Barquero

After a massacre in a nearby town, outlaw Warren Oates and his gang flee towards Mexico. But there's a river in their way and they can only cross by ferry barge. The problem is the barge is operated by tough cuss Lee Van Cleef, who takes his barge to the other side of the river to prevent the bad guys using it. What follows is a stand-off between the violent outlaws and Van Cleef, who finds himself the reluctant protector of the villagers across the river.

Unique, cynical western may not sound like much on paper but it's a treat. The cast is great. Lee Van Cleef's western résumé speaks for itself. If Steve McQueen is the King of Cool, it's only because Van Cleef turned down the title. Peckinpah favorite Warren Oates is completely crazy but undeniably fun to watch. He gets many of the film's best lines. Forrest Tucker is a hoot as Van Cleef's mountain man friend. Busty cigar-smoking Marie Gomez will no doubt make a few pulses race. Mariette Hartley and Kerwin Matthews are also enjoyable. The script is good and the action is exciting. It's an underrated gem; one of the better American westerns of the period.