Villa Rides (1968) User Reviews

Nice Western with history and fiction south of the border

[SimonJack · 7/10 · 27 April 2014]

"Villa Rides" says in the opening credits that it is a tribute to Pancho Villa. And, as presented, the film is indeed a tribute in which it paints the former Mexican bandit in pretty colors. We should remember that the Mexican revolutionary had attacked an American town, Columbus, New Mexico. So, the U.S. government sent our own Gen. John J. Pershing into Mexico to hunt down and capture or kill Francisco "Pancho" Villa. His pursuit lasted from March 1916 to February 1917. Pershing was recalled when WW I broke out. Of course, none of this is mentioned in this film.

So, remembering that Hollywood often glosses over history – even rewrites it at times, viewers should always take films like this with a grain of salt – as to their accuracy and truth. Of course, their enjoyment as entertainment is aside from that. Now, to counter that aspect, we should also remember that Villa was a real folk hero among the people. He was a Mexican "Robin Hood," who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He wasn't out for power himself, but was a genuine revolutionary for the freedom of the people.

We should also remember that it was after 1917 that the dictatorships in Mexico began to oppress the church and religion. Recent Mexican President Vicente Fox acknowledged and lamented the previous tyrannical governments. After 1917, Mexico outlawed religion, killed priests, confiscated and closed churches, and desecrated altars. Not until 1992 did this situation begin to change. Can it be any wonder why so many Mexicans would flee their country and want to live in the U.S. in the 20th century? Besides the economic hardships, the people were terribly persecuted and denied their basic rights.

Now for this film. It has a nice plot with some good action. The cast, for the most part, are quite good. Yul Bryner is very good as Pancho, although I suspect he is quite sanitized. Charles Bronson is very good as Fierro. Some other main characters are all quite good – Fernando Rey as Fuentes, Alexander Knox as Madero, and Herbert Lom as General Huerta. You'll notice I've saved Robert Mitchum until last. His role just doesn't fit as he portrays it. We need the character for the plot, but Mitchum just does not seem to play him right. He seems way too nonchalant. The script, or directing, or acting, or all three needed a major rework there to make his character much more believable. It put a sort of pale of humor over the story, and I don't think it really should be humorous. Not when we see families distraught over the hanging of many of their fathers, husbands and sons by the government army. And, I've never thought it funny when women are raped.

So, I'll give this 7 stars for the action, the story and the roles of Bryner, Bronson and some others. Back to that opening credit on the film – I'm sure that Paramount didn't mean to imply that Hollywood welcomes foreign governments to attack towns in the U.S. Or that it will honor them for doing so. But, wait a minute. I could be wrong about Hollywood.

Pancho Villa's Air Force

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 1 June 2010]

So far I haven't seen one film about Pancho Villa that got it right and Villa Rides is definitely one of them. Perhaps the proposed biographical film that Johnny Depp will star in might do Villa some justice.

Yul Brynner and Robert Mitchum co-star in Villa Rides with Brynner in the title role. Mitchum plays your typical soldier of fortune although in his case he's a pilot of fortune. He's a pilot of one of those new fangled airplanes and it is through his eyes we see the story of the film unfold.

A damaged aircraft delays Mitchum in Mexico after making a delivery and before he knows it, he's hip deep in the revolution that is going on in Mexico. At this point in his career Villa is one of several guerrilla chiefs supporting the new republic and the presidency of the idealistic Francisco Madero played here by Alexander Knox. Madero himself was a strange and fascinating character, one day he might get a biographical film study of his tragic life.

The Mexican Revolution of the teen years saw the country give way to anarchy with Villa eventually becoming one of several generalissimos controlling a piece of Mexican turf. As Villa operated in the extreme north of the country it was his bad fortune to later on raid into the USA and get Woodrow Wilson to send our army after him.

Here at the beginning Villa though after Mitchum talks his way into not being shot by his forces, Brynner sees the value of Mitchum's airplane as a weapon of war. He puts one of his aides Charles Bronson to ride herd on Mitchum and the two of them don't get along at all.

