Bandolero!

In Texas , two outlaws brothers (Jimmy and Dino) become fugitives who flee after being jailed and about hanging . The brothers along with their gang (Will Geer , among others) taking a hostage (Raquel Welch) flee across the Mexican frontier . During escape south of border run into trouble with their Mexican counterparts . Meanwhile , they're pursued by a sheriff (George Kennedy) , deputy (Andrew Prine) and a posse.

This is a nice Western-pursuit plenty of action , violence , shootouts , and quite bemusing . Agreeable acting by Dean Martin as the bad brother and terrific performance by James Stewart as the good but greedy brother . Stewart appears in all Andrew McLagen's other best movies, ¨The rare breed¨ and ¨Fool's parade¨. Furthermore , gorgeous Raquel Welch giving a mediocre acting , as always . Support cast is frankly excellent , such as : Andrew Prine , Will Geer , Clint Ritchie , Denver Pyle , Harry Carey Jr , Perry Lopez , Jock Mahoney and Dub Taylor . In addition , George Kennedy as tough but enamored sheriff is cool .George Kennedy & Dean Martin played together before in "The Sons of Katie Elder" and would do so again in "Airport" .

The movie displays an awesome cinematography in colorful outdoors by William H. Clothier , John Ford's usual . Spectacular and exciting musical score by the great Jerry Goldsmith who composes with his habitual panaché . The motion picture was well realized by Andrew McLagen , Victor Mc Lagen's son . He was a Western expert, starting in television series as ¨Gunsmoke¨ of which direct many episodes.Besides assistant director of famous Western filmmakers as John Ford, William Wellman and Budd Boetticher . Maclagen's Western talent kept him directing projects throughout the 70s and 80s and enjoyable John Wayne vehicles as ¨McLintock¨ and ¨Cahill,Us Marshall¨ and his best movie, ¨Chisum¨ . Although his product of this time was dispiriting to those who would have liked to have seen subtler talents re-emerge. Rating : Acceptable and amusing Western , it will appeal to Jimmy and Dino enthusiastic and of course, Raquel Welch fans.

A quiet one, soft spoken, prouder, it' were the main personal characteristics of Jimmy Stewart from their characters whom he portraits in a overlong career, this turn wasn't distinct, he played in same way, after to know that his brother is about to hanging, he took place of the real hangman and avoid the whole gang to be hang on the gallows, they escape and take a Widow (Raquel Welch) as hostage, before it Mace finds appropriate to steal a Bank, quickly the Sheriff (Kennedy) and a posse pursuing them across the border at Mexico territory, meanwhile Mace reachs the Dee's gang, all sort of crooks we can imagine are there, anyway reading some comments here trying figure out if Mace did kill the hangman, absolutely not!!! According Mice's reaction when Pop Chaney implies about his father was enough to understanding how proud he was concerning over him, a decent production that Jimmy made with emphasis!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2007 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5

Without comparing it to any of the acknowledged "greats" or even better westerns any of the stars made, "Bandolero" is a satisfying movie - interesting enough story with a bit of a humorous twist, well-mounted, beautifully shot, and everybody involved does their customary good job. If it drags a bit in some of the campfire scenes, it makes up for it in the action scenes. Must single out Rudy Diaz, who plays the chief Mexican bandit, as making a particularly vivid impression in his few scenes. Oh, I almost forgot, another rousing Jerry Goldsmith score worth owning on its own account. What more can you ask, seeing great guys like Jimmy, Dean, George, Harry Carey & Co., and of course Raquel, going thru long-practiced paces they knew so well by this time?

An entertaining Western whose major selling points are a winning cast and beautiful outdoor photography, 1968's "Bandolero!" proved an easy 100 minutes for me to sit through. In it, James Stewart rescues brother Dean Martin and his sleazy gang from a neck-stretching party in 1867 Texas, after Dino & Co.'s botched bank robbery. They hightail it over the Mexican border with the recently widowed "vistoso" Mexican Raquel Welch as their hostage, while sheriff George Kennedy and his posse follow in hot pursuit. Truth be told, Kennedy is more hot for Raquel than the pursuit of justice, and who wouldn't be? Racky, 28 here and at the peak of her sex goddess phase, looks terrific, and acts very passably. She makes for a very convincing Mexican (although, in real life, her father was Bolivian and her mother of English descent). Stewart (need it even be said?) is fine as always, and supplies much of the film's humor with his double takes and slowpoke delivery. This is no Anthony Mann Western, however, and Stewart was ever so much more impressive in oaters such as "Winchester '73" (1950) and especially "The Naked Spur" (1953). Dino, it should be added, is also fine as a decent guy who just can't seem to make good. "Bandolero!" also features some amusing lesser characters (particularly that hangman!) and a surprisingly gritty and quite violent conclusion. It's no Peckinpah bloodbath, but following what is essentially a fun, lighthearted Western, it does shake the viewer. Lesson to be learned: Don't press your sexual "favors" on a Mexican woman if she's anywhere near a six-shooter!

Sure, Dean and Jimmy starred in better westerns in their careers, RIO BRAVO and THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, to name a few, but this one doesn't have John Wayne. The Duke didn't need to be here. This is a good ride that holds the formula western of better days to its heart and you're none the worse off for having given 90+ minutes of your time. And yes, Raquel Welch is gorgeous, baking in the hot Mexico sun. Dino doesn't sing, but the soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith is haunting.