Terra de Bandidos

Another fine outing from Republic and Bill Elliott. Tucker is the crooked brother that tries to lure Elliott back into a life of crime by robbing a train full of gold. The TRUCOLOR is great and so is the supporting cast featuring Andy Divine. Plenty of action, this one moves along swiftly.

Solid A-Western from lowly Republic Pictures. Unusually good performances from a larger than average cast. True, Elliot doesn't get much chance to show his special brand of ornery, but Tucker, Booth and Withers (Bagley) show their best stuff, and even Devine manages not to get too cute. Some good touches-- the hillbilly break-dancer, the scrawny comic-drunk, and the old-lady mastermind. Also, the bewhiskered guy playing the sheriff doesn't get many lines, but sure adds color and an authentic look. Then too, the plot of two brothers on opposite sides of the law and the girl, is saved from cliché by the imaginative train sequences, including a great avalanche effect from the best in the business, the Lydecker brothers.

Obviously Republic popped a bundle considering the scenic location shots and the train expense. Actually, my favorite scene is not an action-filled one; it's the office scene where the bigshots try to sort out blame for the gold robbery. It's really a special touch because most Westerns would not bother with talk about how robbery affects business types and high finance. Making one a Mexican is also an imaginative addition. The only reason I tuned in is because I'm an Elliot fan, but I've got to admit the movie was much better than expected. Old Joe Kane may not have been much of an artist, but as a director of Westerns, he never made a boring one.

The Last Bandit which is a remake of an earlier Republic western that starred Bob Steele called The Great Robbery involves the story of Wild Bill Elliott and Forrest Tucker, a pair of outlaw brothers named Plummer who have gone their separate ways. Elliott has left their Ozark turf and gone west to Nevada and now works for a railroad express company making an honest living. But when Tucker hears that he figures he's got an inside man for a really big score. He brings the whole gang with him from Missouri to Nevada and that includes Adrian Booth who flirts between the two brothers.

Still a film aimed at the juvenile trade, The Last Bandit is a great deal more intricately plotted than most westerns out of Republic Studios. Herbert J. Yates even splurged for a color process called TruColor and the DVD I have it shows it has aged well or been nicely restored. The color may make this the most expensive Wild Bill Elliott western ever done.

Such stalwarts as Jack Holt, Andy Devine, Virginia Brissac, Martin Garralaga, and Grant Withers are all in the cast in roles suited to them. Charles Middleton the famous Ming the Merciless makes his farewell appearance in The Last Bandit as a circuit riding preacher at the beginning of the film. But the one to watch is Minna Gombell who plays the proprietress of the saloon where all the plots are hatched and she's sitting on the nest. The film also hints ever so gently at her real profession as madam of a bordello, also unusual for a film marketed to juveniles.

The final 20 minutes or so deals with the robbery and Elliott's attempt to foil same. It was expertly done and a close run thing.

The Last Bandit is definitely a must for Wild Bill Elliott fans.

The Last Bandit is a pretty standard western that feels a lot longer than its running time. Bill Elliot did better in the 50s in his Allied Artists and Monogram westerns with Thomas Carr and Lewis Collins directing. Some of those westerns were a bit more complex....or had better dialogue...and better direction.

The cast is very good and the acting is certainly not an issue. If you like action, there is enough to keep you satisfied. I just never really cared about the proceedings.

Joe Cane directed soooo many films - and he did them quickly and efficiently - but this one never really goes anywhere interesting.

The highlight in in this western is the very inventive train robbery, so exciting and never shown before, as far as I know. That reminded me the heist scheme of THEY CAME TO ROB LAS VEGAS. For the rest, nothng special but a good time waster pulled by solid performances. Bill Elloitt and Forrest Tucker, Republic "house" stars were unavoidable in this movie, only Rod Cameron or Vera Ralston were missing.