Villa Rides

Released in 1968, "Villa Rides" stars Robert Mitchum as a Texas pilot/gunrunner who is thrust into the Mexican Revolution by his own greed. After being disillusioned by the Colorados (Orozquistas), he hooks up with bandit-turned-nationalist Pancho Villa (Yul Brynner) & his hardened patriots to face off against the Colorados in Northern Mexico. Charles Bronson and Robert Viharo play Villa's grim and merry assistants respectively while Maria Grazia Buccella is on hand as a woman that strikes the pilot's fancy. Herbert Lom appears as an enemy general while Alexander Knox plays naïve President Madero. Jill Ireland has a small role at the end.

Sam Peckinpah wrote the original screenplay and was slated to direct, but Brynner felt the script made Villa out to be too harsh, so Yul used his pull to get Robert Towne to rewrite it and the producers pursued another director, ending up with Buzz Kulik.

While this is more historical fiction than reality, it does successfully bring you back in time to the Mexican Revolution and helps you envision what it must have been like to ride with the legendary Villa. The movie definitely has more credibility than the incongruously-toned "Pancho Villa" (1972) with Telly Savalas in the titular role (although that Western is worth catching just for Villa's "invasion" of America with his raid on Columbus, New Mexico, a town three miles from the border, on March 9, 1916). The first half of "Villa Rides" is a decent Western, but the action-packed second half starts to go off the rails, as far as sustaining the viewer's interest. The filmmakers obviously needed to take more time to work the kinks out and draw forth the film's potential.

The movie runs 122 minutes and was shot in Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha & Madrid, Spain and Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora & Guanajuato City).

GRADE: Borderline C+/B-

This is an exciting historical film about the famous Mexican patriot bandit containing a succession of fights , shootouts , pursuits , raids and breathtaking frames . The film chronicles the title role , the Mexican bandit and guerrilla leader who flourished in the early part of the XX Century with broadened focus on the filming his feats and actual war . As Mexican rebel Pancho Villa (Yul Brynner) leads a revolution against the ¨Colorados¨ commanded by Orozco ; being helped by an American aviator (Robert Mitchum) imprisoned in Mexico . Later on , when President Madero (Alexander Knox) is overthrown , they fight against dictator General Huertas (Herbert Lom).

This vibrant movie is an uneven rehash of Pancho Villa's legend including epic battles , explosions , chases , spectacular scenes and resulting to be a feast of action for the eyes . Interesting screenplay written by prestigious Robert Towne and Sam Peckinpah , based on the novel ¨Pancho Villa¨ by Douglas Lamford . Sam Peckinpah wrote the original script and was set to direct, but Yul Brynner didn't love the screenplay because it became Pancho Villa - a man who had given strict orders to shoot in cold blood all prisoners - "look like a bad guy" ; as Peckinpah was fired and his script was rewritten by Robert Towne to conform to Brynner's idea of what Villa was like . Yul Brynner plays nicely the notorious and rowdy bandit turned military leader , as he is almost-perfect in title role . While Robert Mitchum is the flying gunrunner who reluctantly aids Francisco Villa's revolutionary Mexican campaign . And Charles Bronson giving one of the last of his sadistic two-fisted guy portrayal with his trademark mustache , before being promoted to tough and box-office big-star . Remainder casting is frankly welll : Maria Gracia Buzzela as a seducer Mexican woman , Herbert Lom as General Huertas , Frank Wolff as Ramirez , John Ireland and Jill Ireland , this was the first movie to star real-life husband and wife Charles Bronson to be subsequently continued a large number of films . Being shot in Spain , there appears great secondaries , some important Spanish actors such as : Fernando Rey , Xan Das Bolas , Julio Peña , Jose Canalejas , Jose Maria Prada and seductive Diana Lorys who holds one of the highlights of the movie , when she dances a tempting dance with Yul Brynner . Colorful cinematography by Jack Hildyard , David Lean's usual , and assisted by outstanding cameramen as Ricardo Navarrete and John Cabrera. Shot on Spanish location in Casar De Talamanca (Guadalajara) and Colmenar Viejo (Madrid). Rousing and thrilling musical score by Maurice Jarre , the musician to milk the maxim impact from a lively leitmotif . Considering the talent involved plenty of magnificent actors and excellent technicians results in a good movie . Big-budgeted film by producer Ted Richmond with hundreds of extras , a lot of riders , and using trains , planes , helicopter for his filming . Sergio Leone was offered to direct but the turned down , as it was well directed by Buzz Kulik supported by Jose Maria Ochoa , Carlos Gil and Eduardo Garcia Maroto as direction assistants . Kulik was an expert filmmaker of TV movies and occasionally for cinema . He directed notorious series and TV films (The Lindberg kidnapping case , Pioneer woman , Brian's song , Riot , Rage of Angela) and adapted famous films for TV (From here to eternity with Natalie Wood , Women of valor) . Furthermore , he filmed some vehicles for famed actors as Burt Reynods (Shamus) , Lee Marvin (Sergeant Ryker) , Steve McQueen (The hunter) and Pierce Brosnan (Around the world in 80 days) .

Other films about Pancho Villa are the following ones : the classic ¨Viva Villa¨ by Jack Conway with Wallace Beery who forever belongs this role ; ¨Villa¨ with Rodolfo Hoyos and Brian Keith ; ¨Pancho Villa¨ by Eugenio Martin with Telly Savalas and Clint Walker and ¨Starring Pancho Villa as himself¨ by Bruce Beresford with Antonio Banderas .

