Les pillards

Watched this movie last night for the first time, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As one reviewer said, they sure don't make them like this anymore.

The pace was good......the romances were given just the right amount of screen time (I'm a softie that way), along with the fisticuffs.

I only have one nagging feeling about this film: the title it was given. Okay, I understand (I guess) that "The Plunderers" could be considered the white bad guys in cahoots with the Indian bad guys to wreak some havoc; but, for me, the title seems to not hit the mark of this film. It seems to me that there was not really the "feeling" of plundering being the main attraction here. As other reviewers point out, it's the friendly relationship between the good man lead and the bad man lead characters that is the thrust of this story. And that is something that sets this film apart from other standard westerns.

As if the plundering were just a side event.

Wish they could have come up with something more meaty for a title.

I always found Rod Cameron a solid actor, and it was a shame he didn't star in bigger scaled B-westerns a la Randolph Scott throughout the 50's. He was an archetypical cowboy, tall and deadly, but with a twinkle in his eye. And this appeal is showcased in the Plunderers, an energetic film where he plays an undercover agent who befriends Forrest Tucker so he could capture Tucker and his gang of robbers pilfering from wagons. It's great entertainment, irrespective of the year it was made, and it's a buddy western punctuated with some romance, quick-witted dialogue, great saloon songs, and well-staged action scenes. It was good for 1948, and it's good for now.

"The Plunderers" is a color western from Republic Studios. While it's filmed in Cinecolor (which usually looks awful over time), the color on this YouTube copy is exceptionally nice.

John Drum (Rod Cameron) is a soldier in the US Cavalry and who is on a special undercover assignment. He is to convince everyone he's a horrible criminal in order to, hopefully, ingratiate him to a criminal gang...thus joining them and learning who is in the gang and what local is helping them. Unfortunately, over time, John becomes good friends with the gang leader and his heart isn't into bringing him to justice...where he'll hang. How to get out of this dilemma? An Indian attack out of nowhere!

The first 75% of the film is pretty good and there is an interesting possibly gay subtext as well. But the ending seemed like a giant cliche...as if the writer just thought an Indian attack was the way to resolve everything. An okay western overall...watchable, of course, but it could have been better.

A tight script, decent dialogue, and good supporting cast, separate this one from the routine shoot 'em ups. Sort of a "buddy movie" with Cameron, the lawman and Tucker the outlaw, forced to set aside differences to avoid a sioux massacre. Fix, as one of the bad guys, delivers cynical wit throughout. They just don't make 'em like this anymore.

It's a Western set in the 1870s that sees stranger-in-town Rod Cameron (John) buy a coconut from a shop and meet Lorna Gray (Julie Ann) and Ilona Massey (Lin). Sheriff George Cleveland (Sam) comes into the shop after hearing a gunshot. Cameron has shot into the coconut to get the milk and share it with the girls. He's a smooth operator. However, the sheriff recognizes Cameron as a wanted man and Cameron is forced to escape town. Whilst on the run, he bumps into fellow outlaw Forrest Tucker (Whit). Things aren't what they seem...

It's an entertaining Western with a good cast and a buddy-buddy feel to it as we follow Cameron and Tucker Throw in some Indians at the climax and this film covers all bases. It has plenty of action, there is tension, the lead characters are appealing and you root for the bad guys. Well, I did. It's a shame that Massey gets 2 rubbish songs to sing. I like my Western saloon girl songs to be uptempo with a catchy tune. Not here, unfortunately.

I can't wait to go to my local shop, ask for a coconut and try out my latest way of getting into the damn thing. I might buy some arms as well whilst I'm there and sell them to the enemy. Everyone seems to be up to those tricks in Westerns. And in real life, just check out what our Governments are STILL doing!