Vera Cruz
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Movie Reviews of Vera Cruz
Movie Review: Vera Cruz
Summary: 5 Stars
This is probably the best adventure movie that has ever been made.Burt Lancaster & Gary Cooper-could not get any better.David Burns.Movie Review: Major Influence on the Western Genre
Summary: 4 Stars
"Vera Cruz" is a sprawling, cynical, and sadistic western; set and filmed in Mexico; and full of confused political messages and moral ambiguity. If that sounds like "The Wild Bunch", it should, because 1954's "Vera Cruz" was in effect a dry run for that 1970 film, which itself was ahead of its time. But a cynical western in 1954 should not be that surprising given the film noir influences of the era. Although in color and with spectacular scenic views-including the actual Halls of Montezuma-"Vera Cruz" still manages a film noir feel as Jo Erin (Burt Lancaster) and Ben Trane (Gary Cooper) pack a ton of double-crosses into the film and Jo Erin exhibits a psychotic joy for killing. It's a wonder that director Robert Aldrich was allowed to keep so much of this material in the final cut.
The film takes place shortly after the end of the civil war as Ben Trane, former confederate officer, has nothing better to do than travel to Mexico hoping to find action in the conflict between the French puppet Maximillian (George Macready) and the Mexican revolutionaries who oppose him. Trane joins up with a gang led by Jo Erin and after impressing the French occupiers they hire on to escort Countess Marie Duvarre (Denise Darcel) to the port of Vera Cruz. Leading her escort is the grinning Marquis de Labordere (Cesar Romero). But there is a lot of duplicity within this mixed caravan and it takes a while for everything to get sorted out. Romantically Erin hooks up with the Countess while Trane goes after Nina, a sexy spy played by Mexican superstar Sarita Montiel. The acting by the two ladies is unimpressive (Montiel is more of a singer and comedienne) and the pairing of the two leads is an idea that must have looked good on paper but failed to produce much on execution.
Lancaster's best stuff is when his intensity stays just slightly below the surface as in "From Here to Eternity", "The Swimmer" and "The Unforgiven"; or when his character is acting within a film like "Elmer Gantry". He is not the sort of actor who can effectively do the subtle self- parody required to make outlaw Joe Erin believable.
Plus Aldrich's decision to cast Gary Cooper as Lancaster's partner, in what is essentially the first "buddy" picture, also works to Lancaster's disadvantage. Superficially Cooper seems a good choice to play a conflicted character like Ben Trane, his strength is the realistic underplaying of his characters, which is effective in many of his films because the audience reads a lot of deep reflection and conflict into the restrained performances. But this underplaying style is never an asset to his co-stars and Lancaster desperately needs emotive reaction shots from him to sell Joe Erin's behavior. The Lancaster-Cooper styles are in conflict in "Vera Cruz", instead of producing a hoped-for synergy they cancel each other out.
Romero is excellent and while Ralph Meeker is not in the supporting cast it does feature "Kiss Me Deadly" goons Jack Elam and Jack Lambert, plus very early performances from Ernest Borgnine and Charles Bronson.
This was Robert Aldrich's first big-budget movie and is one of history's most influential. Not just paving the way for the Italian Spaghetti Westerns of the late 1960's but also starting the tradition of shooting first unit scenes in Mexico (insert "The Magnificent Seven" here). Like "High Noon", "Vera Cruz" was an amazingly subversive film, especially coming out during the Red Scare years and during some of America's boldest banana republic meddling. Cooper's image took a beating as the American adventurers hold children hostage and act like WWII film depictions of Japanese soldiers in the Philippines. The French occupiers are even worse. Trane's ultimate redemption is hard to buy into and therefore this concession does not defeat Aldrich's goal of exposing the hollowness of traditional heroism. Any 1954 viewers likely to be offended by this message would probably have have failed to recognize it. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
Movie Review: Cooper and Lancaster sporting a disarming but treacherous grin throughout...