The picture is based on true events , thus : Pancho Villa born in Chihuahua with the name Doroteo Arango, from his peasant upbringing he became an outlaw in his youth and adopted the name Francisco Villa from another outlaw . He played a leading role in the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) , winning many victories (as Torreon battle narrated in the film). For a time Villa, who seemed in line for leadership of Mexico, enjoyed the agreeable interest of the United States government, but William Randolph Hearsts media empire's press campaign against him and USA authorities then dropped Villa and supported his rival, Carranza. Villa's resentment resulted in the revenge raid on Columbus . Rating 7/10. Decent Villa/Zapata Western.

"Villa Rides" says in the opening credits that it is a tribute to Pancho Villa. And, as presented, the film is indeed a tribute in which it paints the former Mexican bandit in pretty colors. We should remember that the Mexican revolutionary had attacked an American town, Columbus, New Mexico. So, the U.S. government sent our own Gen. John J. Pershing into Mexico to hunt down and capture or kill Francisco "Pancho" Villa. His pursuit lasted from March 1916 to February 1917. Pershing was recalled when WW I broke out. Of course, none of this is mentioned in this film.

So, remembering that Hollywood often glosses over history – even rewrites it at times, viewers should always take films like this with a grain of salt – as to their accuracy and truth. Of course, their enjoyment as entertainment is aside from that. Now, to counter that aspect, we should also remember that Villa was a real folk hero among the people. He was a Mexican "Robin Hood," who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He wasn't out for power himself, but was a genuine revolutionary for the freedom of the people.

We should also remember that it was after 1917 that the dictatorships in Mexico began to oppress the church and religion. Recent Mexican President Vicente Fox acknowledged and lamented the previous tyrannical governments. After 1917, Mexico outlawed religion, killed priests, confiscated and closed churches, and desecrated altars. Not until 1992 did this situation begin to change. Can it be any wonder why so many Mexicans would flee their country and want to live in the U.S. in the 20th century? Besides the economic hardships, the people were terribly persecuted and denied their basic rights.

Now for this film. It has a nice plot with some good action. The cast, for the most part, are quite good. Yul Bryner is very good as Pancho, although I suspect he is quite sanitized. Charles Bronson is very good as Fierro. Some other main characters are all quite good – Fernando Rey as Fuentes, Alexander Knox as Madero, and Herbert Lom as General Huerta. You'll notice I've saved Robert Mitchum until last. His role just doesn't fit as he portrays it. We need the character for the plot, but Mitchum just does not seem to play him right. He seems way too nonchalant. The script, or directing, or acting, or all three needed a major rework there to make his character much more believable. It put a sort of pale of humor over the story, and I don't think it really should be humorous. Not when we see families distraught over the hanging of many of their fathers, husbands and sons by the government army. And, I've never thought it funny when women are raped.

So, I'll give this 7 stars for the action, the story and the roles of Bryner, Bronson and some others. Back to that opening credit on the film – I'm sure that Paramount didn't mean to imply that Hollywood welcomes foreign governments to attack towns in the U.S. Or that it will honor them for doing so. But, wait a minute. I could be wrong about Hollywood.

"Villa Rides" is the tale of the legendary Pancho Villa, key player in the Mexican Revolution who was a bandit, to be sure, but also undeniably a true leader deeply committed to his cause. However, the tale mostly focuses on Lee Arnold (Robert Mitchum), the American pilot who is captured by Villa's forces and eventually, reluctantly becomes caught up in their mission. Yul Brynner, sporting a full head of hair for once, is thought by some to be miscast as Villa, but in any event this reviewer does feel that his screen presence is still powerful. Mitchum, admittedly, isn't at his best and in fact looks rather disinterested throughout this thing, which is not good considering how much screen time is given to his character. Herbert Lom does well in the key role of a dubious Mexican general, and Maria Grazia Buccella is appealing and lovely in the underwritten role of Lee's love interest. The performer here who truly stands out is Charles Bronson, sporting his familiar moustache for the first time here, as Villa's associate Fierro, and the actor does capture this person's essential ruthlessness, although in real life Fierro was supposed to be an even more bloodthirsty individual. Also appearing are Bronson's wife Jill Ireland, in the first of the films that they did together, although she doesn't show up until near the end, as well as Robert Viharo, Frank Wolff, Alexander Knox, Fernando Rey, and John Ireland in a brief, uncredited bit. The screenplay is courtesy of Robert Towne and Sam Peckinpah, but it never really gives us much insight into Villa. There are some great moments of well staged action, but overall the pacing is a little sluggish. TV veteran Buzz Kuliks' direction is basically competent, although one has to wonder what might have been had Peckinpah been allowed to direct his own original screenplay, which wouldn't have romanticized Villa quite so much. Undeniably effective is the photography of some beautiful scenery and Maurice Jarres' eclectic score. This film does have its moments, such as Lee lobbing bombs as he flies his plane, but it could and should have been more interesting. As it is, it's decent entertainment but it doesn't ever quite take off. Six out of 10.

"Villa Rides" is the most accurate film depicting the life of the infamous mexican bandit, Pancho Villa. It's also filled with an all-star cast. Yul Brenner plays Villa to perfection (many other actors including Telly Savalas have played the role, but not as good as Brenner). Charles Bronson is equally good as Villa's sidekick who spends his free time humiliating and shooting mexicans. Robert Mitchum plays a pilot who gets involved in Villa's revolution. There is a constant pace of action and good dialogue ("Go outside and die. Where are your manners?" is what Bronson says to a mexican after the mexican tries to force himself on a young girl. Bronson shoots him and kicks him out the door). The buzzing noise Mitchum's airplane makes becomes annoying throughout the film (the director's name is Buzz) and the actor who plays the mexican villain seems to be more of a Woody Allen-type character than a vicious, sadistic tyrant. He makes up for that in his final scene. Classic stuff! The film is very rare and hard to find. If you get it, you're lucky.