According to Lee Server's book on Mitchum they didn't get along all that well during the filming. Another Mitchum, brother John Mitchum wrote in his memoirs that Bronson was a very reserved sort who guarded his privacy strictly. They apparently had no problem on the set of Bronson's film Breakheart Pass which John Mitchum had a small part.

Mitchum and Brynner got along however which was not always the case with Brynner. Yul Brynner was a man of some mystery who liked it that way, he was and could be standoffish with fellow players, but apparently he and Mitchum worked well together in their only joint film.

The film was shot in Spain and I have to say the battle sequences were very well staged. They are the best part of Villa Rides.

A good, but not a great film. I do have to wonder that when Black Jack Pershing came into Mexico later on after the action of this film concluded, might not Mitchum be in a real jackpot fighting against the American army at that point.

Liberty is the respect for the rights of others.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 5 May 2012]

Villa Rides is directed by Buzz Kulik and adapted to screenplay by Robert Towne and Sam Peckinpah from the biography of Pancho Villa written by William Douglas Lansford. It stars Yul Brynner, Robert Mitchum, Charles Bronson, Herbert Lom, Maria Grazia Buccella, Robert Viharo and Frank Wolff. Music is scored by Maurice Jarre and cinematography by Jack Hildyard.

Film is a fictionalised telling of a period in Pancho Villa's (Brynner) life, primarily his famous involvement in the Mexican Revolution at the start of the 20th Century.

The film that should have been a Peckinpah classic!? Maybe? There is no doubting that had Peckinpah been allowed to direct his own screenplay we would have got a far better, more brutal, Pancho Villa film. In fact if we just had Peckinpah's original screenplay intact and someone like Robert Aldrich to direct, then that surely would have given us a mean and moody biography of one José Doroteo Arango Arámbula (AKA: Francisco Villa or Pancho Villa)? Film history tells us that star Yul Brynner was most displeased with the portrayal of Villa as written on Bloody Sam's page. Brynner wanted, and got eventually, his Villa to be an heroic Robin Hood type man of the people, a romanticised revolutionary as it were. Not the driven bastardo prone to acts of horror and sneak tactics that Peckinpah envisaged for the film.

La Cucaracha.

Brynner laughably cited Peckinpah's lack of Mexican knowledge as reason for getting him off the film, laughable because Peckinpah was married to a Mexican and visited the country regularly! So Peckinpah was off, sold his screenplay to the producers, which was remodelled considerably by Robert Towne & Brynner, and he took much of the ideas from the writing for Villa Rides to craft his masterpiece a year later, The Wild Bunch. In to the director's chair came Buzz Kulik and Brynner got to don a toupee and portray Villa the way he wanted. Although, thankfully, Peckinpah's edginess does manage to flit in and out of the finished product.

Viva Villa! You can't fight for the revolution if you are dead.

What remains for viewing is far better than some would have you believe. True, it's no Western/War classic, some of the politico posturings fail to make a mark because they are not expanded on, and one yearns at times for some Peckinpah grit, grue and grim machinations. There's also casting issues, for although I actually don't mind Brynner as Villa because he attacks the role with fanciful relish, he is generally miscast, while Mitchum manages to get by on laconic charm rather than have a character worthy of putting effort into. But if you can forgive the obvious missteps then it's a good two hours of rip-snorting entertainment.

It's always a question of money with you Gringo.

Kulik (Sergeant Ryker) keeps things lively and proves adept at action directing. The battles scenes are high on quality, particularly for the engagement at Conejos, where stunt men and horses are flung around the place, explosions puncture the air, the artillery on show resplendent as it deals out damage. Hundreds of costumed extras cut a swathe through each other, a plane and a train impact greatly on proceedings, while potent scenes involving the bad things that men do add fuel to the loud expressive fire. Jarre's score is fabulous, Latino flavours mix with high energy thunder to bounce off the burning sun with aural pleasure, while Hildyard keeps the Spanish locales vibrant in colours. Then there's Bronson stealing the movie with his portrayal of Rodolfo Fierro, a man who enjoys killing and tormenting the enemy, with dark humour also etched into his make-up.