Summary: 4 Stars
The middle fifties saw the production of an astonishing variety of Westerns of high quality... Robert Aldrich followed "Apache" in 1954 with a cheerful, action-packed adventure called "Vera Cruz," which starred Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster sporting a disarming but treacherous grin throughout... Its chief highlight is a display of sharp-shooting in which Cooper and Lancaster demonstrate the effectiveness of the rifles they are trying to sell to the Emperor Maximilian (George Macready) by snuffing out the torch flames ranged round the palace balustrade...
"Vera Cruz" opens during the Mexican revolution in 1866 where two American adventurers decide to join forces and fight for whichever side pay them the most... The saucy Sarita Montiel, who has fallen for Cooper, implores them to fight for the rebels, while Cesar Romero, an aid to the Emperor Maximilian, asks them to fight on his side...
At a ball in the sumptuous Chapultepec Palace, the pair meets the vivacious Denise Darcel who appears as a colorful but doublecrossing French Countess, and soon agrees to escort her on the hazardous journey to Vera Cruz... Later, she informs them that she is actually transporting a gold shipment to the Emperor's forces... Shortly after, she offers to steal the gold and split it with them...
In spite of the strong presence of Gary Cooper who lines up on the side of the Juaristas, Burt Lancaster steals the show as the smiling, black-dressed American adventurer, unable to forget Mexico's shining gold...
"Vera Cruz", with excellent supporting cast, is filmed on location in Mexico... Cooper and Lancaster well know that when one outdraws and shoots the other, one is the "quick" and the other, the "dead." Ernest Laszlo photography, in SuperScope and Technicolor, captures well the Mexican scenery with glorious shots of Mexico City's famous Chapultepec Castle, and the pyramids of Teotihuacan...
Sarita Montiel whose sensuality draws lustful aggression from Bronson's peripheral tough-guy, Pittsburgh, flourished more beauty to this exciting Western...
Movie Review: Vera Cruz
Summary: 4 Stars
A great western starring the great Gary Cooper & the versatile Burt Lancaster that takes place during the revolution of 1866. The film also has Denise Darcel as the female lead & Cesar Romero as a wealthy Marquis on the side of Maximilian. Robert Aldrich was the director & this is one of his better efforts.
Benjamin Trane (Gary Cooper) & Joe Erin (Burt Lancaster) are two mercenaries on the way to Mexico to participate in the revolution albeit for different reasons but mostly for profit. Trane is the more altruistic while Erin is outright mercanary. The two team up to fight for the highest bidder, this is after Erin has stolen Trane's horse. Trane & Erin agree to escort Countess Marie Duvarre (Denise Darcel). What Trane & Erin don't realize is the Countess has a large gold shipment she is trying to get to Maximilian's army at Vera Cruz. She makes an offer to split it with them but they, instead, steal it for themselves. In the end Trane & Erin have an eventual showdown gunfight.
Vera Cruz is a very enjoyable movie that has two dynamic male leads, one at the end of his career, the other entering his prime. It's fun to see Lancaster play the heavy but he's so likable one almost hates to see his demise. The film also has Ernest Borgnine & Charles Buchinsky (Bronson). The only special feature is the movie trailer; this edition is widescreen.
Movie Review: Good Western set in Mexico
Summary: 4 Stars
I recently received Vera Cruz from my netflix cue. Spent part of my afternoon watching it, and thought it was well worth the time. The movie includes strong leads (Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster), an interesting story, engaging dialog and plenty of action. I particularly liked the end sequence with the battle scene. Plenty of other reviewers cover the general plot and details, so no need for them to repeat them here. The overall quality of the filming is not great which is a shame given that the entire film was shot in Mexico and includes several historical sites.
If you enjoy Westerns then you will likely like this one - especially if you like ones with twisting plots. In Vera Cruz it is somewhat hard to tell who is the good guy, until the end.