Leofwine_draca 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.

wb-11 The western genre is regarded by many (or is it just me?!) as having hit rock-bottom (well, almost) in the 1970s, before almost dying out in the 80s and 90s (ok, ok, dances with wolves, heaven's gate, there have been major westerns since...don't get me wrong). This is a prime example. Star of many terrible spaghetti westerns (and a few good ones) Lee Van Cleef features in this one as a drunken slob of a bandit called Jaroo. He overacts enormously (of course) and is hardly a likeable character, soupy scene with Mexican kid notwithstanding!!!Jim Brown plays Luke, an escaped convict who teams up with him to steal the fabulous treasure of El Condor. Oh, and they also hook up with a bunch of Indians led by a chief called Santana- I wonder if he could play guitar? :-) Anyway, there's also the invevitable cruel Mexican general, a heavily guarded fort, lots of explosions and blood...and some woman who's the girlfriend of the general. The stripping scene was atrocious! Spoiling the climax of the film. Mad!Music by Maurice Jarre is alright. That's about it. And the problem is, it's not even bad enough to be funny!

whynotwriteme Extremely enjoyable western adventure in the classic style of the late 60s and early 70s. The plot concerns a pair of rogue adventurers who team up with a tribe of Apache Indians to steal a fortune in gold from a huge fortress in Mexico during the mid 1860s. The heroes are extremely well portrayed, with Jim Brown as Luke, in a pioneering performance for African American actors in the early 70s; a non racially specific heroic role. Brown displays the cool confidence he showed in 'The Dirty Dozen' and '100 Rifles', showing once again that he was one of the most underrated action heroes of the 60s and 70s. Lee Van Cleef is also superb. Going against his usual casting as a polished, cool villain, Van Cleef plays a scruffy ne'r-do-well named Jaroo, who is first seen spitting whiskey into the camera. In spite of Jaroo's greed and unsavory habits, he is still a very sympathetic character. Just watch the great scene where he gives a Mexican boy one of his prized gold nuggets. Other characters of note are Iron Eyes Cody as Santana, the Apache Chief, and Patrick O'Neal as Chavez, the cruel yet honorable commandanté of the Fortress of El Condor. Mariana Hill is stunning (and totally naked at one point!) as the mistress of Chavez, a fickle beauty with the power to make men or break them. The battles are truly epic in scope, particularily the scenes of the final assault on El Condor, with hundreds of Mexican soldiers and Apaches clashing in the courtyard of the immense fortress. The music by Maurice Jarré is wonderful. One of his best scores, along with 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'The Professionals'. No one can say that 'El Condor' is a message movie, or socially relevant or challenging, but if you want an action packed western with larger than life heroes and villains, beautiful women and impossible odds, El Condor is the film for you! I have watched this film literally dozens of times since first sneaking into the living-room to catch it on the late show as a kid in 1979, and I never ever tire of it. I watch this film more often that 'The Wild Bunch', 'The Magnificent Seven' or 'The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly'! Buy a copy RIGHT AWAY!

vad-2 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