The Comancheros (1961)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Blistering performances.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Copyright 1 November 1961 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation. New York opening at the Paramount, 1 November 1961. U.S. release: 30 October 1961. U.K. release: 29 January 1962. 9,507 feet. 106 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Texas Ranger falls for an outlaw's daughter.NOTES: Shooting from 18 June 1961 to early August 1961. Location scenes filmed in Moab, Utah. This was director Michael Curtiz's last film. Movie historian Allen Eyles claims that "Wayne himself stood in for Curtiz at times as the director weakened from the ill health that led to his death shortly after the film's completion."In the film, both as written and shot, Buchanan plays Judge Roy Bean. However, following criticism by some critics notably Paul V. Beckley of The New York Tribune ("Does Edgar Buchanan always have to play Judge Bean or is this a commercial?"), Fox flacks changed the name of the character in the studio's publicity sheets to "Judge Thaddeus Breen".COMMENT: Curtiz's last film stands up rather well. An expansively produced (on attractive actual locations), incident-packed western with tailor-made roles for Wayne and Whitman (it is obvious that Curtiz was building him up from "Francis of Assisi", but he would never again have a part as good as this and his career from here on is a slow and gradual decline). Ina Balin looks good too — and her career also amounted to little after this. Same can be said about Nehemiah Persoff who makes such an impression here. Lee Marvin also registers strongly in his brief but awful (in the literal sense) appearance. The script has a welcome leavening of humor and wit and doesn't take itself too seriously. Curtiz's direction is very polished and accomplished, using varied camera set-ups, reverse angles, the whole armory of Hollywood technique, very, very smoothly edited together. It's true that the action spots were directed by Cliff Lyons (and some very spectacular footage it is too. Particularly impressive is a scene in which a buck-board capsizes in front of the camera), but the smooth professional handling of the dialogue scenes cannot be discounted, nor can the charm and like- ability of Wayne's performance — rarely has he appeared so relaxed, so at ease and unforced. Another factor in the film's appeal is the rousing music score contributed by Elmer Bernstein. Good to see Curtiz going out on such a high note, with an entertaining script backed up by a solid cast of pros and solidly professional behind-the-camera work on a budget that was really worthy of his talents.

THE COMANCHEROS is a solid John Wayne western, lively and entertaining from beginning to end and with barely a slow moment throughout. Wayne settles into the kind of laidback, laconic role that he would go on to play for the remainder of his career, and he's ably supported by Stuart Whitman who plays the fresh newcomer role. The plot has plenty of twists and turns and moves a fair distance from the outset, and veteran director Michael Curtiz (who by all accounts was directed from his deathbed) handles the action scenes well. Watch out for Lee Marvin, who gets very little screen time but who absolutely runs away with what he does have.

Released in 1961 and directed by Michael Curtiz & John Wayne, "The Comancheros" is a Western starring Wayne as a lawman that captures a dashing gambler who's unjustly wanted for murder (Whitman). The two eventually team-up to take on a rogue organization in West Texas (or Mexico) who supply the notorious Comanches with guns. Joan O'Brien and Ina Balin appear as their potential babes. Nehemiah Persoff plays the lead villain, who doesn't appear until the final act. Lee Marvin, Michael Ansara, Patrick Wayne and Richard Devon have supporting roles. The events interestingly take place in 1843-44 during Sam Houston's second term as President of the Republic of Texas.The director, Curtiz, had a long career with several notable films (e.g. "Casablana" and "The Adventures of Robin Hood") and "The Comancheros" was his last. He fell ill during production and Wayne had to finish directing (uncredited in Curtiz' honor).To appreciate this film you have to acclimate to its early-60s hokiness but, once you do, it delivers the goods. It actually gets better as it moves along, perked up by Marvin's amusing antics as a loudmouthed outlaw and, especially, by the engaging plot that the James Bond films ripped off: There's the over-confident mega-villain (Persoff) with his impressive secret lair and mass of devotees.Wayne and Whitman have good chemistry, the latter fearless and debonair. Speaking of which, it's a wonder that Stuart didn't have a more stellar career as he's the quintessential Hollywood stud. On the opposite side of the gender spectrum, Balin is stunning as a Hispanic honey; and O'Brien is head-turning in a small role. The movie runs 107 minutes and was shot in Utah and Arizona.GRADE: B

The Comancheros" , Curtiz's last film , deals with a Texas Ranger named Jake Cutter ,a big man with soft heart , (the Duke John Wayne), assigned to bring a dandy gambler named Paul Regret (Stuart Whitman) for killing . Comancheros is a word that refers to those who favored or advantaged of Comanche Indians by selling weapons and alcohol . The relationship shared between the Ranger " and his prisoner" a dandy accused for murder in a duel to the son of an officer , gets enjoyable nuances and charm enough . Along the way confront bad boy (Lee Marvin) and a gang of liquor-and-gun running nasties of the title commanded by a villain ( Nehemia Persoff) whose daughter (Ina Balin) falls in love with Paul .This actioner Western contains a wonderful friendship , thrills , adventures , rider pursuits , impressive attacks and loads of crossfire . ¨The Comancheros" Curtiz does the human touch including lots of nice moments , it is a very fine picture that could become another western worthy of any anthology. In the film "The Comancheros" the spectator enjoys because it has a lot of issues that make it agreeable . Even the female character played by attractive Ina Balin as "Pilar", reveals a woman who knows that she wishes and makes it irresistible. Large support cast formed by Western usual players as Edgar Buchanan , John Dierkes , Michael Ansara and special mention to big Lee Marvin . Breathtaking and lively musical score by Elmer Berstein , one of the best of Western genre along with ¨The Magnificent Seven¨ soundtrack. Colorful and spectacular cinematography in Cinemascope by William Clothier , John Ford's ordinary . This well-paced film is stunningly directed by Michael Curtiz . He does the human touch and full of insight that accompanied him during most of his films and the story develops pleasantly in a large frame with an interesting plot and fully adjusted to the requirements of the action, which had to be shot in long part by specialist Cliff Lyons . Even in a time of filming, Curtiz had to be briefly hospitalized and the actor John Wayne, a character who gets very nice here, had replaced on the set. He was already sick, but accepted, perhaps because they wanted to die in a movie set . Michael Curtiz concludes a great legacy that included dramas, adventures, comedies, musicals, horror, historical films, police ... and a few westerns . He was an expert in strictly American film Noir genre and in drama as proved in ¨Bright Leaf , Flaming Road , Passage Marseille¨ and of course ¨Casablanca¨ . But also was specialist on adventure genre as ¨Adventures of Robin Hood , Sea Hawk ,Charge of the light Brigade , Private lives of Elizabeth and Essex¨ and Western as ¨Proud rebel, Dodge city¨and of course ¨Los Comancheros¨ . After directing about 180 films, the Hungarian director Michael Curtiz was already 73 years old, when he was called to lead what would be his last film and among all these pictures , many of them form already part of the great classics of cinema as ¨Angel with dirty faces¨ . .Rating : Good , above average . Worthwhile watching .