Man from Del Rio

Anthony Quinn always made it look easy and that was one of his strengths as a actor, this movie would have been good with another leading man too, because the supporting actors were top notch, but Tony definitely pulled it up a peg or two!

That gunfight in the beginning was kind of funny though, surprised Dan Ritchie lived so long with that draw of his!

Ah, the good old days, when a slap in the face meant a man loved you. In Man from Del Rio, that's what it meant to Anthony Quinn and Katy Jurado. Believe me, the movie is much more than that, but that scene was pretty amusing.

Anthony Quinn stars a half-Mexican from the wrong side of the tracks who isn't really welcomed by the small town he wanders into-in other words, this is a typical Anthony Quinn role. It's a pretty mediocre 1950s western, which is a genre I don't really like, and if it weren't for Tony's good looks-and good performance-I probably would have turned it off. Thankfully he was good looking, and he did add nuances to his character that made him likable and easy to root for, despite slapping Katy Jurado, so I watched the whole movie.

Another actor could have rattled off his lines with no feeling, like much of the supporting cast, but Tony decided to give his character motivation and feelings. His main issue revolves around pride: he's ashamed that the town doesn't accept him and he wants to be able to hold his head up high. So, whenever he's challenged to a fight, he can't back down. I'm pretty sure it was Anthony Quinn who made those motivations clear. As you might expect from a movie taking place in the Old West, there are lots of shootouts, slugfests, barroom brawls, and lawless mobs. If you like that genre, you'll probably like this movie. I won't spoil anything, but Richard Carr's story grew to be pretty imaginative, and I ended up liking Man from Del Rio much more than I thought.

A Mexican gunfighter is hired as the sheriff of a town which the local saloon owner intends to turn into a haven for gunslingers and outlaws. A dark, brooding Western which makes no effort to make a hero of its lead character and features a gritty performance from Quinn who, although believed by many to be Greek was actually born in Chihuahua, Mexico. Peter Whitney, a great heavy of the 40s and 50s, impresses as the initially friendly bar owner who hopes to have Quinn on his side. Some powerful individual scenes, and a strong, often overlooked Western Noir

Man from Del Rio is directed by Harry Horner and written by Richard Carr. It stars Anthony Quinn, Katy Jurado, Peter Whitney, Douglas Fowley, John Larch, Whit Bissell, Douglas Spencer and Guinn Williams. Music is by Frederick Steiner and cinematography by Stanley Cortez.

Mexican David Robles (Quinn) has taught himself to be a gunfighter because he wants revenge on Dan Ritchy (Barry Atwater). Revenge he gets in the town of Mesa. It soon becomes apparent that Mesa has problems, the sheriff is weak willed and lawlessness is being orchestrated by Ed Bannister (Whitney). Seeing that Robles has something tough about him, the townsfolk urge him to become sheriff. But that doesn't mean they want anything to do with him socially…

I like your whiskey. But I'm not sure I like you.

Very tidy. The formula is standard, following along the lines of many a Western movie that featured a town tamer or stoic law man thrust into a life and death struggle for a town that doesn't deserve help. Man from Del Rio does not, however, lack for intelligence, offering up a bubbling under the surface racism strand that pits the lonely and uneducated Robles in a battle to be accepted.

Robles is by definition a Western anti-hero, he's coarse, unclean, drinks to excess and has no idea how to treat a woman. That his only skill is of being quick on the draw is something of a millstone around his neck, if that skill is taken away from him what has he got to offer then? This is something we will inevitably find out, but it's worth the wait to see how this characterisation turns out.

Quinn is hugely enjoyable, he almost always was when playing this sort of rough and ready character. Jurado is a little under used, her character under developed as well, while Whitney is sadly too weak as the villain. Star of the show is Bissell, playing the town drunk who becomes Robles only avenue for discourse, Bissell instills the character with pathos and humour and it's a joy to watch.

Horner and Cortez (The Magnificent Ambersons/The Night of the Hunter) shoot it in chiaroscuro to great effect, very much complimenting the air of alienation hovering over Robles. Horner also has a keen eye for an imposing scene and a good ear for humour, both evident here with a heart aching scene involving the hapless sheriff and with some of the barbs emitted from Quinn and Jurado.

Well worth seeking out by Western fans. 7/10

Man From Del Rio (1956) is one of a large number of well directed, nicely written and acted westerns from the 50s, a decade rich in quality westerns, from the small scale, epic and everything in-between. The film's director, Harry Horner, was an old Hollywood hand, used some odd camera angles and made the visual and spatial aspects of this modest production interesting, pleasing to look at, even as the film is itself low budget and in black and white.

Anthony Quinn is the Hispanic sheriff of a small western town where he is needed, due to his skill with handguns, but not liked or wanted due to his ethnic background. Even Katy Jurado's token Hispanic woman, playing somewhat against type, would rather Quinn would simply disappear. The supporting cast is outstanding for a film of this sort, with such familiar players as Whit Bissell and Douglas Fowley in roles in which each would seem be a better fit for the the other's.

It helps to be a western fan to enjoy this picture. This is not a movie for everyone. The story itself is by the numbers, but it works some nice variations on its familiar themes; and star Anthony Quinn is excellent in the lead. He was on the verge of major stardom when he appeared in the film, and on the basis of his performance it's easy to see why. The film was released the same year as Lust For Life, in which Quinn's supporting performance won him an Academy award. It's difficult for me to imagine two more different films for this actor to have appeared in during the same year.