Les rebelles de l'Arizona

Despite several reviews, that state, that Richard Arlen is not, in this movie, he appears, unbilled, in a quick scene, as a banker exiting his bank. This was archive footage, from another A.C. Lyles western, that was used, to fulfill a promise, that Lyles made, to Arlen, about 40 years, previously. In the late 1920's, Lyles was an office boy, at Paramount, where Arlen was a star, who befriended him. He told Arlen, that if he ever became a producer, he would put Arlen, in every one, of his films. This was a promise, that he fulfilled, even if it was only a picture, of him, on a mantlepiece, of a brief clip, such as, in this film.

Arizona Bushwhackers (1968)

** (out of 4)

Set during the Civil War, Lee Travis (Howard Keel) is a Confederate soldier who is released from a Union prison so that he can head to Arizona and become the new Sheriff to a small town that is controlled by Union supporters.

There's a lot of dialogue in the film that expands on the plot description I just gave but that's the basic plot to this film, which just seems too old-fashioned for its own good. The film was released in 1968 yet it seems like it should have been made thirty-years earlier but producer A.C. Lyles was attempting to make a Western that would appeal to an older crowd. The Italian Spaghetti Westerns had taken over so here was a throwback and that's also shown with the older cast.

Not only do you have Keel here but there's also Yvonne DeCarlo, James Craig, Barton MacLane and John Ireland. Obviously this film was meant to be a throwback to older Westerns but the problem is that there's just nothing interesting going on here. The characters are all boring. The story isn't anything to brag about. Then you've got to wonder why the producer would think this story would want to be seen by anyone in 1968.

Not only is the film very slow but it's just downright boring to the point where even the cast can't save it. The actors are all game for what they're asked to do but they just can't bring any energy to the material. You've even got narration from James Cagney to start things off but this turns out to be rather worthless as well.

1967's "Arizona Bushwhackers" was #12 of the 13 A.C.Lyles Westerns between 1963-67, missing both of his most prolific stars, Lon Chaney (8) and Richard Arlen (11). There are nine actors returning to the series, all but one (Barton MacLane) for the last time: top billed Howard Keel (3rd, in his final starring role) plays the Civil War rebel now fighting for the North, a former riverboat gambler sent West to Colton Arizona to settle a town rampant with corruption; Yvonne DeCarlo (3rd) as the town salesgirl, later revealed to be a Confederate spy; John Ireland (2nd), whose deputy appears to be the only honest citizen left in Colton, now that Sheriff Grover (Barton MacLane, 3rd of 4) has decided to go straight by leaving town; Scott Brady (5th) is the lead villain Tom Rile, running the saloon/gambling house when not selling stolen rifles coveted by Keel's supposed lawman to a band of renegade Apaches; Brian Donlevy (3rd) enjoys his role as the Mayor, but occasionally struggles to deliver his lines; Marilyn Maxwell (2nd) plays the hostess who knows the new sheriff from his days on the Mississippi; James Craig (3rd) as one of the title bushwhackers, killed in a clever bait and switch by one of his own men; finally, the ubiquitous Reg Parton shows up for his 10th Lyles oater, twice trying to murder the sheriff, unsuccessfully. As if that wasn't enough, we have the only feature film role of Roy Rogers Jr., who gets a nice closeup in his lone scene, then disappears from the picture, never to be seen again. Also, the opening narration is dramatically delivered by the unmistakable voice of James Cagney, his only screen work between "One, Two, Three" in 1961, and "Ragtime" in 1981. All things considered one may be thankful that it's as watchable as it is, with an exceedingly tired script sucking all the life out of the film, concluding with an appallingly feeble Apache attack that shows that director Lesley Selander couldn't wait to yell cut, on what turned out to be his screen farewell after 135 features. For my money, Scott Brady and Barton MacLane come off best, Howard Keel not so much.

During the Civil War , Lee Travis (Howard Keel) is hired by government authority to protect townspeople from revenge-seeking outlaws and avoid arms contraband . As a spy taking job as sheriff in small western town as a cover for his espionage activities . As Travis dons a damn Yankee uniform to pull the most daring plot of the war in the West , but he is actually a confederate spy . However, he soon finds out that a local businessman is selling weapons to a band of rampaging Indians . Once there , he has to straighten out a few bad guys who have been selling guns to the Apaches . As the confederate lawman up against gunfighters , and gunrunners as well as usual Indians . As the marshal on the trail of the smugglers is accompanied by a spy woman (Ivonne De Carlo) . Town boss (Scott Brady) is behind the crime and corruption of the little town called Colton but the townspeople are too scared to help sheriff out except for Saloon gal (Marilyn Maxwell) . In the Old west there are always the men who live breathe violence and the women who hold their breath.

