Valdez is Coming
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Movie Reviews of Valdez is Coming
Movie Review: You can only push a man so far
Summary: 4 Stars
A restrained Burt Lancaster and a smart script by Elmore Leonard make VALDEZ IS COMING a pleasure, a throwback western in which the plucky hero fights impossible odds to do the right thing. Lancaster plays Bob Valdez, a Mexican constable who, through the evil machinations of Frank Tanner (Jon Cypher,) shoots an innocent man. That the man is black, Valdez Mexican, and Tanner white, rich, and casually bigoted is probably more central to Leonard's source novel than this movie. The killing occurs early on, and the meek and humble Valdez wants Tanner to contribute $100 to a relief fund for the murdered man's wife, who is, incidentally, an Apache. Tanner, of course, doesn't want to contribute a penny in aid to the bereft woman, but Valdez is meekly insistent. At least, his timidity holds until Tanner allows his thugs to have some rough fun with him, after which Valdez takes off the kid gloves and digs out the old calvary uniform and Sharps sniper rifle.
And although his instructions to the dying assassin to tell Tanner `Valdez is coming' doesn't strike fear into the bad guy's heart, it ought to. If Valdez isn't quite the `methodical machine of destruction' the on-disk trailer promises, he's pretty close. The meat of the movies involves an escalation of violence between Valdez and Tanner's gang over that $100. There's a chase, near capture, ambushes, and a satisfying surprising concluding showdown that earned the movie it's fourth star.
Lancaster ratchets down the voltage here, and, as usual when he's restrained, he's very effective. He was in another western in which he plays a Native American, `Apache,' from 1954. As in the earlier movie, Lancaster, for some reason, doesn't hide his powder blue eyes behind brown contact lenses. It's not terribly distracting, but it seems odd. Although he plays the part well, when he's in close-up I can't help noticing - and wondering about - the blue eyes. It's better for a movie if the audience doesn't pull itself away from the story to wonder about such things, and there must have been a good reason he decided to go blue. A minor quibble that doesn't really detract from a solid western.
Movie Review: A personal revenge that carries suspense, drive and grim realism...,
Summary: 4 Stars
Valdez is more a symbol of conscience!
Burt Lancaster--at that time 57 years old--in fact dominates the film by a mystic presence, rather than actually being on screen for any length of time...
The bulk of the film constitutes a battle of wits and guns between Valdez and an extremely stubborn leader of a band of trigger-happy gun-slingers...
So when Frank Tanner (John Cypher) provokes a shoot-out which results in the death of an innocent man, Valdez asks $100 compensation from Tanner to provide financial support for his pregnant widow... Tanner not only refuses, but humiliates Valdez and orders his hired gunmen to beat him hardly, to tie him to a cross, and to drive him out of his place...
Again Spain locations represented the American frontier for this revenge tale about an aging former cavalry man who dusts off his old uniform, straps on his old guns, takes plenty of ammunition, and erupt a one-man army against a greedy, rotten, evil rancher and his henchmen to enforce justice at any cost...
As the pursuers forge deeper into the wilderness, the situation shifts around with hunters becoming the hunted...
Susan Clark (Gay) sides with Valdez without falling in love with him, while Barton Heyman (playing the chief henchman "El Segundo") provides his character with warmth and quality at a pivotal time...
Movie Review: Valdez - An Interesting Hero
Summary: 4 Stars
I am old enough to had the pleasure of watching this movie on the big screen many, many years ago. It is as exciting today as it was then. Burt Lancaster performed excellent in his role as the elderly Bob Valdez, a local constable and former Army cavalry scout. Initially, Bob comes upon a large group of men firing upon a murder suspect. After the man's death, Bob determines the man was innocent and believes the right thing to do is to compensate the man's expectant widow. Bob later approaches some of the shooters and asks for their support. He is advised that if he can convince a local ruthless gun dealer to contribute, they will do the same. This gun dealer instigated the shooting of the innocent man and showed no remorse for doing so. Bob seeks him out and is violently turned away. The rest of the movie details his attempts to get the ruthless gun dealer to donate. In an attempt to confront him, Bob sneaks into his bedroom at night and attempts to force the man (at gunpoint) to pay the money. A gun fight errupts and Bob escapes with the mistress as hostage. The gun dealer retaliates against one of Bob's friends by threatening his family and burning down his house. Bob retreats into the neighboring mountains pursued by the rancher and his men. Eventually Bob is cornered, resulting in a one-on-one confrontation with the gun dealer.Movie Review: Tell Them Mediocrity Is Coming
Summary: 4 Stars
My problem with this movie is not the story. The story is great as always with a Leonard novel. The problem I have with this movie is the way in which it was filmed. Lancaster was one of those types who always wanted to show that America was not all that it was supposed to be. Thats just a fact, but in this case it works to make sure that this movie emphasizes the lack of heroism in the main character without maintaining the grit of the novel. What we end up with is a troubled man in an environment that does not highlight the fact that even though he is not a hero could still act in a good way. Instead, this movie presents a man who laments his choices and acts because he must. It is still a good western, just not up to what one would expect if they had read the novel first.Movie Review: A classic Western
Summary: 4 Stars
Burt lancaster is terrific in this story of good and evil. He seeks justice for the indian squaw whose husband he mistakenly kills because of the wealthy rancher's misidentifcation. When the wealthy rancher won't pay to help the squaw and tortures him, he returns to get the "one hundred dollars". I have always enjoyed watching this movie and how through his skills as an indian fighter he whittles down the desperados chasing him. Also a great ending!