Fanciful, fun and fiery, with flaws enough for sure, but still a good time to be had for the genre faithful. 7/10

Colorful portrayal of the Mexican revolutionary leader , entirely filmed in spectacular Spanish and Mexican exteriors

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 23 October 2012]

This is an exciting historical film about the famous Mexican patriot bandit containing a succession of fights , shootouts , pursuits , raids and breathtaking frames . The film chronicles the title role , the Mexican bandit and guerrilla leader who flourished in the early part of the XX Century with broadened focus on the filming his feats and actual war . As Mexican rebel Pancho Villa (Yul Brynner) leads a revolution against the ¨Colorados¨ commanded by Orozco ; being helped by an American aviator (Robert Mitchum) imprisoned in Mexico . Later on , when President Madero (Alexander Knox) is overthrown , they fight against dictator General Huertas (Herbert Lom).

This vibrant movie is an uneven rehash of Pancho Villa's legend including epic battles , explosions , chases , spectacular scenes and resulting to be a feast of action for the eyes . Interesting screenplay written by prestigious Robert Towne and Sam Peckinpah , based on the novel ¨Pancho Villa¨ by Douglas Lamford . Sam Peckinpah wrote the original script and was set to direct, but Yul Brynner didn't love the screenplay because it became Pancho Villa - a man who had given strict orders to shoot in cold blood all prisoners - "look like a bad guy" ; as Peckinpah was fired and his script was rewritten by Robert Towne to conform to Brynner's idea of what Villa was like . Yul Brynner plays nicely the notorious and rowdy bandit turned military leader , as he is almost-perfect in title role . While Robert Mitchum is the flying gunrunner who reluctantly aids Francisco Villa's revolutionary Mexican campaign . And Charles Bronson giving one of the last of his sadistic two-fisted guy portrayal with his trademark mustache , before being promoted to tough and box-office big-star . Remainder casting is frankly welll : Maria Gracia Buzzela as a seducer Mexican woman , Herbert Lom as General Huertas , Frank Wolff as Ramirez , John Ireland and Jill Ireland , this was the first movie to star real-life husband and wife Charles Bronson to be subsequently continued a large number of films . Being shot in Spain , there appears great secondaries , some important Spanish actors such as : Fernando Rey , Xan Das Bolas , Julio Peña , Jose Canalejas , Jose Maria Prada and seductive Diana Lorys who holds one of the highlights of the movie , when she dances a tempting dance with Yul Brynner . Colorful cinematography by Jack Hildyard , David Lean's usual , and assisted by outstanding cameramen as Ricardo Navarrete and John Cabrera. Shot on Spanish location in Casar De Talamanca (Guadalajara) and Colmenar Viejo (Madrid). Rousing and thrilling musical score by Maurice Jarre , the musician to milk the maxim impact from a lively leitmotif . Considering the talent involved plenty of magnificent actors and excellent technicians results in a good movie . Big-budgeted film by producer Ted Richmond with hundreds of extras , a lot of riders , and using trains , planes , helicopter for his filming . Sergio Leone was offered to direct but the turned down , as it was well directed by Buzz Kulik supported by Jose Maria Ochoa , Carlos Gil and Eduardo Garcia Maroto as direction assistants . Kulik was an expert filmmaker of TV movies and occasionally for cinema . He directed notorious series and TV films (The Lindberg kidnapping case , Pioneer woman , Brian's song , Riot , Rage of Angela) and adapted famous films for TV (From here to eternity with Natalie Wood , Women of valor) . Furthermore , he filmed some vehicles for famed actors as Burt Reynods (Shamus) , Lee Marvin (Sergeant Ryker) , Steve McQueen (The hunter) and Pierce Brosnan (Around the world in 80 days) .

Other films about Pancho Villa are the following ones : the classic ¨Viva Villa¨ by Jack Conway with Wallace Beery who forever belongs this role ; ¨Villa¨ with Rodolfo Hoyos and Brian Keith ; ¨Pancho Villa¨ by Eugenio Martin with Telly Savalas and Clint Walker and ¨Starring Pancho Villa as himself¨ by Bruce Beresford with Antonio Banderas .

