Les Géants de l'Ouest

The Undefeated is a pretty good Western flick. It's light-hearted (for the most part), solid entertainment. John Wayne plays a Yankee soldier who forms an unlikely friendship with a Confederate, played by Rock Hudson, very shortly after the end of the Civil War. The two are both leading men south of the border for various reasons, and as the film progresses, the two help each other, rescue each other, and share a few drinks a number of times.

That's why it's light-hearted, there's a lot of smiles from both lead actors, all the supporting cast and, I dare say, the majority of the audience. There are very few unlikeable parts to this movie. That's not to say it's outrageously good; some of the supporting cast look amateurish at times, and the music occasionally stifles the action on screen, but aside from that, it's fine. John Wayne and Rock Hudson were two of those rare actor types who can't put in a bad performance if they try, but I don't think I need to tell you that.

It's a good package. Perfect for evening viewing, I'd recommend, as I just spent a very profitable evening in front of it. Some short but sweet action scenes, some just plain sweet romance subplots and a good and happy ending makes for one satisfied viewer. Far from perfect but great all the same. *** / *****

The Civil War is over but certain Confederate units refuse to call it quits. Colonel John Henry Thomas (played by The Duke)and his gang encounters one such band of rebels at the start of this film. Then there is the unit led by Colonel James Langdon played by Rock Hudson. They accept the fact the war is over but decide rather than live under the stars and stripes head out lock stock and barrel for Mexico women and children included. Wayne and his men bid farewell to the Army and set out to make a buck or two rounding up and selling wild horses. Wayne and his men cross paths along the way with Hudson and his refugees which make up the bulk of the story.

It's a little easy to understand Thomas and his men but not so easy to understand the Langdon group. When they encounter trouble it's almost hard as a viewer to have any pity for them.

Wayne gets support from a number of actors who co-starred with him in several of his films. Veteran character actor Dub Taylor is along as a nasty Chuck Wagon driver. Former Los Angeles Rams Quarterback Roman Gabriel is cast as a native American who served for Wayne during the war and is now his main man when it comes to tracking, scouting etc. Gabriels Ram teammate Merlin Olsen is also featured as a Confederate soldier who hates to fist fight but is called upon to do so. Decent western John Wayne film all in all. The Confederates may have lost the war but in this film they certainly ate better than the Yankees do.

Saw this film around 30 years ago. At that time I thought it just a fairly formulaic star vehicle, bringing together the grizzled, typical Wayne cowboy character with someone who was a newer and - at the time -a really big name in Rock Hudson. Seeing it anew in 2007, I realise my earlier estimate was too dismissive by far. It has a good plot with many original aspects, well described already on the web-site by earlier reviewers, especially the linkage of US civil war with events happening at the same time in Mexico. Not being a huge fan, ordinarily, of either of the main stars, it has to be said they both turn in good performances and are fully believable as leaders whom other men would naturally follow, and who inspire fierce loyalties. The dialogue has a few unexpectedly good lines and is generally above average standard. The stars play it light-heartedly, and this gives the film warmth, colour and humour. Some aspects of the film, admittedly, conform to the hackneyed Wayne cowboy film recipe, such as the free-for-all fist fight, but in general the film stands up well nearly 40 years after it was made, and it has held on to a much more modern feel than other Wayne westerns. The musical score just about carries enough grandeur to match the action and the occasionally majestic cinematography, especially the scenes involving the drive across country of a few thousand horses. Any film-lover who enjoys the more upmarket western should give this film a try. The nearly two hours pass quickly, and it's a film to make you think (about the nature of war against your fellow countrymen, about loyalty, friendship and heroism) and escapist enough to make you smile.

