Les orgueilleux

The Proud and the Damned is an historical-fiction western starring Chuck Conners and a relatively unknown, but not bad, cast. The film appears to have been filmed in the Chihuahuan Desert, though the setting is inexplicably identified as South America early-on.

Conners leads a group of refugee confederate soldiers traveling through a country in the middle of its own civil war. Apparently, Conners' boys have taken a few odd jobs as mercenaries en-route, and both sides in the present conflict want their help.

The film is essentially an American-made spaghetti-western, without the plot convolutions and tension (or Clint Eastwood) that made this genre so interesting. About mid-way through the story, the film meanders and seems fated to fizzle into oblivion rather than going out with a bang, but it does eventually wander back to its track. The script is occasionally bloated, but not bad. Once in a while, the film actually presents some interesting anthropological points. The acting is surprisingly OK. And the sets, scenery and cinematography are good.

It won't kill you. This is a much more entertaining western than I had anticipated. However, I will limit my recommendation to fans of western movies.

It is so obvious that Ferde Grofe Jr was more than inspired by Sam Peckinpah's WILD BUNCH and John Sturges' MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. It kas place in mexico where former Confederate soldiers, outcasts, cross the Mexican border before being tragically involved with a Mexican renegade geeral, brutal, blood thirsty high rate officer. Then our bunch will decide to save a poor village from the villain....Even a dumb could see what I am talking about. A typical seventies western. Counter culture best example. Melancholy, gloominess, lost ideals, friendship in bitterness....Everything I have always craved for in a movie. Ferde Grofe has never been a great not even a good director, but let's be indulgetnt and fair, he is not the worst ever either.

Chuck Connors, Aron Kincaid, Smokey Roberds, Henry Capps, and Peter Ford, play the title roles in The Proud And Damned. Probably this film's only distinction is it's the only film I've seen and reviewed that was shot in Colombia. Fitting as the location for the action is some unnamed South American country.

These five are Confederate veterans who've gone south and have kicked around selling their military experience as mercenaries and now just want to go home. But time and circumstance force them to get involved in a local war between a would be dictator in Andres Marquis and Cesar Romero the Alcalde of a medium size town who is not happy about Marquis challenging his hegemony.

Our cast looks distinctly unhappy in their roles and deliver the perfunctory performances to prove it. Even Jose Greco merely recycles only a part of what he gave to his role in Ship Of Fools as a gypsy whore master. We do however get to see Greco the great flamenco dancer in a number in the film.

This whole crew looks like it's waiting for their salary checks to clear.

Released in1972, "The Proud and the Damned" tells the story of five ex-Confederate soldiers, led by Sgt. Will Hansen (Chuck Connors), trying to find a new home in South America after losing the war. A Napoleon-wannabe "general" (Andres Marquis) hires them to reconnoiter a village where the guys either party it up or romance local gals (Maria Grimm & Anita Quinn). Cesar Romero plays the mayor of the town while José Greco & Nana Lorca are on hand as dancing gypsies. The rest of the ex-Confederates are played by Aron Kincaid, Smokey Roberds, Henry Capps and Peter Ford.

This is a low-budget and relatively obscure Western that doesn't get very good ratings, and I can understand why. Some of the acting is dubious and a few of the action sequences are less than convincing, not to mention there's zero build-up to the romance. It's overall a mediocre Western with some lambasting it as subpar or even "unforgiveable trash," as one critic put it.

If you can overlook these flaws, however, there are several items that make the movie worth catching: Connors is a quality Western protagonist; the Columbian locations are scenic and authentic (say what you will, but quality locations cost money); the Latin-styled Western music by Gene Kauer & Douglas M. Lackey is quite good; this is a unique Western in that it takes place in South American (presumably Columbia); and the six protagonists are likable with good camaraderie. I say SIX because I'm including the honorable Capt. Juan Hernandez, played by Conrad Parham.

I also like how unpredictable the movie is despite the predictability of the plot. In other words, just because you THINK you have the story figured out doesn't mean it's necessarily the way it's going to pan out. Also, despite the palpability of the low-budget I found myself involved in the story & the characters by the second half. Lastly, I can't help but respect the audacity of the unexpected and puzzling Climax.

The film runs 96 minutes and was shot in Columbia.

GRADE: C

Chuck Connors is featured in this western about a group of American civil war veterans traveling in South America. After being run out of one country they wind up as the "guests" of a Columbian General intent on conquest. In a situation where they don't have a lot of choice, they agree to go to the town of San Carlos to spy out the city and report back to the General. While in San Carlos they wind up being the "guests" of the mayor played by Cesar Romero. Two subplots unfold involving women and the group, leading to predictable conflict and violence, with a surprising twist for the group's leader, played by Connors. Ultimately battle breaks out with elements of treachery and surprise. Marred by some dumb dialog, this film is recommended only for die-hard western lovers.