Macho Callahan

This movie starts off really great, it shows Richard Kim...I mean, David Janssen in a Civil War Prisoner Camp. The conditions are horrid and he's in solitary confinement....anyway. I think they should have given Janssen more lines, he barely says a sentence throughout the movie. I watched this movie to see David Janssen in a different light other than the Fugitive. I don't know, I think his character could have been better developed. There is this really freaky scene where he rapes this girl then the day after, she falls for him. Yeah, right! The premise of his character is a really rough draft of Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven, I think. Not a bad movie if your a David Janssen fan, but it could have been better.

One of the darker examples within the American Western canon, MACHO stars David Janssen as a half White, half Mexican drifter gulled into enlisting with the Confederate States Army in 1863 by a con man (Lee J. Cobb) and subsequently sentenced for desertion to a year's solitary confinement in a Texas stockade. Ticketed for a substantial budget, the film lost some funding but endures as an example of a work influenced by Sergio Leone and other directors of "Spaghetti Westerns", most apposite in the opening scenes depicting an attempted widescale breakout from the wretched stockade by largely hapless prisoners. Shot in northern Mexico's Guadiana Valley, the work chronicles Macho's eventual escape and reunion with his former partner in crime Juan (Pedro Armendariz, Jr.), his killing of a Confederate officer, and the pursuit of the outlaw pair by those hoping to benefit from a cash reward tendered by the slain officer's widow (Jean Seberg). The lowered budget proves not to be a major burden, although there are some embarrassments, notably a poorly edited scene wherein a charging black bear is obviously a man in an ursine costume, but very fine contributions from Gerry Fisher behind the camera and Ted Marshall's production and set designing more than balance the scales. A lack of continuity results from confusing moments when motivation for actions seems to be lacking, but here also strong performances from most of the cast offset this to a large extent, and director Bernard Kowalski properly focusses upon the relationship between the characters portrayed by Janssen and Seberg. A self-consciously moody affair, MACHO profits from ambiguity of motive in the performances of Janssen, Seberg, Almendariz and Bo Hopkins, with the efforts of all involved combining to create what well may be an anti-feminist classic, and one largely devoid of symbolic trappings.

Released is 1970 and directed by Bernard L. Kowalski, "Macho Callahan" stars David Janssen in the title role as a man who rebels after being duped into enlisting into the Confederate Army and is therefore locked in a hellish POW camp on desertion charges. After getting out and reuniting with his old sidekick, Juan (Pedro Armendáriz Jr.), Callahan goes after the man responsible for his travails (Lee J. Cobb). An honor duel with a Confederate officer (David Carradine) leads to Callahan meeting the wife (Jean Seberg) and a gang of steadfast bounty hunters (James Booth, Bo Hopkins, etc.). Diane Ladd has a small part.

The first act in the Confederate camp is dirty and brutal, ringing with authenticity; this is the furthest thing from those old Westerns where everyone has bright, clean clothes and courteousness abounds. Callahan is a very hardened man after his harrowing prison sentence and thoroughly unwilling to allow a Confederate officer to dishonor him, particularly when Macho's fairly drunk. The opening score is very austere and inspiring in a somber way, but it later morphs into more pleasant aural reveries. This is a thoroughly adult Western, not to mention modern and therefore holds up well after all these decades.

Speaking of which, as dark and harsh as much of this obscure Western is, it's counterpoised by care and sensitivity. For instance, one character apologizes and is forgiven because the recipient discerns it's sincere. Or consider the two protagonists concern for a motherless cub.

One person sees through the others' gruffness to recognize essentially noble hearts that live by a code of honor, which is surprising considering one of them just went through hell on earth, and unjustly so. All this points to the "Stockholm Syndrome" NOT being at play in the story, as some claim. Watch the movie and see for yourself. See the commentary below for details.

