The Good Guys and the Bad Guys

Burt Kennedy during the late 1960s seemed to take over the western genre with a cluster of good comedic films using some of Hollywood's best. but aging male stars. The Good Guys and the Bad Guys is a prime example of his work which never disappoints.

Robert Mitchum as an aging and then ex-Marshal and George Kennedy,an outlaw adversary of Mitchum's from the old days join forces to outwit and capture a gang of young punks that the aging Kennedy has been riding with. Since they're on the screen for most of the story together, the chemistry has to be perfect with them for the picture to work and it is.

Some Hollywood veterans also round out the cast. Marie Windsor for once is a good girl as a saloon owner with a heart of gold. Douglas Fowley plays a grizzled old timer in the best Gabby Hayes tradition. They stand out as does David Carradine as the leader of the young outlaws.

However in the scenes he's in, Martin Balsam as the town mayor steals the film. He had to be the model that Mel Brooks used for Harvey Korman's portrayal of Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles.

And in the best 50s western tradition we have Glenn Yarborough singing intermittently The Ballad of Marshal Flagg in the great tradition of Frankie Laine. Personally though Yarborough does a good job, I think they should have utilized Robert Mitchum for that also.

The then Governor of New Mexico, David Cargo, makes a bit appearance at the end of the film as a reporter. Cargo, tried very hard to get the Hollywood Studios to use New Mexico for filming. I suppose this bit was one of the perks of office.

It's rollicking good entertainment, Burt Kennedy at his best.

This movie was directed by Burt Kennedy, who also directed another great western in 65 called The Rounders, that had Henry Fonda and Glenn Ford. This one is sort of different but they both had some comedy in them. This one stars Robert Mitchum as an old sheriff who is retired against his wishes by the mayor, played by Martin Balsam, who only cares about the election coming up. George Kennedy plays an outlaw who used to big in his day but now is the third wheel in a gang run by David Carradine. Both Mitchum and Kennedy, even though they used to be enemies, sort of team up together to stop Carradine from robbing the train even though they don't have too. This movie came out in 1969 the same year as The Wild Bunch, which Mitchum turned down but this movie is closer to Peckenpah's earlier film Ride The High Country.

The film talks about a semi-retired sheriff (Robert Mitchum) who finds his nemesis , an old outlaw (George Kennedy) . He is abandoned by his band (leaders are David Carradine and John Davis Chandler) of cutthroats for being too old to execute a bank-heist that the gang is planning . Demystified Western was one of a group of much-imitated which changed the concept of their particular genre each bent on disproving a popular myth , yet tinged with humor , spoof and combining anti-heroes , replacing cars and horses ; in addition , the inevitable decadence of protagonists . The formula deals to enhance the comic observations of the western originated on the decade of the 60s by the following filmmakers : Andrew McLagen and Burt Kennedy , fine director of this movie .

Burt Kennedy directed similar Western with comedy such as :¨Support your local gunfighter¨ (one of the best spoof Western) , ¨Support your local sheriff¨ (his highpoint) , ¨Dirty Dingus Mcgee¨ and ¨War Wagon¨ . The picture is wonderfully amused and enjoyable with Robert Mitchum as a tough but dreary sheriff with his Maverick image who uses brains as well as brawny and guns . He cleaned a lawless town in his own highly individual way but he is fired by the Mayor , rightly played by Martin Balsam . Mitchum in one of the best interpretations was much stronger actor when being something older than a straightforward hero . George Kennedy makes a robustly likable characterization . Stars have a splendid fight aboard a train towards the end ; furthermore , it contains excellent action sequences , as well as the pursuits and derailing train . Ronald Cohen's screenplay besides having more than its fair scraps of funny lines , throws up rich characters . Thus , Douglas Fowley as the old brawler likeness Walter Brennan (Support you local..) clearly relishing his comic relief . John Davis Chandler , as always, plays a sadist gunfighter. There appears uncredited Christopher Mitchum , Robert's son , along with Buddy Hackett . Film exteriors were shot in New Mexico by cameraman Harry Stradling who reflects stunningly the marvelous landscapes . Jolly and agreeable musical score by William Lava and songs by Ned Washington. The motion picture was well directed by Burt Kennedy .

This is a good old fashion western starring two codgy cowboys. One is an aging Marshal named Flagg played by Roger Mitchum and his old nemesis bank robber buddy McKay played by George Kennedy. This western portrays both men as past their prime players in their respective fields of Marshal and Bank Robber, who are harshly being put out to pasture.

But movie goers "hold tightly on to your horses reigns" as these two feisty old geezers are not ready to hang up their guns just yet since their replacement much younger Marshal and Gunslingers just don't have the right stuff to take over these old geezers place in the sun just yet.

Similar to the musical score theme of the earlier 1965 western film Cat Ballou, this films movie theme is heard throughout the film at just the right times to remind the movie goers that something good or something bad is about to happen.

A train is going to be robbed and its up to these two old gunslingers to agree to join forces and stop this younger band of desperados led by Waco played with pizazz by David Carradine.

Of course there has to be a love interest for Marshal Flagg and that happens to be stay at home mom Mary played by the lovely Lois Nettleton. Most of the comedy light is provided by the towns Mayor Wilker played by Martin Balsalm.

I found this western quite entertaining with a good cast and an even better story with a great soundtrack and enjoyable cinematography. So get yourself a big bowl of popcorn and your favorite drinks and sit back and enjoy this light hearted western

I give the film an entertaining 8 out of 10 IMDb rating.

The late sixties had many comic westerns after Cat Ballou's success, so this carry on thus walking in this path, the picture has two generation of old west, in fact the picture was took place in turn of the century and two leading roles Robert Mitchum and George Kennedy both already an older men belonged to the past, they are unfashionable couple guys, the progress's winds aren't appreciated to them, easy to watch, plenty of humour, it's worth to see mainly by a funny and drunk old man called Grundy who live in the hills nearby of the town, the unforgetable James W. Fowley who used to play those friendly characters that hates take a shower who prefer living alone in a little cabin, just amazing!!!

Resume:

First watch: 1981 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD-R / Rating: 7.25