Set in the period just after the Civil War, "The Undefeated" pits ex-Union officer John Wayne against ex-Confederate officer Rock Hudson in an amiable, if uneven, big-budget western. Hudson, as Colonel James Langdon, leaves his ancestral home after the defeat of the Confederacy and leads his family and friends southwards on a trek to find a new home in Emperor Maximilian's Mexico. Meanwhile, Colonel John Henry Thomas, played by Wayne, gathers his ex-army buddies and endeavors to round up and sell horses to the U.S. Army. The two men and their followers meet up in Northern Mexico and find themselves embroiled in the struggle between French-backed supporters of Maximilian and Mexican nationalists who back Benito Juarez. The resulting film, directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, is a predictable western with enough action and friendly verbal sparring between the former battlefield enemies to entertain for the two-hour running time.

Besides Wayne and Hudson, the cast benefits from such veteran western stalwarts as Bruce Cabot, Ben Johnson, Paul Fix, Harry Carey Jr., John Agar, and Dub Taylor. However, the film's most outstanding assets are a fine musical score by Hugo Montenegro and exceptional cinematography by William H. Clothier; Clothier captures sweeping vistas of northern Mexico, a herd of galloping horses, mounted cavalry advancing across battlefields, and horse-drawn wagons fording a river that enhance the visual spectacle of "The Undefeated."

Unfortunately, the film falters during a silly mass fist fight between the Northerners and Southerners, and the anachronistic romance between a Native American scout and Langdon's daughter creates a time warp; the pairing of a Southern white woman with a Native American in the days after the fall of the Confederacy is pure fantasy. Well coiffed and made-up ladies in formal French gowns dining on make-shift tables outside their covered wagons is also a stretch of credibility; no dust or grime intrudes on their frontier life. The friendly bonding between the former adversaries Langdon and Thomas and their followers is equally unlikely, and, although Wayne and Hudson make strange bedfellows, they work well together. While not among the landmark westerns of Wayne's career, "The Undefeated," elevated by Clothier's outstanding cinematography, Montenegro's score, and a supporting cast of familiar western faces, is solid entertainment and well worth discovering or re-discovering.

This moving western has Yankee colonel Henry Thomas (John Wayne) joining forces with Confederate official named Langdon (Rock Hudson), during the post-Civil War and in Mexican territory . Wayne tries to sell wild horses to the French military in Mexico and Hudson leading a wagon train to Durango . Both colonels battling it out toe to toe and side by side across 2000 miles of thundering adventure . They feared no one , Juarista rebels , cut-throat bandits, the armies of Maximilian, as they challenged an angry land and each other . The two big men with reckless courage clash and nothing can match them ,the big men ride and nothing can stop them . Through a thousand dangers and a thousand thrills they fight their glorious way to destiny , conquering desert , risks , savage outlaws , and enemy soldiers.

This agreeable Western packs adventures , silly romance , action , shootouts and historical events about American Civil War and Mexican war between Emperor Maxilimilian and Juaristas . Casting is frankly good, the legendary John Wayne , Rock Hudson . Before filming began, John Wayne had to lose most of the weight he had put on in order to play Rooster Cogburn in True grit (1969). According to director Andrew V. McLaglen, his first choice for the role of Colonel James Langdon was James Arness, who was willing to do it but backed out just before shooting began ; Rock Hudson was brought in as his replacement . John Wayne became good friends during the shoot with Rock Hudson and even joked that he'd rather have been born with Hudson's movie star face than his own. Magnificent plethora of secondaries , as usual John Ford's actors , Ben Johnson, Bruce Cabot, John Agar, Harry Carey Jr , among others . Furthermore , ordinary cameraman William H Clothier (Cheyemne Autumm , Man who shot Liberty Valance , Horse soldiers) who creates a luminous and colorful cinematography . Lively and evocative musical score by Hugo Montenegro . The motion picture was well directed by Andrew V. McLagen , a known Ford's disciple . He's a Western expert (McLintock, Shenandoah, Bandolero, Chisum , Cahill , Way west) and warlike genre craftsman (Return to Kai, Wild Geese , Sea Wolves). Rating : acceptable and passable. The movie will appeal to Wayne and Hudson die-hard fans.