Catlow

In this European made western, Yul Brynner plays it considerably lighter than he did in The Magnificent Seven. Adapted from the Louis L'Amour novel, Catlow is a pretty amusing romp through the old west by Yul Brynner as an outlaw and Richard Crenna as Ben Cowan, the marshal sworn to bring him in, but alive. The two of them were in the Civil War together and that kind of bond doesn't sever easily.

But Catlow's got all kinds of people who want him bad, the Mexican Army, the Indians, and a mean hired killer in the person of Leonard Nimoy. He's also got a girlfriend in Daliah Lavi who definitely has an agenda involving Brynner that's all her own. As for Nimoy before he became the wise and logical Vulcan Mr. Spock, he played all kinds of nasty types on television and in film.

I'm surprised Richard Crenna didn't do more westerns in his career, probably had he come along earlier he might very well have. It's a career path he should have taken.

Brynner and Crenna have a nice easy chemistry between them, it's the main reason for checking out Catlow.

This decent but little known comedy-western is all about acting! Especially Yul Brunner has the time of his life portraying a smooth cattle-thief who just promoted himself to gold-robber. His name is Catlow and he rides through the Texan desert with his gang of thugs, chased by Sheriff Richard Crenna (the two are buddies even though they ought to be enemies) and hired hit man Leonard Nimoy. Everybody – Catlow as well as his pursuers – encounters trouble on their ways, such as aggressive Indians, sneaky Mexican villains and deadly ladies… The script of this film (which I believe was filmed in Spain, like many contemporary westerns) isn't very special and lacks coherence. Sam Wanamaker's direction is very hammy and it looks like though the cast is pretty much doing what they feel like. Still, it often is enormous fun to see the comic interactions between Brunner and Crenna when they're trying to outsmart each other with lists and dialogues. Leonard Nimoy is terrific as well, but unfortunately he has little screen time. The beautiful camera-work and exhilarating Country & Western music make you regret that the story is so weak.

The film talks about a rustler named Catlow (Yul Brynner) and his bandit underlings (Jeff Corey , Robert Logan , John Clark , Michael Delano) who are pursued by a sheriff (Richard Crenna) and a bounty hunter gunslinger (Leonard Nimoy ) with the aim to steal the Mexican gold formerly robbed to Confederacy during the American civil war (1861-1865) . As Catlow attempts to avoid interference as he journeys to pull off a $2-million gold robbery , but everyone wants him dead and buried . The Mexican cavalry wanted him murdered . The Apache nation wanted him massacred . Texas Rangers wanted him mangled and his only hope was a marshal who wanted him hanged . Meanwhile , he'll confront Apaches , Mexican Army and some cutthroats.

In the picture there's western action , shootouts , comedy , tongue-in-cheek and a little bit of moderated violence . The movie has the comic observations of the Western parody genre originated in the late decade 60s by Burt Kennedy and Andrew McLagen and with references to Spaghetti Western . Based on a Louis L'Amour's novel is basically a humorist Western . The motion picture was well filmed on location in Almeria (Spain) , where during the 6os and early the 7os were shot several Spaghetti/Paella Western . Thus , there appears usual Italian/Spanish Western secondary actors as Angel del Pozo , Julian Mateos , Jose Nieto, Rafael Albaicín , Tito Garcia , Dan Van Husen and Victor Israel , among others . Yul Brynner plays perfectly as outlaw Catlow , interpretation similar to ¨Indio Black¨ (by Frank Kramer) who'll play later . Richard Crenna as the friend and enemy sheriff is very fine . Leonard Nimoy as the tough and cruel gunfighter is splendid , this film gave him a chance to break away from his role as Spock on Star Trek, he mentioned that the time he made the film was one of the happiest of his life , even though his part was rather brief . Excellent and lively musical score by Roy Budd and colorful cinematography by magnificent cameraman Edward Scaife . The movie was regularly directed by Sam Wanamaker who replaced Peter R. Hunt . The film will appeal to humor-western enthusiasts and Yul Brynner fans . Rating : Mediocre but entertaining .

This is a rather little entertaining western to watch. It has all of the violence and shooting but still it's made in a sort of more light and fun way.

Never thought I would ever see Leonard Nimoy in a western. He made some appearance in western's but mostly in series and TV-movies. I think this is his biggest western's role out of his career. On top of that, he also plays the villain in this one and he does it extremely well. He truly had some real talent for playing the bad guy and I wouldn't had minded seeing him in more roles such as this one. Yul Brynner is also good as always. He really was in his element in westerns. In this movie he takes a more of a kind and humorous approach, which also works out really well for him.

The characters are good ones but the character treatment isn't among the greatest. Yul Brynner will disappear out of the movie for some time, then Richard Crenna and then Leonard Nimoy. He's supposed to be the main villain, but nevertheless he gets hardly featured in the second halve of the movie at all. Consistency is not a too common thing within this movie.

It's fine that the movie concentrates mainly on two characters, that are different and also on the other side of the law, but still great friends, although they are not afraid to punch, or shoot at each other either to get what they want. This sort of approach of an unlikely friendship isn't of course uncommon in a western.

The story is a fine one, that leaves plenty of room for action. There a lot of shootouts, also involving villainous Indians. It all makes sure that the movie at all time is a fast going, with plenty happening on the screen.

It's a real '70's western. '70's westerns are a total different thing from westerns from any other decade. It has that typical kind of '70's rawness all over it and in this case the movie also features some experimental techniques, such as some extremely fast editing in some scenes. Not sure if it truly helps or uplifts the movie but it still makes it a tiny bit more interesting to watch.

Really a movie I enjoyed watching, though it's obviously no genre classic. It's just too small and insignificant for that.

7/10

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Lovable rogue Yul Brynner is accused by an unscrupulous rancher of rustling cattle, for rounding up unbranded strays on government land. Pursuing him is his old pal Richard Crenna, who vows to take him alive and hired killer Leonard Nimoy, who would rather him dead. Before long they're all in Mexico, where Brynner plots to a fortune in gold from some upper-crust military elites.

The first half of this well-made, light-hearted western is incredibly fast-paced, with some very amusing interplay between Crenna and Brynner. The second half, where the action is moved south of the border, is a little more routine, though still worth seeing for the great performances by the leads. However, Nimoy disappears from the screen for a long time.

There's a certain level of crudeness to the proceedings though, with a few threats to shoot in either the genitals or the buttocks, a blow to Yul's testicles, and an almost full-frontal Nimoy, tussling with a (thankfully) fully-clothed Brynner!