This ordinary western is plenty of thrills , go riding , shootouts and suspense as the dreaded final showdown approaches and the protagonist realizes he must stand alone against impossible odds , as his fellow town people for help , nobody is willing to help him ; meanwhile he attempts to clear an issue about weapon gunrunning . This routine Western has the customary story of a sheriff-for-hire who takes the law on his own hands and based on a story and screenplay by Steve Fisher. It begins as a slow-moving Western but follows to surprise us with dark characters and passable plot . This short runtime tale is almost ordinary , a pacifier comes to a town just in time to make sure its citizenry but later the events get worse . Although made in low budget by the producer A.C. Lyles , it has its good moments here and there . Acceptable acting by Howard Keel as a Confederate spy who takes a job as marshal . Notable for the presence of old Western-movie veteran such as John Ireland , Marilyn Maxwell , Scott Brady , Brian Donlevy , Barton MacLane and James Craig . Atmospheric and colorful cinematography in Technicolor , though is necessary a remastering.

This horse opera was realized in low-budget by producer A.C. Lyles and distributed by Paramount Pictures . Lyles produced a lot of Western in short or average budget such as ¨Black spurs¨(1965) , ¨Apache uprising¨(1966); ¨Johnny Reno¨ , ¨Waco¨ , ¨Red Tomahawk ¨and ¨Hostile guns¨(67) , among others ; many of them directed by R.G. Springsteen or Lesley Selander and starred by old glories such as Dana Andrews , Rory Calhoun , George Montgomery and Howard Keel . This quickie was middlingly directed by Lesley Selander , a craftsman working from the 30s . Selander is generally considered to be the most prolific director of feature Westerns of all time, with at least 107 to his credit between 1935 and 1967 . He realized his first feature in 1936, a horse opera , genre in which he would not only excel but one where he would spent much of the rest of his career . He began in this genre with series starred by Buck Jones and ¨Hopalong Cassidy¨ series starred by William Boyd such as ¨Silver on the sage¨ , ¨Three men from Texas¨ and ¨Wide open town¨. In Republic production he directed his better movies such as ¨Panhandle¨and ¨Stampede¨ starred by Rod Cameron and in RKO he directed Tim Holt in 20 films such as ¨Rio Grande patrol¨ and ¨Overland telegraph¨. He subsequently shot B-movies such as ¨Fort Vengeance¨, ¨Arrow in the desert¨, Shotgun¨, ¨Town tamer¨ and his last picture ¨Texas Kid¨. Although Selander couldn't be deemed an "A"-list director, his movies had a professionalism and a verve that many of those made by his fellow B directors lacked . He also filmed detective thrillers , action/adventure motion pictures and even a horror film or two . Rating : 5,5 . Acceptable and passable

Arizona Bushwackers was the last of three B westerns that Howard Keel made during the Sixties. He also did Waco and Red Tomahawk. He also appeared in support of John Wayne and Kirk Douglas in the acclaimed War Wagon. This film ain't no war wagon.

It's not horribly bad film, Arizona Bushwackers, it's just a very tired one. A lot of hackneyed clichés jammed into the 90+ minutes of the running time. Howard Keel plays a former Confederate who earns a pardon from the Union Army and an out from a federal prison by agreeing to join the Union Army, but serve in the western frontier as opposed to the war in the east.

Keel even rates a special job as sheriff of a lawless Arizona town called Colton after mayor Brian Donlevy calls for help. Saloon owner Scott Brady and partner Marilyn Maxwell like the wide open town that Colton is and don't cotton to no law and order.

In fact Keel himself has never really forgotten his rebel roots and has been biding for time to pull something off.

All these plot strands get themselves resolved in one of the dumbest Indian attacks I've ever seen staged on film. The once popular players set themselves all around with various weaponry on either side of the main street and the Indians ride by and just keep getting picked off.

Others in Arizona Bushwackers include Barton MacLane, Yvonne DeCarlo, James Craig, and John Ireland. It's a regular convention of movie names who hit their peaks during the forties and fifties. It's also the farewell film of director Lesley Selander who did just about a gazillion B westerns in his day.

No matter how dumb the film, it's nice to see all these stars together in one film. And the opening narration is given by a bigger movie name than all of these who did the off camera speech as a favor to his friend, producer A.C. Lyles.

For nostalgia fans only.