pdawgpro-757-144194 John Saxon and Anjannete Comer cast as Mexicans was as awful as Marlon Brando or Mickey Rooney cast as Asians.Brando's heart simply wasn't in this film and it showed, especially in the scene when his horse is stolen and he drunkenly tries to shoot a rifle. More Buster Keaton than Brando. The single purpose of Brando's adopted Mexican family seems to be yelling, "Matteo, Matteo!" in turn by each of them whenever Brando shows up.It seemed that this film was written as it was shot, considering the actions of Frank Silvera in the confrontation at his home, among others. Also, Brando putting his prized horse in harm's way, then lassoing his gun and accurately shooting a great distance into the pines??? Oh well, it's still Brando, and worth watching.

grantss A Marlon Brando western. Not the best use of Brando's considerable talents. Plot is so-so: not really original nor profound. Direction is OK. Brando gives a solid performance. You wouldn't think that western's would be his ideal type of move, but he gives a very convincing performance. Supporting performances are less satisfactory, varying from OK to cringeworthy.Overall, an average western, and really only worth watching for the presence of the great Marlon Brando.

Matthew_Capitano Matteo (Marlon Brando) saunters into town to live with his family if he can get past the cantina where Chuy (John Saxon) hangs out.Marlon must go back into town to retrieve his stolen appaloosa horse, which we don't get to see enough of. Things get rolling once he has finished slapping Rafael Campos in the face a half-dozen times. Anjanette Comer is the pretty girl who director Sid Furie gave virtually nothing to do, except to film her from a distance while she sucks on lime wedges and waits for the next take. Anyway, she's nice to look at.It's cool to note that John Saxon apparently was not in the least phased by Brando's eminence. Saxon is, in fact, much better than Brando in this film. Saxon does not back off or hesitate while he concomitantly restrains himself from over-acting in any way resulting in perhaps the best performance of his career.Interesting western.

Spikeopath The Appaloosa (AKA: Southwest to Sonora) is directed by Sidney J. Furie and adapted by James Bridges and Roland Kibbee from Robert MacLeod's novel. It stars Marlon Brando, Anjanette Comer, John Saxon, Emilio Fernández and Miriam Colon. Music is by Frank Skinner and cinematography by Russell Metty.Plot finds Brando as Matt Fletcher, a Mexican-American buffalo hunter who returns to his home town of Ojo Prieto seeking to start a cleaner life. But when he is accused of a crime he didn't commit, he is harassed and humiliated by bandit general Chuy Medina (Saxon) who steals his horse - the appaloosa of the title - this puts in motions the wheels of revenge as he sets about recovering his beloved horse and lost pride.Few things are as divisive when talk turns to Marlon Brando as that involving his Western output. One person will often stand up to announce One Eyed Jacks as being near genius, the next guy will call it a garbled mess. The Missouri Breaks receives much scorn, but some, myself included, actually like the quirky nature of it. The Appaloosa is not a great film, interesting for sure, with the odd fleeting moment of inspiration, but otherwise it's a dull affair.Brando is actually darn great in it, Matt Fletcher calls for a brooding, almost morose like, portrayal, so who better than Marlon? Saddle him up with a vengeance driven motive and bingo! You got Brando lifting the picture to at least watchable heights. But Furie seems to think he is Orson Welles, and you sense that Brando thinks the director is as well. Up close and personal camera work and angled shots are clearly meant to infuse picture with sweaty claustrophobia and psychological smarts, but they just come off as being in the wrong film since story just isn't that interesting to begin with and many scenes just taper off into nothing.Metty's Technicolor photography is most appealing at what looks to me like Durango, Mexico, further adding irritants that the picture as a whole is not better. Rest of the cast are fine, with the Latino actors holding their own with their parts of an uninspiring script and Saxon turns in a good one as a bandido bastard. An arm wrestling scene over a scorpion is genuine class, and tension driven, while the snow capped final shoot-out is not without merit. But ultimately the highlights are rare and not even a brooding Brando can make this a safe recommendation to Western fans.Character's motivations and inspiration is strong. Film, however, is not. 5/10