El Verdugo

Entertaining and amusing Western that tells the story of a thief (Burt Reynolds is of part Cherokee Indian descent) , his flight into Mexico and his pursuit by a Black American lawman (Jim Brown) and both of whom chased by a despotic military governor (Fernando Lamas) and his hoodlums (Aldo Sambrell , Eric Braeden) . As in 19th century Mexico appears a half-breed bank robber (Burt Reynolds plays a native/half-white American and his previous film, Navajo Joe 1966 , he also played an Indian) , he is Yaqui Joe , an Indian who robs a bank in order to buy guns for his people who are being savagely repressed by the government . As the lawman and the outlaw eventually become allies and team up with a female revolutionary (Raquel Welch) to help save them from annihilation and to take up the cause of the Indians.

Stirring and exciting Western with thrills , violence , shootouts , a lot of firing squad and plenty of action in which a misfit group formed by Yaqui Joe and a sheriff join up with a female revolutionary and attempt to take money from a bank to buy arms for their oppressed people but all of them are relentlessly pursued by the Mexican Army . It includes spectacular pursuits in which the pursued protagonists cross impressive landscapes , rivers and mountains . Although quite racy in its day for its interracial sex sizzle of Brown and Welch , it's overblown and tame by today's standards . In fact , this film was apparently one of the first movies to feature a sex scene between people of different races . What it lacks in political correctness it makes up for in fits of action . Although this film was shot in Spain , it was filmed by an American studio -20th Century-Fox- with an American director , Tom Gries , producer Marvin Schwartz , and expert Western writer Cliff Huffaker , being based on the novel written by Robert MacLeod . Nice acting by Burt Reynolds as a mestizo or half Yaqui Indian who finds himself wanted by an American lawman , adequately played by Jim Brown . Raquel Welch is gorgeous and memorably over-the-top as as the woman who forms a strong axis to Brown . This is one of a number of westerns that Burt Reynolds made during the mid- to late 1960s and early 1970s . These include Navajo Joe(1966), Sam Whiskey (1969) and The man who loved Cat Dancing (1973). And gorgeous Raquel Welch giving a mediocre acting ; Raquel Welch and Burt Reynolds fell out whilst making this movie, three years later they both starred in "Fuzz" . Support casting and crew are formed by an European (usually Spanish) cast , all of them ordinaries in Paella/Spaghetti Western shot in Spain such as : Aldo Sambrell , Alberto Dalbes , Sancho Gracia , Jose Manuel Martin , Charly Bravo , Rafael Albaicín and the beauty Soledad Miranda as a prostitute .

Superbly photographed by Cecilio Paniagua on spectacular outdoors from Almeria -though the train wreck station shot in Villamanta, Madrid- , including its terrain closely resembles the northeast Mexico/southwest US área and where in the 60s and 70s were filmed uncountable Westerns . The Spanish Cecilio Paniagua was a very good cameraman who photographed several Westerns such as ¨Custer of the West¨ , "Great Treasure Hunt" , and ¨Hunting party¨ , all of them filmed in Almeria . Special mention for the thrilling as well as evocative musical score by maestro Jerry Goldsmith , composed in his peculiar style . The motion picture was professionally directed by Tom Gries though flopped in theatres . This movie was filmed in the same Almeria, Spain, region as director Tom Gries' TV series The Rat Patrol (1966), both starred Eric Braeden . Traveling to Hollywood in 1947, Gries took a job as a talent agent, and eventually went to work for producer/director Stanley Kramer . He entered the production end of the business as an associate producer, then graduated to writing and producing documentaries. Tom switched to television, where he received an Emmy in 1963 for directing the series East Side/West Side (1963) . Tom was an expert director of Western as ¨Breakheart pass¨ , this ¨100 Rifles¨ , and ¨Will Penny¨ that is the best work ever made ; Gries also directed other successes as ¨Breakout¨, ¨The glass house¨ , ¨Helter Skelter¨ and TV series as ¨QBVII¨ , but he also made some real duds . His later output in other genres was routine.

I admit that I liked the film, rather more than I expected to. Jim Brown, while not a professional actor held his own for the most part, although his scenes with Raquel Welch seemed a little forced. This makes me think that acting is not really that hard to do acceptably, since so many non-actors have done OK at it. Welch does her part and looked wonderful. Burt Reynolds was at the top of his game here, before he became a world-wide phenomenon, still had to make his way ACTING. Fernando Lamas was suitably evil as the native general/governor trying to commit genocide on the poor, misunderstood, peaceful Indians. And I have to mention the beauty of the late Soledad Miranda. She brightened the screen in the short time she was on it.

this my not be the best western ever made but for my money this is a great action flick. the action has not dated to bad. this is an action movie with the next battle more a priority than plot or story. I'm not saying this is a bad thing because we have see umpteen storys of this type before, so what tom grimes is give us a solid action movie in a western setting.

as for the cast they are just outstanding, especially rachael. I'm a burt fan so he can't do no wrong but the surprise is big jim brown probably his best role. all the extras were good excluding some poor death scenes throughout but hay it is also a western and that comes with the territory.

100m rifles is truly worth seeing and the DVD look stunning a good transfer probably looks better than ever. if you have not watch a western before give it a go if your a western fan give it another go you will be surprised how well it has stood the test of time.

Jim Brown isn't too bad as a sheriff who chases half-breed bank robber Burt Reynolds to Mexico, where both are captured by the vicious Mexican Army, but Raquel Welch is surprisingly underused as a guerrilla fighter. All the western clichés you can think of (and probably some you've forgotten) are on display here: the cliff-side brawl, the train-wreck, the dirt town shoot-out, the wild drunken party, the surprise fire, and on and on. Welch is lovely if over-the-top while warming up to manly-but-wooden Brown (when she tells him, "I am your woman", she's suddenly so serious you can almost believe it); she's also very sexy showering under a water-tower (as a ruse to get a train to stop), but 80% of the picture is given over to the men, and their squabbles are completely routine and dull. "100 Rifles" could use less rifles and more human interaction. ** from ****

The action film is a pretty obvious genre. It's purpose is to distract, entertain, and many money. Yes, there's quite a market for this material, probably supported by a similar audience that keep gothic paperbacks moving in the marketplace year after year.

"100 Rifles" is a substandard action western that offers a time capsule back to the late 60s early 70s. Generally unpleasant in its excessive depiction of killing and bloodletting, the film does utilize the star talents of three interesting actors.

The lead role gave Jim Brown an opportunity to strut his macho stuff, riding horses, shooting bad guys, and fist fighting his male costar on occasion. It also provided a couple of intended heated love scenes with his leading lady. Unfortunately, Brown comes across as wooden and even disinterested here. Too, his vocal instrument is much too high pitched and unsonorous to match his impressive physicality.

Burt Reynolds comes off better, making the most of his high cheekbones and sunken eyes--lending credibility to character ethnicity. He, like Brown, is in fine physical shape, and even elects to do some fancy stuntwork himself, like jumping off a moving train.

Still, it's Rachel Welch that emerges victorious here. Here's an actress that takes on a routine part in a routine script and plays it for all its worth. Also in great shape, Welch knows that if she's got it, she might as well flaunt it. She does, and we are the appreciative recipients.

The film also shows how much energy it takes to do this kind of production. Not a great deal of brainwork required, but a barrelful of brawnwork.