The picture is based on true events , thus : Pancho Villa born in Chihuahua with the name Doroteo Arango, from his peasant upbringing he became an outlaw in his youth and adopted the name Francisco Villa from another outlaw . He played a leading role in the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) , winning many victories (as Torreon battle narrated in the film). For a time Villa, who seemed in line for leadership of Mexico, enjoyed the agreeable interest of the United States government, but William Randolph Hearsts media empire's press campaign against him and USA authorities then dropped Villa and supported his rival, Carranza. Villa's resentment resulted in the revenge raid on Columbus . Rating 7/10. Decent Villa/Zapata Western.

Good action, but Brynner is woefully miscast

[frankfob · 7/10 · 4 August 2004]

Mexican bandit and revolutionary Pancho Villa has been portrayed in films before, most notably by Wallace Beery in 1934's "Viva Villa!". Beery bore an uncanny resemblance to the real Pancho Villa, and by all accounts his portrayal is historically quite accurate, although the movie itself isn't. While overall this film is better than Beery's, the miscasting of Yul Brynner as Villa is difficult to overcome, and Robert Mitchum's sleepwalking through his role as an American soldier of fortune caught up in the Mexican revolution doesn't help, either. The two best performances in the film are Charles Bronson as Villa's right-hand man and chief executioner Rodolfo Fierro (Bronson accurately plays him as a man who can murder dozens of people with almost no thought about it; the real Fierro was even more of a butcher than he's shown to be here, and is known to have personally murdered hundreds of people) and Herbert Lom as the murderous Gen. Victoriano Huerta, and although Lom plays him as a sophisticated James Bond-ish Eurotrash villain than the semi-literate Indian and psychopathic killer that Huerta really was, it's still an effective job. The action set pieces are extremely well done and exciting, especially a rebel charge through a marsh against a heavily fortified federale position and, as has been previously mentioned, the film's soundtrack is truly outstanding. So even though Brynner may not be anyone's idea of Pancho Villa, the movie overall is worth a watch.

A classic western that's under appreciated and hard to find

[MovieMan-112 · 19 March 1999]

"Villa Rides" is the most accurate film depicting the life of the infamous mexican bandit, Pancho Villa. It's also filled with an all-star cast. Yul Brenner plays Villa to perfection (many other actors including Telly Savalas have played the role, but not as good as Brenner). Charles Bronson is equally good as Villa's sidekick who spends his free time humiliating and shooting mexicans. Robert Mitchum plays a pilot who gets involved in Villa's revolution. There is a constant pace of action and good dialogue ("Go outside and die. Where are your manners?" is what Bronson says to a mexican after the mexican tries to force himself on a young girl. Bronson shoots him and kicks him out the door). The buzzing noise Mitchum's airplane makes becomes annoying throughout the film (the director's name is Buzz) and the actor who plays the mexican villain seems to be more of a Woody Allen-type character than a vicious, sadistic tyrant. He makes up for that in his final scene. Classic stuff! The film is very rare and hard to find. If you get it, you're lucky.

I don't want to live in a world where Yul Brunner has hair!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 2 June 2014]

"Villa Rides" is what happens when you allow Hollywood people to reproduce the Mexican Revolution! I can still tolerate the humor that white-faced heroes like Yul Brunner and Charles Bronson are depicting full-blooded Mexican gunslingers, but one thing we cannot possibly accept is that Yul Brunner - genuine tough guy and symbol of manliness – plays a character with a head full of hair! What a disgrace! It's the end of the world as we know it! It's … basically a very entertaining western, even though the almighty Brunner is slightly miscast. I'm also not an expert regarding the life and work of Francisco "Pancho" Villa (and too lazy to read the entire Wikipedia page) but the film draws an admirable picture of his political as well as his personal convictions during the earlier stages of La Revolución. However, cinematic mastodons Robert Towne and Sam Peckinpah also decided it would be a good idea to throw an all-American action figure into the battle (presumably to help the audience identify with the story a little bit) in the shape of Robert Mitchum. He portrays a sly pilot providing the Mexican army with weapons, but following a crash and a crush he is gradually forced to join the rebellious side. "Villa Rides" is worth recommending to fans of the action & western genre for only two reasons already. The battle sequences are impressively shot, with hundreds of extras, imaginative camera angles and brutal violence. And then most of all: Charles Bronson! Charlie clearly enjoys what is probably one of the most amusing roles of his career; Villa's loyal right hand lieutenant and unscrupulous executioner Rodolfo Fierro. He makes the process of shooting prisoners entertaining (by giving five people at once a slim chance to escape over a wall) as well as money-saving (by killing three prisoners in a row with just one bullet). If you're still not convinced just yet, Herbert Lom and Fernando Rey shine in masterful supportive roles and "La Cucaracha'" is on the soundtrack, too!

