Arizona Raiders

Have appreciated Westerns for a long time now, even if the Western genre is not one of my favourite film genres and more a "appreciate rather than love" one. Not just the famous ones of John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Anthony Mann and John Ford, but there are also some worthwhile lesser known modestly budgeted ones. Audie Murphy is not a favourite of mine, but he was amiable enough and it is sad that he died so tragically at the young age he was.

'Arizona Raiders' was one of those films where time spent watching it was not regretted and it is worth a one-time watch. Murphy himself comes over well. There are though far better and more inspired Westerns about, from before and since 'Arizona Raiders', and it on the whole didn't have me jumping out of my chair or have me exclaiming "must see". It looks good and the casting is better than average, but the script and story never quite have the wow factor.

Murphy is an amiable presence and is a long way from charisma-deprived in his role, he may not fit the part of a Western hero physically if we are to stereotype a bit but he is just right dramatically. Have nothing to complain about with the performances overall, with menacing George Keymas giving the other standout turn. 'Arizona Raiders' looks good, a lot of time and care went into the scenery clearly and the photography is both atmospheric and attractive.

The music is not the most memorable there is but it at least fits with the tone of the story, is not at odds with the atmosphere and sounds appealing. Did appreciate that the characters weren't too stereotyped, if not meaty, including portraying characters that can be portrayed stereotypically and negatively with tact. What there is of the action has some excitement and tension.

Which generally in 'Arizona Raiders' come too far and between, for me the story was fairly by the numbers, sometimes dull and could have done with a lot more tension and surprises. The first half an hour agreed is not always easy to sit through, with the film getting off to a weak start. Particularly with agreed an overlong and quite corny opening scene, further ruined by an overused and over-explanatory voice over that for some may not have been needed. The direction is competent but undistinguished.

Furthermore, the character writing generally could have been much meatier. Motivations are either under-explored or don't make sense and in the case of some of the conflict both. Especially between Clint and Brady, which is introduced out of the blue and not really that well developed. Michael Dante does his best as Brady but was not menacing enough, which did dull the conflict. A lot of the writing is silly and indifferent, it could have done with a lot more edge and had a more natural flow. Also felt that this aspect was rather sketchy with not enough fleshed out enough.

Bottom line, alright film but nothing special. 5/10

I saw this recently on cable and, admittedly, I'm a bit biased due to the fact that I have lived in Arizona for 33 years. Looks to me that special attention was paid to the scenery in this film and it's a terrific shoot-em-up. I also applaud the defensive use of cactus in this film, quite painful as I've experienced in person :)

Lots of great action and like a previous poster said, the Indians are on the side of the "good guys" this time out and are not the enemies. Looks like it was a great time while filming!

They've been showing it on cable recently and it's worth your time if you happen to stumble upon it.

William Quantrell's raiders are cornered by Capt. Tom Andrews and Quantrell and a number of his men are killed. Two are captured whilst Montana Smith and the others escape to carry on their illegal operations. Clint Stewart and Willie Martin are the two captives, who much to their surprise, are spared a death sentence on account of Capt. Andrews vouching for them as soldiers of integrity and honour. Sentenced to 20 years hard labour, the guys are faced with an interesting proposition when Andrews offers to break them out so as they can join the Texas Rangers. The plan being for them to infiltrate the renegade Raiders and help to bring them down.

With few votes and even less reviews of substance written, one could be forgiven for thinking that Arizona Raiders is barely worth the time. Using elements of the Quantrell Raiders legacy and blending with the Texas Rangers plot lines, Arizona Raiders is not found wanting in the entertainment department. Directed by William Witney and starring Audie Murphy, Buster Crabbe (this film not to be confused with Crabbe's 1936 film, The Arizona Raiders) and Michael Dante, it's a film that has a number of notable issues within its plot. It would have been easy to just have it as a straight forward tale about bad guys turning good (something other reviewers claim it to be), but writers Frank Gruber and Richard Schayer add impetus to the good versus bad axis by cramming in other factors.

Murphy plays lead protagonist Clint Stewart, asked to basically switch sides and loyalties, his conflict is excellently portrayed by genre legend Murphy. His resolve is further tested by emotional pulls involving his brother and best friend, with Witney and his team seemingly happy to put Stewart through the mangler, with the result being a richly told character strand. Also into the equation comes the role of the Indians, so often seen as the nemesis and bad boys of the genre, here they get something slightly different as they become involved in this white man squabble. It's really rather refreshing the part they have to play. Though the score from Richard LaSalle is badly out of sorts, this is off set a touch by the visual treat on offer with the locale. Beautifully shot by Jacques R. Marquette, the Gold Canyon location is a sumptuous extra character, giving an added depth to the story unfolding. The story is nicely paced by Witney, who rightly gives us development of characters in the first half of the piece, while all the genre staples of shoot outs, villains and chases are nicely added to the already intriguing broth.

A little treasure as far as this viewer is concerned. So if you be a genre fan such as I? Well do catch this one if you get the chance. 7/10

This movie is a remake of the 1951 movie "The Texas Rangers", same plot, same storyline, same lines. Only the locale and the actors are different. I take that back, this time it wasn't just a couple of men who were removed from prison, they were moved from state to state.

Having said that, I did enjoy the movie. There were enough changes to make it interesting. Audie Murphy did a wonderful job in the lead role. The location was beautiful. The director did a good job in making this movie stand on it's own.

If you liked the earlier movie, you will enjoy this remake. Audie Murphy fans should enjoy seeing him in this.

His raiders are broken up and Quantrill dies in an army hospital. Audie Murphy is sentenced to death, but the sentence is commuted to 20 years on the recommendation of Buster Crabbe, who led the attack on them. Crabbe winds up leading the Arizona Rangers. There the remnants Quantrill's forces have retreated, to become outlaws. The government can't figure out where they are, where they will strike, but he comes up with a plan: release Murphy, induct him into the Rangers and set him after the bad guys.

Audie Murphy had moved surely into westerns after he became the most decorated American soldier in the Second World War and had prospered. He was getting on in years, and the genre westerns were beginning to disappear. This movie was an attempt by him and director William Witney to produce something epic and mythic. It begins with a recitation of Quantrill's history, and moves in action. There are many nice touches: Murphy's conflicted position, the beautiful Indian girl played by Gloria Talbott, the importance of oaths, the stalwart Crabbe, and the savage Indians who carry their victims away like demons. It's a B western on a grand scale, and Witney was the man who ld bring it off if anyone could. Ford had abandoned the trappings of B productions four decades earlier. Witney had begun in the Bs, the youngest director around when he began, and he had reformed the genre, the fights, the stories, always constrained by short budgets and shooting schedules. Now, with a color camera and three decades of experience, could he save the traditional western?

Alas, no. The western was passing out of the mythscape of the world, gradually being replaced by the new frontier of science fiction. But he makes a good try here, and there are some lovely moments that recall when the west was the endless frontier, before civilization closed in. Now the West was a landscape in which everyone was corrupt, where the good, the bad and the ugly fought endlessly without any sense of right or wrong.

But Witney certainly gives it a shot. There are some lovely moments and good, canny work here. It's just that not enough people cared any more.