El Condor (1970)

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.

Two men, a two-fisted Jim Brown as escaped prisoner and an humorous Lee Van Cleef as ambitious drifter, join forces to rob a lot of gold located into an impressive Mexican fortress (commanded by Patrick O'Neal) where is supposedly hidden the treasure. They're accompanied by an Indian tribe (led by Iron Eyes Cody, usual in Indian roles but he's Italian origin).It packs shootouts, action western, tongue in cheek, thrills, violence and some of nudism in charge of a gorgeous Marianna Hill . This American-Spanish co-production paints an ironic, cynic portrayal of two rough bandits , following their exploits about an attack over an heavily armed fortress . The film results to be another action/adventure /humor Western that during the 60s and early 70s were ordinarily shot . Likable support cast by prestigious actors as Elisha Cook Jr and full of secondaries from Spaghetti Western as Dan Van Husen, Ricardo Palacios, Angel Del Pozo, Charly Bravo, Rafael Albaicin, among others . The film is well shot in Texas Hollywood-Fort Bravo, Almeria, Spain with a breathtaking production design by Julio Molina who made the great fortress , one of the best ever created and where were posteriorly filmed several Spaghetti as ¨ Blind man, Massacre at Fort Holman, A man called Noon¨ and ¨Conan the Barbarian¨. Nevertheless, today the fort has been partially crumbled and only remain some ruins . Atmospheric and lively musical score by the classic Maurice Jarre (Zivago, Lawrence of Arab ). Evocative and colorful cinematography by Henry Persin . The motion picture is lavishly produced by Andre De Toth ( who directed good Western) and professionally directed by John Guillermin, a super-productions expert ( King Kong, The towering inferno, Skyjacked) and warlike specialist(The bridge of Remagen, Blue Max) . Rating : Acceptable and passable. The picture will appeal to S.W. buffs and Lee Van Cleef fans.

Saw this 36 years ago on Times Square in NYC. Got a tolerably Good VHS of it on Amazon.com for about $5.It was directed by John Guillermin, and stars Lee Van Cleef, Jim Brown, Patrick O'Neal, Marianna Hill, Iron Eyes Cody, Elisha Cook Jr., and Dan Van Husen. It was made around the Blaxplotation Era, its not great but its not bad as far as an action flick goes. The score by Jaffe is nothing to get worked up about, Its supposed to take place at the end Maxamilian's Mexico reign (1867) , but all the Colts are vintage 1873 Peacemakers, so any historical reality is lost with this film at the git go. Check your brains at the door.Its highlight for me (and the reason for any Lee Van Cleef fan to get this film) is Van Cleef's turn as a character named Jaroo.Jaroo is as far from Van Cleef's Mortimer as you can probably go. Here he plays a somewhat shallow, alcoholic, happy go lucky Indian Trader, an Apachero so to speak, who has lived on and off with the Apaches. He's a dusty, scrawny looking saddle bum, his trademark hawk like face in this film is transformed more into a beady-eyed weasel. He wears a two bear claw necklace around his neck and a small poke that holds two gold nuggets. We first meet him as he guzzling down some whiskey in a bar.But this is more a vehicle for Brown, and we meet him first at a prison camp, he plays a character named Luke & he is shackled to Elisa Cook Jr. Cook tells him about El Condor fort sort of the Ft. Knox of Mexico. Luke is summoned to the commandants office and offered a pardon if he would join up with General Sherman. But he escapes and heads for the gold of El Condor. Brown is average in this too.Luke teams up with Jaroo since Jaroo can get Apache Chief Santana and an army of Apache Warriors to attack the fort for plunder rather than the gold and then Luke & Jaroo can split the Mexican Treasury.Patrick O'Neal is the Mexican General in command of El Condor and knockout Marianna Hill his mistress. O'Neal is OK in the role and Hill does a full frontal striptease at a crucial plot point, wow. She's got quite the rack , and all of us Clint fans will recognize her from her role of town tramp Calle Travers from High Plains Drifter.Now I know why we never see this film on TV, lots of bare flesh throughout.There is a great sequence in a Mexican town where Jaroo has a scene with a small Mexican boy that is pretty touching. Later there is another good sequence when Jaroo gets "gold fever".Shot in Almeria. Just treat this more as mindless entertainment, with a very good performance by Van Cleef. It could have been way better than it is but it was made to just cash in on the SW craze.Its better than I remembered.

I enjoyed this film which I saw on television, but I did see it originally at the cinema long before IMDB or its directors were in existence.Vintage Lee Van Cleef and Jim Browm acted out their parts well. I always like these type of Westerns, they never date, but then I grew up on them. The stories always have the same theme but, coupled to the acting and stunning western scenery, they always capture me. Having been fortunate enough to visit the scenery in the US in Arizona, New Mexico and California, the films give me added pleasure. Hope they go on remaking them so as to benefit from the new technology