Not bad historical drama.

[Hey_Sweden · 6/10 · 27 September 2012]

"Villa Rides" is the tale of the legendary Pancho Villa, key player in the Mexican Revolution who was a bandit, to be sure, but also undeniably a true leader deeply committed to his cause. However, the tale mostly focuses on Lee Arnold (Robert Mitchum), the American pilot who is captured by Villa's forces and eventually, reluctantly becomes caught up in their mission. Yul Brynner, sporting a full head of hair for once, is thought by some to be miscast as Villa, but in any event this reviewer does feel that his screen presence is still powerful. Mitchum, admittedly, isn't at his best and in fact looks rather disinterested throughout this thing, which is not good considering how much screen time is given to his character. Herbert Lom does well in the key role of a dubious Mexican general, and Maria Grazia Buccella is appealing and lovely in the underwritten role of Lee's love interest. The performer here who truly stands out is Charles Bronson, sporting his familiar moustache for the first time here, as Villa's associate Fierro, and the actor does capture this person's essential ruthlessness, although in real life Fierro was supposed to be an even more bloodthirsty individual. Also appearing are Bronson's wife Jill Ireland, in the first of the films that they did together, although she doesn't show up until near the end, as well as Robert Viharo, Frank Wolff, Alexander Knox, Fernando Rey, and John Ireland in a brief, uncredited bit. The screenplay is courtesy of Robert Towne and Sam Peckinpah, but it never really gives us much insight into Villa. There are some great moments of well staged action, but overall the pacing is a little sluggish. TV veteran Buzz Kuliks' direction is basically competent, although one has to wonder what might have been had Peckinpah been allowed to direct his own original screenplay, which wouldn't have romanticized Villa quite so much. Undeniably effective is the photography of some beautiful scenery and Maurice Jarres' eclectic score. This film does have its moments, such as Lee lobbing bombs as he flies his plane, but it could and should have been more interesting. As it is, it's decent entertainment but it doesn't ever quite take off. Six out of 10.

Good western flick

[aschwanitz · 8/10 · 2 November 2010]

First time I saw this movie I thought it was excellent, I was about twelve then. I still have a fondness for it, and will watch it whenever I find it on t.v.

I am not a student of Mexican history, nor do I pretend to be, but I enjoyed it, and will watch it again all over. If you are looking for a life changing event then this is not it,(really if you want to change your life then get off of the couch, movies are not life, not even a substitute, go out, meet someone, have a fling, live a LIFE) if you want an amusing hour and a half, then this should do the job for you.

What more can you you want from a movie?

not great but fun to watch

[natamin · 6/10 · 18 December 2005]

I saw this movie long ago and still remember it well enough to place a comment, so its not to bad. Westerns are my favorite movies but that's doesn't mean i like them all, i like the shootist with John Wayne but think that most Wayne movies are not that good....this one with Brynner, Bronson and Mitchum is just plain and simple a Hollywood fabrication and fun to watch,especially Bronson as Fierro. He portrays the very hard merciless right-hand of villa,(and comes up with some very nice inventions). All and all i think its time they should release it on DVD so i could add it to my collection and watch it again after so many years

Disappointing Villa

[jpdoherty · 3/10 · 14 May 2009]

