BY LEE PFEIFFER
Twilight Time has issued a Blu-ray release of the 1968
western "Bandolero!" as a region-free title that is limited to 3,000
units. The film is top-notch entertainment on all levels- the kind of
movie that was considered routine in in its day but which can be more
appreciated today. The story opens with a bungled bank robbery carried out by
Dee Bishop (Dean Martin) and his motley gang. In the course of the robbery two
innocent people are killed including a local businessman and land baron, Stoner
(Jock Mahoney). The gang is captured by Sheriff July Johnson (George Kennedy)
and his deputy Roscoe Bookbinder (Andrew Prine) and are sentenced to be hanged.
Meanwhile Dee's older brother Mace (James Stewart), a rogue himself, gets wind
of the situation and waylays the eccentric hangman while he is enroute to carry
out the execution. By assuming the man's identity. he is able to afford Mace
and his gang the opportunity to cheat death at the last minute. When they flee
the town they take along an "insurance policy"- Stoner's vivacious
young widow Maria (Raquel Welch) who they kidnap along the way. This opening
section of the film is especially entertaining, mixing genuine suspense with
some light-hearted moments such as Mace calmly robbing the bank when all the
men ride off in a posse to chase down the would-be bank robbers.
Mace and Dee reunite on the trail and the gang crosses
the Rio Grande into Mexico- with July and a posse wiling to violate international
law by chasing after them in hot pursuit. Much of the film is rather talky by
western standards but the script by James Lee Barrett makes the most of these
campfire conversations by fleshing out the supporting characters. Dee's outlaw
gang makes characters from a Peckinpah movie look like boy scouts. Among them
is an aging outlaw, Pop Cheney (Will Geer), a well-spoken but disloyal, greedy
man who is overly protective of his somewhat shy son, Joe (Tom Heaton). The
presence of Maria predictably results in numerous gang members attempting to
molest her but their efforts are thwarted by Dee, who always comes to her
rescue. Before long, Maria is making goo-goo eyes at her protector,
conveniently forgetting he is also the man who slew her innocent husband. (The
script tries to get around this by explaining that while her husband was a
decent man who treated her well, she could never get over the fact that he
literally bought her as a teenager from her impoverished family). The story
also puts some meat on the bone in terms of Dee and Mace's somewhat fractured
relationship. Both of them have been saddle tramps but Mace informs Dee that
his reputation as a notorious outlaw allowed their mother, who Dee neglected,
to go to her grave with a broken heart. Every time the script might become
bogged down in these maudlin aspects of the characters, a good dose of humor is
injected.
The story proper kicks in mid-way through the film when
the gang finds itself enroute to a remote town in the Mexican desert that
mandates that they cross a hellish landscape populated by bandoleros,
particularly vicious bandits who appear seemingly out of nowhere and pick off
individuals one-by-one in a "Lost Patrol"-like scenario. July and his
gang are also subject to the eerie murders as stragglers in the posse become
victims. When Dee and his gang finally arrive at the town they find it
deserted, as the population has fled the marauding bandoleros. Dee proposes to
Maria and they agree to start a new life ranching with Mace in Montana- but
their joy is short-lived when July and his posse sneak into town and arrest
them. Before everyone can saddle up to return to the USA, the town is invaded
by an army of bandoleros, setting in motion a truly exciting finale. The entire
enterprise is directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, an old hand with horse operas and
often memorable action flicks such as "Chisum", "The Wild
Geese" and "The Sea Wolves". "Bandolero!" is one of
his best achievements and he inspires fine performances by all. Martin plays it
unusually straight and in a subdued manner, a rare instance during this era of
him playing a realistic, multi-dimensional character. Stewart looks like he's
having the time of his life and Welch, then still a contract player for Fox,
acquits herself very well indeed among these seasoned pros. The supporting cast
is excellent with Kennedy and Prine in top form and familiar faces such as Will
Geer, Denver Pyle, Dub Taylor, Perry Lopez and Harry Carey Jr. popping up in
brief appearances. There is also some excellent cinematography by William
Clothier and a typically fine score by Jerry Goldsmith. "Bandolero!"
is one of the best westerns released during this era.
The Twilight Time transfer is up to the company’s usual
high standards. Bonus extras include an illustrated collector’s booklet with
the usually informative liner notes by Julie Kirgo, the original trailer, a
Spanish language trailer and audio commentary track by this writer and fellow
film historians Paul Scrabo and Tony Latino.
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