Here's a wonderfully old-fashioned western movie, overlooked by many but perhaps deserving new status as a minor classic of the genre. The film works admirably well thanks to the solid direction of John Guillermin – who turns material we've seen a hundred times before into something new and refreshing – and a more than adequate budget, which led to the building of a whole fort in the middle of the desert which would go on to serve many movies for decades to come. The film is literally action packed and, whilst not particularly bloody, serves up enough death and destruction to satisfy the most ardent lover of excitement and battle. The script is witty and the plot takes many twists and turns, keeping the audience on their toes by throwing in a number of genuinely surprising twists to keep you guessing as to the outcome.
The casting works in the film's favour; as the heroic lead, Jim Brown (THE DIRTY DOZEN) is subdued and his is a performance that works – imagine a black Clint Eastwood and you have the general idea. There is a sense of calmness and coolness about the actor that serves him well and he is also believable in the action stakes. Despite Brown's solid prowess, the film is still nonetheless stolen by the appearance of Van Cleef, in a cast-against-type role as a drunken prospector out for his own ends, complete with a low set of morals and even worse personal hygiene habits. Despite his unsavoury character, Van Cleef still evokes sympathy and respect from the audience plus a large helping of successful comic relief. Towards the end of the film he adds layers of pathos and torment rounding out his character as a whole. Patrick O'Neal is splendidly suave and sophisticated, as well as tongue-in-cheek, as the honourable villain, whilst Marianna Hill shows off her beauty by performing a striptease for the army.
What I liked most about this film was the combination of humour and suspense in the action scenes. Many are played for laughs but there is also always an element of real danger at hand. Take for example the stealthy climbing of the wall, made amusing through the stupid soldiers in the army, too obsessed with spying on Hill to care about any imminent invasion; you still find yourself holding your breath during this sequence. Other great moments include the hilarious moment when Brown must battle with an Indian warrior to show his supremacy, and the full-on onslaught of the battle which concludes the picture. Western fans take note: this is one epic (but fun) film you won't want to miss.
The casting works in the film's favour; as the heroic lead, Jim Brown (THE DIRTY DOZEN) is subdued and his is a performance that works – imagine a black Clint Eastwood and you have the general idea. There is a sense of calmness and coolness about the actor that serves him well and he is also believable in the action stakes. Despite Brown's solid prowess, the film is still nonetheless stolen by the appearance of Van Cleef, in a cast-against-type role as a drunken prospector out for his own ends, complete with a low set of morals and even worse personal hygiene habits. Despite his unsavoury character, Van Cleef still evokes sympathy and respect from the audience plus a large helping of successful comic relief. Towards the end of the film he adds layers of pathos and torment rounding out his character as a whole. Patrick O'Neal is splendidly suave and sophisticated, as well as tongue-in-cheek, as the honourable villain, whilst Marianna Hill shows off her beauty by performing a striptease for the army.
What I liked most about this film was the combination of humour and suspense in the action scenes. Many are played for laughs but there is also always an element of real danger at hand. Take for example the stealthy climbing of the wall, made amusing through the stupid soldiers in the army, too obsessed with spying on Hill to care about any imminent invasion; you still find yourself holding your breath during this sequence. Other great moments include the hilarious moment when Brown must battle with an Indian warrior to show his supremacy, and the full-on onslaught of the battle which concludes the picture. Western fans take note: this is one epic (but fun) film you won't want to miss.