VILLA RIDES (1968) turns out to be something of a big disappointment! And even though Sam Peckinpah had a hand in the screenplay, along with Robert Towne, it still emerges as a leadenly written movie dryly directed by the undistinguished Buzz Kulik. Firstly, top billed Yul Brynner as Pancho Villa is wrong for the part! He's not charismatic enough to play the great Mexican revolutionary! His one note performance lacks the fire and gusto Anthony Quinn or Gilbert Roland could have brought to the role. Brynner simply looks like a Russian aristocrat dressed up like a Mexican bandit who is in the middle of the Mexican revolution instead of the Russian one. Also, second billed Robert Mitchum is totally wasted in the picture! His part as a biplane flying ace lobbing home-made bombs from the air in the cause of the revolution is a poorly written meager role that could have been played by any minor star. Mitch hasn't a decent line in the entire movie and brings to one's mind his other Mexican revolution picture the far superior "Bandido" (1956) which unfortunately nobody seems to have any interest in releasing on DVD. Besides lacking any kind of style "Villa Rides" also suffers badly without the presence of a female star! There is starlet Grazia Buccella as a young Mexican girl who gives Mitchum the glad eye but her casting is merely perfunctory. Someone like Claudia Cardinale or Jean Peters could have perhaps added a couple of badly needed notches to the faltering story line.

There are a couple of good action scenes in the movie but a couple of good action scenes do not a movie make and the less than perfect Panavision picture quality plus the over repetitive Maurice Jarre theme tune doesn't help matters.

As is Paramount's wont there are no extras - not even a trailer! Yup, a disappointing movie and DVD presentation that could have been and should have been a whole lot better.

Entertaining Action Biography With Brynner as Pancho Villa

[zardoz-13 · 8/10 · 5 October 2010]

"Magnificent Seven" co-stars Yul Brynner and Charles Bronson team up again as Mexican bandits-turned-freedom fighters in veteran television director Buzz Kulik's south-of-the-border epic "Villa Rides," a quasi-historical drama about Pancho Villa and the Mexican revolution during the early 20th century. Robert Towne of "Chinatown" fame and Sam Peckinpah wrote the cynical, bullet-riddled screenplay based on William Douglas Lansford's entertaining biography. Indeed, some scenes--such as Bronson's character lining three soldiers up in a row and shooting three of them at once--occurred in the book. Brynner is typically charismatic as Villa, while Bronson is appropriately Neanderthal as Villa's second-in-command Rodolfo Fierro. Fierro was a trigger-happy hombre in real-life and was always prepared to shoot first and ask questions later. Ostensibly, to give American audiences somebody with which to identify, the filmmakers cast Robert Mitchum as an aviator running guns to the villains. Later, he is captured by Villa's forced and scheduled for execution until the protagonist allows him to live to fly for them. Kulik orchestrates several major action scenes in this sprawling shoot'em up and delivers them with sufficient gusto, helped considerably by composer Maurice Jarre's rip-snorting musical soundtrack and "Bridge on the River Kwai" cinematographer Jack Hildyard's scenic lensing with Spain substituting for Mexico. Spaghetti western villain Frank Wolff has some memorable scenes, especially his death scene where he tries to hide in a well and the heroes lob a package of explosives into it.

Mexican Western

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 5 May 2017]

Released in 1968, "Villa Rides" stars Robert Mitchum as a Texas pilot/gunrunner who is thrust into the Mexican Revolution by his own greed. After being disillusioned by the Colorados (Orozquistas), he hooks up with bandit-turned-nationalist Pancho Villa (Yul Brynner) & his hardened patriots to face off against the Colorados in Northern Mexico. Charles Bronson and Robert Viharo play Villa's grim and merry assistants respectively while Maria Grazia Buccella is on hand as a woman that strikes the pilot's fancy. Herbert Lom appears as an enemy general while Alexander Knox plays naïve President Madero. Jill Ireland has a small role at the end.

Sam Peckinpah wrote the original screenplay and was slated to direct, but Brynner felt the script made Villa out to be too harsh, so Yul used his pull to get Robert Towne to rewrite it and the producers pursued another director, ending up with Buzz Kulik.