The love and compassion that surface separates "Macho Callahan" from one-dimensional and juvenile Spag Westerns. As such, it's puzzling to hear Brian Garfield lambaste the film as "strictly for sadists" and "revolting." This same critic said "the story defies reason everywhere and is impenetrable," but this simply isn't true. The plot is simple and the characters' motivations are obvious. If you want to see a Western that defies reason watch the original "The Magnificent Seven" (see my review for details). Unfortunately, the ending leaves a bad taste in the mouth and I wish it went the route of "The Outlaw Josey Wales." Still, it's worth checking out if you like atypical realistic Westerns that are dark, brutal, ugly, warm and beautiful at the same time.

The film runs 98 minutes and was shot in Durango, Mexico. The script was written by Cliff Gould from Richard Carr's story.

GRADE: B

ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY ***SPOILER ALERT***

Generally speaking, Stockholm Syndrome occurs when a strong emotional link develops between captor and captive where the former intermittently abuses the other in one way or another, whether beatings, threats, intimidation or harassment. This is not what occurs in the movie: Alexandra hooks up with Callahan & Juan in order to kill Callahan (i.e. she's NOT a captive), and she almost succeeds when the opportunity presents itself. Thus Callahan fights back savagely to survive, BUT he mercifully doesn't kill her; and is clearly concerned about her recovery later.

After this violent episode, Alexandra gets to know Callahan & Juan and slowly discovers that they're not evil. They're basically goodhearted people with some rough edges. Macho saves her life at one point and even trusts her with a rifle. She's NOT a captive and is free to leave when she wants. Callahan even apologizes for what happened to her husband, and sincerely so, but implies that it was a matter of honor between the two men (and, really, it was the greedy bartender's fault). A mutual attraction blossoms into love before the movie's over, ending with the touching sequence during the standoff at the climax.

This is defiitely a pure western from the seventies: gloomy, disenchanted, and also an excellent vehicle for David Janssen. You have obviously the Spaghetti western influence but who cares? THE WILD BUNCH had it too. Bernie Kowalski gives here one of his best films for me, with also STILETTO made one year earlier. Most of today's audiences won't like this kind of film. Yes a pure product of the early seventies, enjoy or leave.

Dirty Western concerns about Macho Callahan (David Janssen) , he is a Confederate inmate in horrible concentration camp called Hooks during American Civil War , 1864 . Macho organizes a mutiny and gets the getaway . As Macho reunites with his old colleague and sets out to murder the person who was responsible for his being in the hard camp . After that , Callahan arrives a town , when in a discussion he murders a man (David Carradine) over a bottle of champagne , the man's wife (Jean Seberg) seeks vendetta . Meanwhile Macho accompanied by his partner (Pedro Armendariz Jr) looks for the man (Lee J. Cobb) who deceived him for killing . Later on , they are pursued by a posse (James Booth , Bo Hopkins and several others) .

This gritty Western produced by Joseph E. Levine contains thrills , action , violence and some blood and gore . The POWs breakout at the beginning result to be the best scenes , they're spectacular and impressively filmed . Offbeat point of view of West , but dialog and situations are bit believable and badly paced with some flaws and gaps . Good main cast as David Janssen plays a soldier hardened by his confinement and enjoyable Jean Seberg who is miscast as spouse seeking revenge against man killed his husband who turns out to be Callahan . As with many of his co-stars throughout his career, Jean Seberg enjoyed working with David Janssen , she said in her book that he had proved very fun company . Prestigious supporting cast though wasted , such as Lee J Cobb, David Carradine , James Booth , Bo Hopkins, and Richard Anderson as Confederate officer , among others . Furthermore, it appears very secondary Diane Ladd as a prostitute , Matt Clark as a Confederate torturer , Anne Revere , James Gammon and the Mexican Hugo Stiglitz . It packs atmospheric musical score by Patrick Williams and mediocre cinematography by Gerry Fisher , as it's really necessary an urgent remastering because of the copy is worn-out . Shot in Durango and the Mexican state of Morelos had a major power outage during the filming of this movie . The motion picture was middling directed by Bernard L. Kowalski . He's an usual director of numerous television episodes from the 60s until nowadays and occasionally filmmaker for cinema as ¨SSsss¨, ¨Stiletto¨ and his biggest hit ¨Krakatoa : East of Java¨. The picture is only for Jean Seberg fans . Rating : 4.5/10 , average.