starring Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Woody Strode, Robert Ryan
written, directed, and produced by Richard Brooks
117 minutes
In the early 20th century, Rico (Lee Marvin) leads three other men Bill (Burt Lancaster), Jake (Woody Strode), and Hans (Robert Ryan) on a mission into Mexico to rescue Maria, the wife of a wealthy American. It turns out that they weren't given the full story. The situation is also complicated by the fact that Rico and Bill previously fought in the Mexican Revolution on the same side as Jesus Raza, the bandit who abducted Maria.
This movie was mostly about Rico and Bill. There was considerably less of Robert Ryan and Woody Strode than there was of Burt Lancaster and Lee Marvin. Ryan and Strode are in it from beginning to end but they just don't get as many scenes or as many lines as Lancaster and Marvin.
Jack Palance played the part of Raza. I've seen him in plenty of other movies including but not limited to Dracula (1973), Batman (1989), and City Slickers (1991). I also remember him from guest appearances in episodes of Matt Houston and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.
Ralph Bellamy played the part of Joe Grant, the American whose wife was abducted. I've seen him in a number of things including His Girl Friday (1940) and Trading Places (1983). He was also in an episode The Invaders that I watched early in 2023.
I'm glad I got to see this movie on the big screen projected in 35mm, I think. It was beautiful to look at but unfortunately, in my estimation, there isn't a lot to recommend this movie, other than the star power of the cast. It was very paint by numbers even though there was potential for this to be a really good movie. I think its the star power that sucked me in. I was hoping for more than I got.
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