While this is more historical fiction than reality, it does successfully bring you back in time to the Mexican Revolution and helps you envision what it must have been like to ride with the legendary Villa. The movie definitely has more credibility than the incongruously-toned "Pancho Villa" (1972) with Telly Savalas in the titular role (although that Western is worth catching just for Villa's "invasion" of America with his raid on Columbus, New Mexico, a town three miles from the border, on March 9, 1916). The first half of "Villa Rides" is a decent Western, but the action-packed second half starts to go off the rails, as far as sustaining the viewer's interest. The filmmakers obviously needed to take more time to work the kinks out and draw forth the film's potential.

The movie runs 122 minutes and was shot in Guadalajara, Castilla-La Mancha & Madrid, Spain and Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora & Guanajuato City).

GRADE: Borderline C+/B-

Macho movie!

[HotToastyRag · 5/10 · 20 August 2018]

Get ready for a macho, macho movie! Starring Yul Brynner as Poncho Villa, Charles Bronson as his trigger-happy sidekick, and Robert Mitchum as the American accidentally caught in the middle of the Mexican Revolution, there's no room for any estrogen in this action flick!

Well, that's not exactly true. While Charles is completely content killing people, Bob quickly gets attached to Maria Grazia Buccella. After a brutal attack on the town leaves Maria ruined in the worst way, Yul shows the soft side of his heart. He feels personally responsible for Maria's traumatic incident, so to help her hold her head up in the community and show his remorse for what the soldiers did, he marries her. How is this a testosterone-fest? Don't worry, guys. If you think Villa Rides turns into a girly movie, that's not the case. It's a very manly movie with constant gunfire and action. If you like the stars and the setting, you won't be disappointed.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, since there may or may not be a rape scene, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

Great screenplay-writers, actors, composer and cinematographer bring history to the screen

[JuguAbraham · 7/10 · 25 January 2019]

A film with co-scriptwriters Sam Peckinpah and Robert Towne is worth a look any day. Add the cast of Yul Brynner (with hair on his head), Robert Mitchum, Charles Bronson, a sinister Herbert Lom, Fernando Rey, John Ireland's cameo in a barbershop, and the film is more than a screenplay. One can add Jack Hildyard's camerawork (so reminiscent of his Oscar-winning work in "Bridge on the River Kwai") and the music of Maurice Jarre to make this film on the real life hero Pancho Villa, a worthy film.

Yul Brynner with hair

[scheelj · 7/10 · 20 November 2012]

See it – Like all good Sam Peckinpah directed films, this one is exciting from start to finish. This movie came right before he did "Wild Bunch," and you can see the similarities in the fight scenes. Starting with "Wild Bunch," Peckinpah began pushing the envelope and trying to get away with more and more (violence, nudity, etc). I like "Villa Rides" because it's kind of his last normal, old-fashioned movie. He doesn't try to get all Tarantino on us; he just makes a great action movie. Yul Brynner (with hair) is pretty good as Villa, considering Brynner is actually Russian (not Mexican). A young Charles Bronson steals many of the scenes as Villa's tough, Bad-A right hand man. The movie also co-stars Robert Mitchum. This is a big epic full of sweeping battle scenes and a great cast. I'm surprised more people haven't heard of it. 4 action rating

Classico

[Tweetienator · 7/10 · 4 February 2022]

Not without flaw but an entertaining piece about Pancho Villa and the Mexican revolution. On top we get Robert Mitchum, Yul Brunner, Charles Bronson and Herbert Lom. Production value is good too. A nice classic.

I saw t his movie back in 1968 and...

[gail924 · 10/10 · 29 January 2006]

I saw this movie back in 1968. Thought it was excellent then...and my opinion has not changed in all these decades.

Charles Bronson and Robert Mitchum give wonderful character portrayals. The action keeps coming and coming, and what may seem like down time still has you wondering what is going to happen next.

Those of you who are fans of Charles Bronson may (or may not) like his character in this movie, but being the wonderful actor he is..he plays the bad guy beautifully!

The scenery is authentic and the sets are true to the story. And it was the first time I remember seeing Yul WITH hair!

This is a must see in any year!

Villa fights and loves

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 28 July 2014]

Villa Rides has a screenplay written Sam Peckinpah and Robert Towne but a very workmanlike direction from Buzz Kulik.

