Bandolero! (1968)

The hangman is summoned to take care of a band of bank robbers lead by Dee Bishop (Dean Martin). But the real hangman never makes it. Instead, Dee's brother Mace (James Stewart) takes his place. Just as the robbers are about to have their necks snapped, Dee uses Mace's gun to make a daring escape. With a posse hot on their heels, the gang heads for Mexico. Along the way, they pick up a hostage, Maria Stoner (Raquel Welch). Maria just happens to be the widow of one of the men killed in the bank holdup. They've got a good lead on the dogged sheriff, but once they enter Mexico, they're in bandolero country. They'll have to elude,not only the sheriff, but the local bandits if they're to escape.As is obvious from the rating I've given Bandolero!, I enjoy this movie. It's not perfect - far from it in fact - but it's got a lot going for it that really works on me. First, the opening 45 minutes with the robbery, hanging, and escape moves at a really nice pace. It's a nice way to get things kicked off. Second, the acting is stellar and a real key to my overall enjoyment. Stewart gives a surprisingly touching performance that I wasn't expecting in a movie like Bandolero! Martin plays it straight and comes off looking like a real actor. Welch isn't great, but goes a long way to redeeming herself in the film's finale. The supporting cast is top notch with Will Geer, Denver Pyle, Andrew Prine, Guy Raymond, and George Kennedy. Kennedy, in particular, is worth mentioning. He plays against type and imbibes his Sheriff July Johnson with unexpected vulnerability.Third, i got a real kick out of Jerry Goldsmith's score. Seemingly inappropriate at times, it reminded me a bit of something you'd hear from Morricone in an Italian Western - not an American made Western. There are other touches here and there, like some really impressive scenery, but I won't go into detail. The biggest complaint i have is with the plotting and pacing after the initial escape. Once in Mexico, the film settles into a predictable pattern - ride, camp, attempted rape, Dean Martin saves the day - repeat. Still, the overall film is entertaining enough for me to rate a 7/10.

The word "Bandolero!" rolls off the tongue so nicely you would think the film would have a more upbeat feel to it, especially with that exclamation point as part of the title. However the word in Spanish means bandit, and as the film heads into the second half the action gets pretty grim. Dean Martin and Jimmy Stewart are unusually cast as brothers who meet up in the town of Val Verde, Texas. Stewart's character assumes the guise of a hangman called upon to dispatch outlaw Dee Bishop (Martin) and his renegade bunch after a botched bank holdup that left a prominent citizen dead, shot by Dee. I was hoping to see more of Jock Mahoney when I saw his name in the credits, but he was that unfortunate victim, leaving behind a Mexican bride. I had almost forgotten how gorgeous Raquel Welch was, but this film showcases her looks to maximum appeal, without resorting to various stages of undress. Although there is one time during a battle with Mexican bandits where her blouse is ripped from the back, but the scene is played out more for it's savagery than for titillation.George Kennedy provides a competent but heavily understated portrayal of July Johnson, the Val Verde sheriff who puts together a posse to track down the Bishop gang after they flee from the gallows with Mace Bishop's (Stewart) intervention. I thought it was a clever idea for Mace to provide the weapon, but if you think about it, someone would probably have noticed the exchange of the gun in real life, so the way that's handled is prominently done off screen. That actually surprised me somewhat, as I was wondering how the 'break' would occur, and suddenly there it was.The other thing I wondered about throughout the picture was how Raquel maintained her makeup and wardrobe while trekking through the desert with the bad guys. I know you're not supposed to think about those things with escapist entertainment, but the way current films go for reality, the difference is easily noticed. Never a hair or eyelash out of place, even in those extreme close ups.Probably the biggest surprise by the end of the picture is the idea that Dino and Raquel fall in love (remember, Dee Bishop killed her husband), but it took some prodding from big brother Mace to insist that he talk to her. So in the end, Dino gets the girl, but he dies!, leaving a bittersweet feel at the closing credits.

I saw this film in the theater in 1971 on a co-bill with ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES (Central-Passaic,NJ) Loved it then and think it still holds up. Raquel Welch's performance never thrilled me in this film and her entire role was either looped by another actress, or she went in and looped all her own dialoge in post-production (I suspect the latter).Dean Martin trades in his tux for a leather holster, and although he's not playing the most convincing outlaw in the world, I always loved the way he portrayed his role here as the "bad egg" brother of Jimmy Stewart who longs to meet a fine woman and turn his life around.The trouble here is that he falls for a prostitute peasant girl (Raquel Welch) Some guys have all the luck!James Stewart is superb as usual, as is the great character actor Will Geer (they played opposite one another in another western classic, WINCHESTER '73) I love the scene between them in the cave where Stewart says "apologize, Mr.Chaney or I'll blow your head off" (words to that effect) Jerry Goldsmith also provides his usual excellent score. A great 20th Century-Fox widescreen film made in the days just before the Zanucks left the studio and the film industry started taking a gradual but steady morality nose-dive.

This is what you might call a sprawling Western. It plays out a little too grandiose for the shallowness of the characters, but it is still a sprawling sort, with great scenery, costumes, and action.The plot is very formula, law abiding hard working older brother and carefree lawless younger brother, and much like Stewart's classic, "Night Passage", but without the magic. In fact, I call "Night Passage" the magic Western, with Stewart, Duryea, and Murphy all playing perfectly together. Kennedy equals Duryea in the legend category, and Martin is sort of a pretty boy as was Murphy, but Murphy had much more charisma. That may explain some of what is missing.But much of it is that the characters just aren't that likable. The circumstances become way too unbelievable, even for a sprawling Western. We often give literary license to an extent, but Bandolero clearly bypasses all credibility.So the film is basically played for the spectacle and for the bits of humor. It may be the "Pulp Fiction" of Westerns. There are funny little lines, when added to the spectacle and scenery, make it a touch better than the average Western. But don't expect a lot. It is just a fun ride, not to be taken seriously. From that perspective, it makes good entertainment.