Ride, Vaquero!

While Western is not my favourite genre, it is a genre much appreciated by me and there are quite a number of classics in it. A big reason for seeing 'Ride Vaquero!' to me was the cast, most playing in very atypical roles apart from perhaps Anthony Quinn. Howard Keel's role being especially against type, being a rare non-singing role (have always loved his voice on a brief side note) and it sounded interesting as to whether Robert Taylor would fare well, did have my doubts, in one of his darkest roles.

'Ride Vaquero!' had a lot of well done elements and a lot to recommend. It is worth watching for any fans of Westerns and ones not very well known, also worth watching if you want to see something different from those starring John Wayne and those directed by John Ford and Howard Hawks for example. 'Ride Vaquero!' for me is not really a must recommend and is more a mild recommendation and a little above mixed bag level out of curiosity.

There are a lot of good things here, good things so more than good that it seems unfair and not plausible to rate the film below mixed bag level. A good starting point would be Robert Sutee's cinematography, which is pretty gorgeous. Sweeping and atmospheric. Another big plus is Bonislau Kaper's (another main interest point, have always liked him a lot as a composer) music score, that adds a lot to the atmosphere and rouses and moves in distinctive Kaper style.

On the whole, the cast were pretty good. Quinn comes off best, the role suits him really well (had no doubt that it would though) and he is deliciously unhinged. Keel is very charismatic and has a good deal of intensity. Ava Gardner is as lovely as ever. John Farrow's direction is accomplished enough and is above the material, he does direct the more action-oriented scenes thrillingly. Especially at the end.

However, 'Ride Vaquero' could have been better. Its main problem is the script, which came over as bland and underdeveloped and the dialogue could be stilted. The story was at times routine and could have done with more tension and tautness, some parts don't make much sense either or suspend disbelief (others have cited the biggest culprits).

Character motivations could have been a lot less vague, as you are left in the dark as to how some characters come to what they do and why they did it and it doesn't ring true as a result. Am not sure whether this is going to be a popular opinion, but Taylor didn't work for me in his role. Personally found him too sullen and stiff, and the role required a lot more dark intensity and charisma than what Taylor gave.

In summation, worth a look but only as a mild recommendation. 6/10

Before I saw this movie, I had not heard of the director John Farrow. After some research I found that he was the father of Mia Farrow. I also found that he had good writing skills. This is apparent after you view this film closely. The lead characters are Rio (Robert Taylor) and Esqueda (Anthony Quinn) who turn out to be each others alter ego--one man slaps a woman who kisses him and the other kisses a woman before she slaps him.

It's an unusual western because there is no hero--only a handsome troubled anti-hero. It is an unusual western in that Mexicans are not always painted as bad or stupid--it presents them as human beings. Even the 'bad' Esqueda has reverence for God's blessings. This probably is a result of Farrow's Catholicism as it is in the case when the priest gives the final blessings to the dead anti-hero (whose body is not shown, for some strange reason). An unusual way to end a film.

Evidently Farrow espoused family values--the couple's marriage is strengthened and Rio says his adopted mother would not have approved of her son Esqueda's actions. The family bonds between Rio and Esqueda are the cornerstones of the script, with doses of Catholicism and social comments thrown in. Something tells me the film we see today is not what the director intended to show--perhaps the studios had their say. The loose editing makes one wonder what was going on.

As far as performances, I think this is one of Quinn's finest unsung performances. Taylor is handsome and plays the dark anti-hero well--predictably dressed in dark colors. Ava Gardner's role is supposed to be heroic--dressed in white--but is it so simplistic to dismiss it as such. Is it a coincidence that she behaves differently when she wears pink?

It is a strange and a fascinating trio--Taylor, Quinn and Gardner. Farrow had, in my view, a great chance to make a memorable film but somehow fumbled.

I've always felt that Ride Vaquero was one of the weakest of Robert Taylor's westerns. In playing Rio, Taylor certainly essayed one of the darkest characters he ever brought to the screen.

It's the end of the Civil War and bandit Anthony Quinn has certainly had his run of things in the area. But the Yankee army will be occupying Texas shortly. Common sense would dictate that Quinn realize the jig is up that he'd better move on. At least his foster brother Taylor thinks so, but Quinn is drunk with power and he ain't going nowhere.

Taylor finds some reason to stay when he takes one look at Ava Gardner newly arrived in Brownsville, but with husband Howard Keel. They're settling on a cattle ranch and Keel has some big plans.

Most of the story I got, but quite frankly two points of it were ridiculous. Why Keel would even consider hiring Taylor after Taylor tried to burn him out. And secondly why Ava had Taylor take her to Quinn's camp to convince him to leave her and Keel alone. Those two things make absolutely no sense at all.

Quinn is repeating the blustering role he had in Viva Zapata. But that film had a lot more depth to it. I think Quinn realized that and blustered all the more.

Other reviewers commented on the undertone of a repressed gay crush that Quinn had for Taylor. It certainly might explain Quinn's motivations. But Anthony Quinn dealt with that issue six years later in Warlock, a much better western.

It's a bad script with character motivations that make no sense. Still a good cast does the best they can by it.

Strangely enough, the best acting job is turned in by Howard Keel. Quinn is, as usual, over the top (albeit, also per usual, entertainingly so) what with his yelling, snarling, cackling and sneering, while Rat Fink Bob, perhaps realizing he cannot compete with such antics, is monosyllabic, often to the point of incomprehension. Ava, as always, is on the wooden side, so that leaves the old Showboat songster, in the stolid, Paul Henried role and managing to unstiffen the fellow, as the guy who gives the most natural performance.

Alas, Keel's unpretentiousness does not extend to Frank Fenton's screenplay which has a tendency to go off on wild, philosophical tangents, especially when Kurt Kazner's priest is around, which is fairly often.

Bottom line: Typical John Farrow film. Good enough to keep you watching but not good enough to want to see it again. C plus.

PS...Almost forgot to mention a good, early Jack Elam bad guy role, thrown in for no extra charge.

Even though it's not great, Quinn's performance is memorable and he really looks - and plays - the part.

I'm also intrigued by a couple of brief scenes in this film - a wide shot of a cavalry fort and the shot of mounted troopers riding out look awfully like they came from "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon". Did John Ford help the producers fill a couple of small gaps?

Howard Keel looked much more at home in "Pagan Love Song".

Robert Taylor looks like he wore his "Billy the Kid" duds again.

It's difficult to find a good, crisp copy of the film, but worth the effort.