Soleil rouge

Almost 30 years preceding the very popular Shanghai Noon's release came its direct ancestor, Terence Young's Red Sun, an only slightly, more serious in tone relation and for me, a more entertaining watch. Featuring an international talent-laden cast with a British director helming a spaghetti western in Spain, it's a heady mixture and by no means a great film (though John Huston apparently thought so), but in my opinion, a memorable one.

In a narrative very similar to the above-mentioned later Jackie Chan vehicle, Japanese Ambassador bodyguard Toshiro Mifune, enlists double-crossed desperado Charles Bronson's assistance, in retrieving an intended ambassadorial gift sword to the American President, that was stolen by Bronson's duplicitous partner (Alain Delon) during a train robbery.

There is no doubting the plot is rather elongated and somewhat contrived, but it allows plenty of opportunity for the Bronson and Mifune characters to amusingly interact with a surprising amount of comic side-play. It's really their movie and they both make the most of it, bonding of course in a diverting east meets west fashion. Delon has his moments too as an enjoyable bad guy and Ursula Andress who only makes her appearance when the movie is well into its second half, is only there for eye candy. (I'm trying to think, but hard - pressed to come up with one of her movies where she is not dubbed). Let it be said though, she always makes captivating eye candy.

There's laughs, action (both sword and gun play), a good set-piece climax at an abandoned mission and in its nearby corn-field, with a surprisingly touching and effective final couple of scenes. Really is there anyone who isn't really interested in seeing a Charles Bronson / Toshiro Mifune western/road movie? I'm sure Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson gave it plenty of attention.