Les rebelles

In the last days of the Civil War, Confederate officer Joel McCrea and associates rob a Union storehouse of $2,000,000. They head down to a small patch of Mexican territory controlled by renegade general Pedro Armendariz and start negotiating to turn that into arms for the Confederacy. McCrea gets various offers -- and attempted beatings -- from people who think the gold and a ticket to Europe are better to have, although Armendariz's mistress, Yvonne De Carlo is warmly friendly.

This seems to have been movie shot in three-strip Technicolor, and under cinematographer Irving Glassberg, it offers the rich blacks that process excelled in. Director George Sherman, an expert in "Shaky A" westerns, directs the script well enough, and themain cast is excellent. With Armendariz weaselly under his bravado, De Carlo sad and cynical, and McCrea, as aways, bluff and straightforward. A very pleasant movie.

This isn't a particularly good or bad Western and the only reason I watched it is because Joel McCrea was a pretty good actor. Aside from his excellent as always performance, the film doesn't have a whole lot to distinguish it one way or the other. It's a definite time-passer, though Yvonne de Carlo and Pedro Armendariz do provide some decent supporting chemistry in this film about stolen Union gold during the US and Mexican Civil wars.

Armendariz plays a rogue Mexican general who sets up his own government along the US and Mexican border. Here is where wanted men and those who are seeking to do illegal stuff congregate. McCrea shows to buy arms for the Confederacy from the slick general and most of the movie concerns how McCrea can both keep the gold hidden AND eventually exchange it for weapons without getting killed or robbed. The film is competently made and interesting, but that's all.

Director George Sherman's output has not impressed me, but at least in RIVER BORDER he has a strong cast in good form, notably Joel McCrea (who does not play the squeaky clean guy this time), Yvonne de Carlo at her most stunningly beautiful, Pedro Armendariz, Al Bedoya, Ivan Triesault.

Cinematography and editing by Irving Glassberg and Frank Gross, respectively, deserve praise (though the fisticuffs seem a little bit contrived and McCrea allows himself to be punched more than recommended for one's good health).

RIVER BORDER refers to a kind of hole in the wall on the border with Mexico, with renegade General Calleja opposing Juarez and harboring criminals fleeing the law from Mexican and US territory. And into the action rides confederate Major Clete Mattson (McCrea) on the lam, planning to move gold stolen from the Union. He rides his horse as he comes under fire in a river, then retrieves a horse from quick sand in the movie's best sequence, and is savvy enough to deflect Calleja's venomous attacks.

The screenplay by Bill Sackheim has felicitous moments and flaws but generally holds your attention, helped by the fact that the film runs a short 80 minutes. 7/10.

terrible screenplay, terrible actors, bad and weak screenplay, ridiculous scenarios and plots. there's nothing worth praising whatsoever. guy was chased by soldiers, was shot crossed the river, then woke up in the hotel, then suddenly wearing all custom made new shirt, jacket and pants and hat showed up in the bar, then again, he kept changing into tailor made dresses after finished one scene. those dresses were ironed and pressed and so fit on his body. all the fights were poorly carried out. the dialog and acting by most supporting actors were just overly exaggerated and pretentious to the extreme. you need to turn of your I.Q. to watch this stupid western movie. the heist of the gold about two million dollars worth was another joke. the scenes by the river with stupid quick sand also was just too stupid to watch. all the fighting scenes just looked stupid and fake. there are so many good western movies from 1940 to 1970, but this one definitely is not one of them.

And offered to us by the very professional George Sherman, a "home" director for Universal Studios, a western and adventure specialist for Universal. Yvonne De Carlo shines bright in this movie, as usual and is the exquisite co star of Joel McCrea. The story itself is not that exceptional but remains very worth watching. Action packed with splendid sequences, colorful, brilliant, and helped by an adequate score. An enchanted film for western lovers, and not only die hard fans. All audiences fond of this kind of stuff will be satisfied. The Free Zone element has not that been often used in westerns.