Yul Brynner with added hair stars as Pancho Villa the great Mexican revolutionary with fiery passion, cunning, pig headedness and some romance as well. Robert Mitchum is a soldier of fortune with a biplane, a pilot who supplies the Mexican army with weapons, but is gradually forced to join the rebellious side after he is caught up with Villa and a Mexican beauty. Mitchum is laconic and nonchalant but we do get to see him drop homemade bombs from the plane.

More impressive is Charles Bronson as Villa's right hand enforcer who clearly enjoys slaughtering people with style and some humour. Even shoots three people with one bullet in order to be economical.

Herbert Lom and Fernando Rey round up the Mexicans also bring political intrigue to the table.

The film was shot in Spain and it starts out as intriguing but it is uneven. The film varies in tone with some comedy but then you have some villagers getting slaughtered, others being executed and women being raped. There are some good action sequences but the film is too messy as its does not have a coherent narrative.

Charles Bronson Fans will LOVE him in this one !!

[adutchinusa · 9/10 · 7 March 2003]

This Movie is Great, besides the action & adventure , there are Great performances for this B movie that most of the times just keeps teeners (boys mainly) from the street en from their homework ! its also a movie that brings the child back in the Man ! However, besides that, i love this movie Mainly for the role of Charles Bronson, who as Fiero is a Hard ("bad") man who you gonna Love ! His portrayel is marvelous and funny !! and don't forget the Magnificent Soundtrack score from Maurice Jarre !!

Mass murder is not funny....

[angelsunchained · 3/10 · 9 December 2019]

This film was bizarre in a sadistic way. Needless rape scene and various acts of brutal violence which didn't add to the film. Also, some weird humor in depicting various ways to kill numerous prisoners by saving bullets. Honestly, there was no one to root for in this movie as everyone involved was a sadistic mass murderer. Great cast is wasted in this trashy film. Watch Viva Zapa with Marlon Brando instead.

Great

[insect-09018 · 10/10 · 24 April 2022]

I love this film. I dont see any reason to pad out this review with at least 150 characters, but since the federale has a gun to my head, here goes. One of the classics of the Mex Revolution films. Screenplay by Peckinpah and Bob Towne! Stars Mitchum, Brynner and Bronson. Viva Mexico!

Slightly turgid

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 10 February 2021]

A Hollywood western exploring the life and times of Pancho Villa, with Yul Brynner extremely unusual casting for the part. It's not that Brynner simply doesn't look Hispanic, it's more than he struggles to make the guy come to life and feels more than a little bland. It's a shame about this central miscasting, as the supporting characters played by Robert Mitchum (an aviator) and Charles Bronson (an amoral right-hand man) are more interesting. Although this film has its moments, it's also way overlong and bogged down in romance and back-and-forth plotting which makes it feel slightly turgid at times.

So many stars...so little quality...

[bobj-3 · 22 August 2001]

Rarely has such a star-studded cast and crew been so wasted as in this deeply-flawed quasi-historical account of the career of the Mexican bandit-patriot Pancho Villa. Yul Brynner is woefully miscast in the lead, Robert Mitchum sleepwalks his way through the film (as usual). Only Charles Bronson contributes any punch or power to the film (no, Herbert Lom is also fine as the corrupt and vicious General Huerta). I understand that Sam Pekinpah, who wrote the original screenplay and was replaced at the urging of star Brynner, disavowed any responsibility for what resulted, as did the writer Robert Towne, who replaced him. A sad mess.

Great escape entertainment

[jordondave-28085 · 8/10 · 17 September 2023]

(1968) Villa Rides WESTERN

Despite it's problems behind the scenes, I still kinda liked this one- at least my dad did, whose always been accustomed to Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwood and Audie Murphy movies, particularly the western genre.

Another fictional revision adapted from the novel "Pancho Villa" by William Douglas Lansford about the Mexican Revolutionist, Pancho Villa as he is played by Yul Brynner against against dictator General Huertas (Herbert Lom). With Charles Bronson as Fierro, and Robert Mitchum as a gun runner, Lee Arnold - I thought the humor was similar to other Bronson's Westerns and that it was good escape entertainment.

Although, minor roles, this is Charles Brosnon and Jill Ireland's first movie together out of 16 collaborations.