The Deserter (1970)

Powerful

Better than most people think

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I first saw this film on Television in the 80s. Seeing it even now, it still feels like an excellent film, thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable.It has everything: a great story, solid acting, great action, good humour and just a totally badass feel.The story revolves around an army officer who loses his wife to dacoit-apaches and then deserts the army to live in the wild. He is then recruited years later by general Miles to help them find and destroy Magnus Tanarngo an Apache warlord who is building a massive apache army to wrest control of the entire US Suoth West.Great acting by Bekin Feihmu as Captain Kaleb. Captain Victor Kaleb is way more badass than Rambo or the Terminator.General Miles is played by the great John Huston. Great supporting cast with Richard Crenna (who ironically played COlonel Trautman to Rambo) and Ricardo Montblan. More great performances from Chuck Connors as the dynamite wielding priest Chapman. Tattinger the scout is also great.Good music as well. The soundtrack has a jazz feel with more primitive sounding percussion. Very unique. Superb characterization and narrative. Never a dull moment in this film. If you like Westerns or Actin films, this is a must watch.

"Support Your Local Sheriff" director Burt Kennedy takes no time out for either comedy or romance in "The Deserter," a gritty, violent frontier fracas written by western novelist Claire Huffaker. Previously, Huffaker and Kennedy had teamed up on the superlative western adventure "The War Wagon" back in 1967 that co-starred John Wayne and Kurt Douglas. This time around Kennedy and Huffaker are dealing with the U.S. Cavalry and bloodthirsty renegade Apache savages on the warpath. "The Deserter" qualifies as one of those ensemble, military actioneers with a diverse bunch of hardcases selected either because they are prisoners or specialists and hurled into the breach to thwart a menacing villain and his army. This beautifully lensed, 100-minute "Magnificent Seven" meets "The Dirty Dozen" oater mixes and matches genres and ranks as a solid shoot'em up bolstered by a top-notch supporting cast of Hollywood veterans who were already western icons. You've got Chuck Connors of "The Rifleman" fame. You've got Patrick Wayne, the son of the biggest western star ever: John Wayne. You've got John Ford stock player Woody Strode of "Sergeant Rutledge" fame. You've got Brandon De Wilde of "Shane;" he was the little boy who chased after Alan Ladd in the final scene screaming "Shane!" Additionally, you're got Slim Pickens, Ricardo Montalban, Albert Salmi, Richard Crenna, John Huston, and Ian Bannen. This dusty oater is worth seeing just to see these guys assembled against the savage Spanish scenery that substitutes splendidly for the American southwest. "War and Peace" producer Dino De Laurentiis has lavishly blown a fortune on this western. Although it has formidable production values, a great supporting cast, strong direction, sharp editing, and memorable dialogue, the one weakness is the lead played by Bekim Fehmiu, whose biggest movie was "The Adventurers." Fehmiu is appropriately laconic but he lacks charisma. You can believe him as a character because Huffaker and Kennedy have incorporated his non-native status in the storyline the same way that Warner Brothers use to provide for Australian actor Errol Flynn in their westerns. Indeed, a high percentage of people who converted to American citizenship were immigrants during the 19th century. Last but not least, prolific Italian composer Piero Piccioni of "Contempt" has furnished an orchestral score that is reminiscent more of American composer Neal Hefti than Ennio Morricone with its jazz-like melodies. The offbeat thing about "The Deserter" is that our indomitable hero must led a platoon of marauders into Mexico, something that violated international agreements between Mexico and America at the time, to wipe out an army of sadistic Indians that threaten not only the peace of white settlers but also innocent Native Americans! Talk about politically correct! Nevertheless, "The Deserter" is a thoroughly enjoyable western that piles on drama at the expense of humor. If you are watching the Mill Creek version, prepare yourself for a mangled viewing opportunity as the print is pretty butchered.

Really loved this film when I saw it on BBC1 way back in 1981, when I was the grand old age of 11. One of those films I always wanted to see on TV again, but it has NEVER been repeated on UK TV. However, I managed to pick it up on second hand video from e-bay, and wondered how it would stand up today, over 20 years after I saw it. The verdict? Still great. True, it is dated in parts (Music, editing) but these are really minor complaints on the whole. The lead character is great; really ruthless and a true anti-hero. Some great supporting cast also; with some really unexpected moments. And it takes it's time getting to where it's going, which I feel a lot of todays films lack. In 'The Deserter', the characters are given time to breath, and it is not until well after the first hour that they inevitably start to die. This all leads up to an explosive last twenty mins, with some memorable scenes. If you love 'guys on a mission' movies, or westerns, see this little gem. Allan.

Chuck Conners,Albert Salmi,Woody Strode,Pat Wayne,Slim Pickens,Ricardo Montalban.Sound like a good show?How about throwing in a little Richard Crenna and John Huston.Mix it all together with international star Bekim Fehmiu and you have the "Deserter".You have seen it before and if you take time, you will see it again.A worthwhile oater that is very watchable(The gatling gun scene that has the cast looking right at you),and enjoyable.I have to agree w/previous comment of the film being too short and not getting to know the charactors very well(they were good and could have been great!).This however was a Dino de Laurentis production,and he doesn,t do westerns very well.Check it out anyway.