of this but at just 87 minutes it seems like there's way too much story here than is needed.

The film has some terrific visuals and especially if you view the film in its original 2.35:1 ratio. The locations are certainly beautiful and adds a lot to the story. The performances really aren't that bad either. Robards is entertaining as always and I thought Rey was extremely good in the role of the police chief. I thought Sanda made for a good femme fetale as well. As for Bronson, this isn't his typical tough guy role. This character is a lot more of a "normal" person so to speak and I thought the actor did a fine job with it.

CABO BLANCO also suffers from some weird issues in regards to content. There's really no profanity and the violence is never too graphic or brutal. These elements are certain PG worthy yet there is all sorts of nudity that pushes it pass the family friendly rating. I'm not sure why they added on the nudity but nothing else but oh well. In the end CABO BLANCO is neither good nor bad but just pointless.