cstotlar-1 This is the film I'd been waiting for and I wasn't disappointed at all. It's true that Burt Lancaster was the "star" (after all, it was his production) and Gary Cooper was pretty much there for show, but there were some wonderful supporting roles as well and the film had an undeniable verve. At this time in his career Robert Aldrich was making history, particularly with his influence on the "spaghetti westerns" that followed this one and "Kiss Me Deadly" which stopped Mike Hammer, Mickey Spillane and the whole crew dead in their tracks. "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" started a trend as well and is still by far the bunch of that lot. It's easy to see why this is considered a cult film.

ma-cortes Entertaining , moving and violent film set in Mexican Revolution in which a pair of two-fisted characters confront enemies in diverse sides . During the Mexican Rebellion of 1866 , an unsavory group of American adventurers are hired by the forces of Emperor Maximilian to escort a countess to Vera Cruz . Napoleon III, emperor of France , creates in Mexico a vassal state governed by Maximilian (George Mcready) of France . The French troops control the country and the fate of its inhabitants . There soon emerges a rebel leader , Benito Juarez, whose supporters took the name of "juaristas" . Two soldiers of fortune find themselves in different camps , as "Benjamin Trane" (Gary Cooper was 52 at the time of filming, although his character was only supposed to be a couple of years older than Burt's role) is the good guy and "Joe Erin" (Burt Lancaster) is the bad guy , both of whom along with their motley group (Ernest Borgnine , Jack Lambert , Jack Elam , Charles Bronson) decide serve the Emperor Maximilian . Meanwhile , Benjamin Trane falls in love for a beautiful Mexican rebel (Spanish Sara Montiel) . During a party celebrated by Marquis Henri de Labordere (Cesar Romero) they meet the Countess "Marie Duvarre" (Denise Darcel) , both gunmen must protect her from possible attacks of the revolutionaries . In fact , they are planning seize a stagecoach filled with valuable gold . The picture was partially based on historical events , as Maximilian was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico on 10 April 1864, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists who sought to revive the Mexican monarchy. Many foreign governments, including that of the United States, refused to recognize his administration. This helped to ensure the success of republican forces led by Benito Juárez, and Maximilian was captured and executed in 1867.Interesting as well as action-packed Western full of thrills, emotion , intrigue , shootouts and marvelous outdoors from Mexico . The two giants , Cooper and Lancaster , battle in the biggest spectacle of them all . Anthological performance by Burt Lancaster is fabulous , his character would influence profoundly in Spaghetti Western ; he steals every scene as the black-dressed , smiling gunfighter . As the roles are more cynical , selfish and unscrupulous than traditional western . In fact , this film is sometimes called the "first spaghetti western," due to its reputed influence on the Italian directors such as Sergio Leone who popularized the genre . The screenplay by Roland Kibbee and James R. Webb is pretty basic but holds your interest until the exciting climatic Shotdown . Rousing as well as emotive musical score by the classical Hugo Friedhofer . Gorgeous cinematography by Ernest Laszlo , being the first film to be made in the SuperScope process. Luxurious sets and spectacular production design and one of the first major Hollywood films to be made on location in Mexico . Film-making legislation in Mexico meant that a local director had to be involved in the production in some capacity, though he wasn't actually used ; however , the Mexican authorities were appalled at the way their citizens were depicted in the film so any subsequent Hollywood productions had to conform to some strict rules . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Robert Aldrich and produced by Burt Lancaster's own production company for $1.7 million, it went on to become a sizeable hit, grossing over $11 million. It was Robert Aldrich's personal favourite , he particularly enjoyed the fact that it had a hero and an anti-hero. Aldrich directed a considerable plethora of genres but almost all of his films contained a subversive undertone and violent scenes . He was an expert on warlike (Dirty Dozen , The Angry Hills , Attack , Ten seconds to hell) and Western (The Frisko kid , Ulzana's raid, Apache , Veracruz , The last sunset) . Raing : Above average , it's a must see and a standout in its genre .

MartinHafer FYI--This DVD has no captioning of any sort, so if you are hard of hearing you are out of luck.Aside from the unusual setting, the presence of two great stars and some good supporting actors to play tough guys, there isn't all that much about this film that makes it rise above the ordinary. Now I am not saying it's a bad film--just one that isn't exceptional despite the cast.During the US Civil War, the European powers took advantage of this by deposing President Juarez and installing Maximillian I (and last)--a pawn of the French and Austrians. Naturally, most of the Mexicans were less than overjoyed by the imposition of this leader and not surprisingly civil war broke out in Mexico and it lasted several years. This movie begins just after the US war ended--and American adventurers are heading to Mexico to offer their services to the highest bidder--which would be Maximillian. Burt Lancaster is the leader of a group of thugs and there's nothing admirable about any of them--they are scum. But, they are well-cast scum, as Ernest Borgnine, Jack Elam and Charles Bronson (here, billed with his real name 'Charlie Buchinski')! Another guy arrives and also offers his services to Maximillian (Gary Cooper) but he seems like a decent sort--and why he's in Mexico is perplexing. They are all hired to escort a lady and her caravan--but the lady is secondary--the gold hidden in her carriage is the real treasure. Naturally, the Americans figure this out and the rest of the film is a struggle over ownership of this shipment.This film has the usual assortment of gun battles, machismo and manliness. However, the film lacks personality as none of the characters have much depth. Lancaster mostly smiles with his teeth clenched, Cooper is nice...and bland and the film never seems all that interesting. Watchable for fans of these actors but otherwise pretty forgettable despite the unusual setting.

