Rio Conchos

"Rio Conchos" is a tough, fast-paced, action-packed western, with good performances by all concerned. If the story--Union soldiers go undercover to find the men who are supplying guns to renegade Indians and outlaws and come across a Confederate plot to carve out territory in the West--seems familiar, that's because it's a variation of John Wayne's "The Commancheros" of a few years earlier, and it's almost as good, and in some ways better. Richard Boone gives a very flavorful performance as the tough major in charge of the operation, in conflict with subordinate Stuart Whitman. Jim Brown, in his film debut, is a bit stiff, but otherwise acquits himself quite well. Anthony Franciosa, playing a Mexican outlaw paroled to accompany them on the mission, doesn't quite pull the characterization off, but handles the action scenes very well. Director Gordon Douglas, an old pro at this kind of picture, keeps things going at breakneck speed, with exciting action scenes and good byplay between the characters. This is one of the best-made action westerns of the '60s, with good plot twists, and is consistently interesting all the way through. Highly recommended for western fans.

The western was still a going commercial concern when Gordon Douglas made this decent example of the genre in 1964. Within a few years, of course, Peckinpah, Leonne and latterly Clint Eastwood amongst others would completely overturn the genre, giving new meaning to the term 'revisionist'. Douglas was no auteur but a good jobbing director, professional enough to tell a good yarn. There is nothing terribly original about this yarn, (it's really a rehash of "The Commancheros"), as potential enemies Richard Boone, Stuart Whitman, Tony Franciosa and Jim Borwn join forces to find a shipment of rifles stolen by the Indians. There is plenty of sage-brush and desert in the action sequences providing the requisite pleasures we associate with a good horse-opera, even if this one turns surprisingly cynical and bitter. There is a scenery-chewing supporting turn from Edmond O'Brien and Tony Franciosa enjoys himself as a Mexican Lothario whose way with a knife comes in very handy. And Jerry Goldsmith's score is first-rate.

Two years after the Civil War, an unlikely team of four men go on a mission to find a missing cache of Federal rifles; the trail leads to a private army of ex-Rebels and Apaches, as well as a surreal antebellum mansion built in the middle of the desert along the Rio Conchos River in Mexico. The scouting unit consists of an alcoholic ex-Confederate major and Indian-hater (Richard Boone), a gallant but formidable Army captain (Stuart Whitman), a Buffalo Soldier sergeant (Jim Brown), a likable Mexican cutthroat (Tony Franciosa) and, later, an Apache woman (Wende Wagner). The private army is led by a cracked, bitter ex-Rebel general (Edmond O'Brien).

This 1964 Western has uncomfortable similarities to John Wayne's "The Comancheros" (1961), which also co-starred Whitman. "Rio Conchos" is about on par, but I give the edge to "The Comancheros." Anyway, this was the theatrical debut of Jim Brown, who gave up his football career at its peak to try his hand at acting. He would return to the Western genre with the similar "100 Rifles" five years later.

While not ranking with the best 60's Westerns (e.g. "One-Eyed Jacks," "Ride the High Country," "Hombre," "Nevada Smith," "Bandolero!" and "True Grit"), "Rio Conchos" is a brutal, energetic and colorful Western. It's not far behind "Duel at Diablo," "El Dorado" and "Shalako." I'd put it on par with "The Sons of Katie Elder," "The War Wagon" and "The Undefeated."

The film runs 1 hour, 47 minutes and was shot in Arizona and Utah. The effective and timeless score is by Jerry Goldsmith.

GRADE: B

Rio Conchos is a story about two men who won't let go and keep seeking vengeance. Richard Boone is a former Confederate soldier who came home to find his family massacred and is wreaking a terrible vengeance on the Indians. Kind of like Ethan Edwards would in The Searchers if left to his own devices.

The other man is Edmond O'Brien, Boone's former commanding officer, who is seeking vengeance for the lost Confederate cause and the way it went down in Generals Grant and Sherman's war of attrition. He's hijacked a group of repeating Spencer rifles and is about to trade them to Chief Rudolfo Acosta of the Apaches.

When Boone is found with one of the repeaters by the army, he's tossed in the guardhouse and then given a choice of staying there or leading Captain Stuart Whitman to the weapons. After thinking it over somewhat Boone agrees.

So an unlikely quartet of Whitman, Boone, Jim Brown, and Anthony Franciosa set out. This group has little regard for each other and that does impede the teamwork involved to successfully pull off the mission of either get the weapons back or destroy them.

This was the feature film debut of Cleveland Browns halfback Jim Brown who went on to a pretty successful acting career after his days on the gridiron were through. OF course Tony Franciosa as their Mexican guide/interpreter is as usual the best one in the film. Talk about someone no better than he ought to be.

Rio Conchos has enough action to satisfy the biggest western fans around. The ending, shall we say the conclusion of the film and the mission leave an uncertain future for the survivors of the last battle.

I was kinda expecting a black hats/white hats movie but that's not what this is. The heroes are pretty rotten men themselves. Richard Boone, Stuart Whitman, Jim Brown, and Anthony Franciosa play four rather ruthless characters trying to track down the man selling guns to the apache. Boone in particular is outstanding as the Indian hater who just murders apache on sight! Franciosa is a smiling Mexican who can't be trusted for a second. Whitman and Brown are not quite as bad but they certainly aren't likable either. One of the real attractions in this movie is Wende Wagner who plays this sexy Indian girl. Not an important character and she never speaks a word of English, but you can't take your eyes off her.