The Magnificent Matador

Expensively filmed and orchestrated in colour Cinemascope, Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn star in this slow romance set in the bullfighting milieu in Mexico.

Quinn is a matador in his last year that throws over a showing apparently because he chickens out and shacks up with the wealthy O'Hara.

Tedious portentousness passes for gravity in this slow drama, with some rough cutting especially the scene where the background shifts about six times, alternating between treeless plain, treeless mountain, and tree-filled mountain all in the same shot.

The greasy 'hombres' in tuxedos are a bit interesting, but the politics is rubbish and bullfighting is 'orrible anyway.

Interesting point with The Magnificent Matador is that you can see a segment of Raoul Kraushaar's score provides the melody for Hans Zimmer's opening theme in Gladiator. Good technicians have no qualms borrowing from others. Here Hans Zimmer has cut and pasted a full seven note section.

Don't mean to harp here but more text is required. Other sound grabs in Gladiator's opening battle include pieces of ZULU theme. Some reviewers have also claimed the Gauls in the opening battle even appear to be chanting Zulu war cries but I think this is a stretch. What else can the casual observer learn from The Magnificent Matador? Pink supposedly fascinates bulls. Gold embroidery really fascinates matadors.

Never forget that director Budd Boetticher was genuinely "born" in the bullfighting world, and this will never leave his mind, his soul. But let's also admit that this romance drama genre was not his genuine trademark, regarding of his filmography. Actually, there were two Budd Boetticher: First, the "bullfighter", thru movies like this one, ARRUZA and of course THE BULLFIGHTER AND THE LADY. Second, the magnificent western - and not, only but mostly western - maker, with the splendid movies starring Randolph Scott, written by Burt Kennedy and produced by Harry Joe Brown. So, back to this film, of course with Anthony Quinn and Maureen O'Hara - ANTHONY - and the - QUEEN Maureen O'Hara, this could not be a lousy picture. Which I would put on the same level as THE BULLFIGHTER AND THE LADY. I don't know why, but I thought of Ava Gardner here...But you know what I am talking about, if you are a movie goer.