zardoz-13 "Apache" director Robert Aldrich's "Vera Cruz" is interesting not only as an incomparable example of a western—one that Sergio Leone claims inspired him—but also for the headaches that it created for both Mexican officials as well as Hollywood filmmakers who went south of the border searching for atmospheric locations. Unlike previous westerns, Aldrich and co-scenarists Roland Kibbee and James Webb, working from a Borden Chase story, made one of the earliest soldier-of-fortune oaters with heroes who display proficiency with firearms of any kind and can hit well-nigh impossible targets. Interestingly, Gary Cooper plays the sainted good guy hero, while leering Burt Lancaster portrays the lusty anti-hero. These two drifters form an uneasy alliance against both the Mexicans and the French. Unfortunately, the depiction of Mexicans was so racist that Hispanic audiences rioted in the theaters. Reportedly, some spectators tore their chairs out of the floor and hurled him contemptuously at the screen. Mexican officials changed their way of dealing with American filmmakers after the "Vera Cruz." A censor was assigned to films thereafter and they sought to stress the innate dignity and superiority of Mexicans over everybody else. "Vera Cruz" opens with the following written prologue: "As the American Civil War ended, another war was just beginning. The Mexican people were struggling to rid themselves of their foreign emperor—Maximilian. Into this fight rode a handful of Americans—ex-soldiers, adventurers, criminals—all bent on gain. They drifted South in small groups. And some came alone." Former Confederate colonel Ben Trane (Gary Cooper of "High Noon") enters Mexico, but his horse goes lame. He reins up at a cantina and admires two horses. The owner of one of the horses, Joe Erin (Burt Lancaster of "Brute Force"), walks outside about the time that Ben is appraising the horses. Joe sells him the other horse for $100 in gold. No sooner have they hit the trail than a column of mounted Austrian lancers pursues them. Ben displays his incomparable marksmanship at full gallop and shoots the gun out of a soldier's fist. Ben doesn't understand all this hostility until Joe informs him that the soldiers are chasing them because Ben is riding the commander's horse. The lancers dismount and fire a volley at Ben. He plunges his horse before the bullets strike him. Erroneously, Joe believes Ben is kaput and loots his horse. When Ben tries to loot the old colonel, the wily Southerner surprises him with a six-gun in the stomach. Ben appropriates Joe's horse and leaves him afoot. Not long afterward, they encounter each other again in the same Mexican town, and Joe convinces Ben to join them to fight in the revolution. Ben explains, "I lost everything but my shirt in the civil war." Together, they ride with Joe's men to a rendezvous with the Emperor Maximillian's envoy, Marquis Henri de Labordere (Caesar Romero of "The Cisco Kid and the Lady"), and everybody gets a surprise when a revolutionary Juarista general, Ramirez (Morris Ankrum of "The Saracen Blade), arrives to make his own offer. Ramirez orders his soldiers to show themselves, and the walls surrounding the area where Ben, Joe, and the others are bristle with armed Mexican natives. This showdown scene is a lot like the finale in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." Joe exploits the moment when Ben spots a group of children. Ben suggests they get the children to safety, and Joe orders Donnegan (Ernst Borgnine of "The Dirty Dozen") and Pittsburgh (Charles Bronson of "The Magnificent Seven") to get the kids into the church. Joe uses the welfare of the children to compel Ramirez and his army to withdraw. Labordere tells Ben and Joe they can ride with them to Mexico City to discuss terms with the Emperor.In Mexico City, Ben and Joe show off their skills with both rifles and six-gun. The imperialist Emperor Maximillian (George Macready of "Coroner Creek) and Labordere enlist them to act as an escort for Countess Marie Duvarre (Denise Darcel of "Tarzan and the Slave Girl") for her trip to Vera Cruz. Maximillian and Labordere have no intention of paying them. During the journey on the first day, Ben and Joe both notice the deep wheel ruts that the carriage hauling the countess makes at a river crossing. Later, after they have put up for the evening, Ben and Joe discover a concealed compartment in the floor of the coach that yields a small fortune in gold. "Each of one of those six boxes contains a half-million dollars in gold," Countess Duvarre informs them after she finds them in the stable with the wagon. She explains that the gold will be used to hire mercenaries. It is important to notice that the anti-heroic Lancaster hero has changed out of his black shirt into a white shirt when they embark on escort duty. Symbolically, this means that Joe is showing a little goodness. Later, when he betrays Ben, and they shoot it out with predictable results, Joe is dressed in solid black from head to toe. Anyway, the three of them plot to steal the gold and share it. Meanwhile, the Juaristas are shadowing their every move. Eventually, a pretty Juarista, Nina (Sara Montiel of "Run of the Arrow"), makes friends with Ben. Ben decides that he must switch sides and convinces Joe to make the change.Lancaster's own company, Hecht-Lancaster Productions, produced "Vera Cruz" on a $1.7 million budget. Despite uniformly negative reviews, "Vera Cruz" coined more than $11 million worldwide. The amorality of the characters, especially Lancaster's lascivious villain, along with the surfeit of violence, makes this abrasive western a prototype for Spaghetti westerns. It is amazing that some of the violence survived the Production Code Administration censors, particularly when Joe kills a helpless lancer with his own lance. Cooper and a charismatic Lancaster make a strong pair of heroes who cannot trust each other. Aldrich directed flawlessly, and this lively 94-minute, Technicolor western never wastes a second.