Bandido!

It's 1916. Revolution is sweeping through Mexico. The crowd is streaming north towards the US but only a few are headed south. American arms dealer Kennedy (Zachary Scott) and his wife are getting the royal treatment by Gen. Lorenzo's regulares. They are closely followed by Wilson (Robert Mitchum). He's looking for Colonel José Escobar (Gilbert Roland) and helps the revolutionaries win a battle. They give him the name Alacran, a deadly scorpion. He has a proposal to steal Kennedy's arms shipment.

The first thirty minutes are great. The premise gets a bit iffy at a certain point. I don't see how Wilson would get away with what he does. The escapes are way too easy. The romance is broadly melodramatic and poorly constructed. Obviously, they would torture the info out of the man. The second half has many issues which taints an otherwise fine first half. It does end with some good action although it could be even better.

The Mitchum Adventurer combines awareness and intelligence with a drawling, almost sleepy relaxation... Possibly the essential Mitchum is to be found in this standard action movie - Mitchum stands fearlessly on the balcony of 'Villa Hidalgo' hotel, with a glass of scotch in his hand, to observe the local war, and lob a few hand grenades at the side which is going to pay him less for his services as a gun-runner...

Mitchum is clearly an adventurer by nature who prefers to make love than war... He does not set out with the intention of fighting in the Mexican civil war... but gets caught up in the struggle of Gilbert Roland and his rebels against the repressive Federales...

Lisa Kennedy, the Thiess character, encounters him soon... and gradually comes to love his nonchalant... laid-back stance... (As usual, Mitchum radiates dignity, intelligence and quiet strength... )

There is an endless battle... followed by a bout of drink... followed by an assault on an ammunition train... followed by a chase across a swamp... followed by a confrontation between rebels and federal troops... and with hundreds of extras running through dust and dodging explosions while nothing much is actually happening...

Gilbert Roland fares better at suggesting the turbulent emotions roiling beneath masculine bravado... His Escobar has a positive flaw: he's desperate for bullets and explosives...

Robert Mitchum was far from being the man in the street, this movement towards increasing involvement made him the representative of the audience in a way that figures of more obviously heroic stature - Peck or Wayne or Gary Cooper - cannot be. His screen persona differed from theirs in its apparent accessibility, without losing the essentially heroic dimension of capacity for action, an ability to deal with situations as they arise...

"Bandido" is a sort of western settled settled during the Mexican revolution leaded by Emiliano Zapata against the ruling of Porfirio Díaz in the early 20th century.

Robert Mitchum is an American adventurer that makes his living by selling guns to the part that pays better who predictably turns for the just cause. The villain is the always reliable Zachary Scott, obviously in the "wrong" side, married to the amazingly beautiful but wooden Ursula Theiss who obviously too turns her affections to Mitchum. Gilbert Roland is a revolutionary leader who also goes for the guns for his cause.

Though not a great film at all, "Bandido" is an entertaining adventure with a simple script, a rather fast development, impressive outdoor locations (mainly at the seashore), a good colourful photography, romance and well handled action sequences.

Richard Fleischer was a daring all-terrain director who gave as such good products in different genres as "Compulsion", "Soylent Green", "Blind Terror", "The Vikings", "Tora Tora Tora", "Ashanti", "The Boston Strangler" or "The Jazz Singer" (1980). He tries his hand in westerns here and he gets an acceptable movie surely enjoyable for fans of the genre.

This is a fun Robert Mitchum movie, with a little taste of the "Magnificent Seven". Mitchum plays an American adventurer who runs afoul of American gunrunner Zacary Scott. While attempting to steal the shipment of guns from Scott he becomes involved with Scotts wife as well as the noble cause of the revolution. He ultimately sees that the rebels get the guns. This movie is very enjoyable, with the always good performance of Gilbert Roland (as the rebel general) and several other recognizible Hispanic actors such as Rudy Hoyos. I haven't seen this movie shown on TV even on cable for years. I would definitely like to see it released on VHS. The movie has some pretty good action scenes so if you get a chance to see it, DO!

This one deals with an one man army at a mighty adventure . A yankee soldier of fortune , Robert Mitchum , playing both sides in a blazing war of revolt , as he does a spot of smuggling in 1916 revolutionary Mexico , the period during which this film is set , as war swept Mexico . As the Gringo mercenary crossing the river , as he runs into problem with Mexican people and being nicknamed ¨Alacran¨, at the same time relentlessly chased by the Regulars . The rebel revolutionaries and continuous treason reflect different aspects of his situation . Then , Mitchum falls for the gun-running's unhappy wife , Úrsula Thiess ; crossing swords with her husband , the wealthy weapon dealer , Zachary Scott . The cry that rooked the world'd hottest strip the hell ¡.

A Western drama with noisy action , shootouts , crosses , and doublé crosses . Bursting with attractive characters, interesting themes , sub-plots , symbols , and with very decent filmmaking and interpretation. Photographically with portentous images and musically , it's a continuous treat . The picture centers on Mitchum , a gringo mercenary operating South of Border , in a gun-running mission , as he finds out the blessings , belonging and the burderns of the Mexican revolution . This flick bears a certain resemblance to ¨The wonderful country¨1959 by Robert Parish with Robert Mitchum , Julie London , Garry Merrill , Albert Dekker . Robert Mitchum grapples rather unsteadly with his role as a gunrrunner who ends with his heart in the right place . Robert gives a lively as well as easy acting as an extremely ambitious dealer to get his objectives . The gorgeous eye-candy Úrsula Thiess , who married Robert Taylor , is pretty good as the wife with a thunderous life , though she attempts to take a honest way. Úrsula began her professional career as a model, landing small movie roles and eventually relocating to California, where her Hollywood career bloomed . Her film credits include Monsoon , Bengal Brigade, which co-starred Rock Hudson. She also appeared with Glenn Ford in The Americano and The Iron glove alongside Robert Stack . His husband is finely performed by usually nasty Zachary Scott , as he often plays bad guys . Gilbert Roland also takes advantage from a villain but good character . Satisfying support cast plenty of prestigious secondaries such as : Zachary Scott , Douglas Fowley , Henry Brandon , and the Mexican : Rodolfo Acosta, Jose Torvay , Victor Junco , and the latin lover Gilbert Roland . And a cast of thousands , including a lot of extras , as the older Mexicans hired as extras in the film were former soldiers of Pancho Villa and others were former government troops who fought them. Interesting and well structured screenplay by Earl Fenton , based on a successful story . It contains a colorful cinematography in Cinemascope , Color De Luxe by Ernest Laszlo , including wonderful landscapes from Iguala, Guerrero , Torreon , Yaltupec , Durango , Cuernavaca , Taxo , Acapulco , Guerero , Bavisne and Churubasco studios , Mexico ; in fact , it was shot on many of the actual battle sites of the 1916 Mexican revolution . And a sensitive and rousing musical score by the classy composer Max Steiner , adding marvelous Mexican sounds and songs .

This modest drama/action/Western picture was professionally and firmly directed by Richard Fleischer , assisted by a Mexico production unit ; though slowly filmed, as I miss more action and shots, but it also has explosion, pursuits and impressive battles . The movie was a collaboration between Robert Mitchum's independent production company DRM Productions and Robert L. Jacks Productions , supported by the prestigious fimmaker Richard Fleischer . Richard was a prolific craftsman who made a lot of films in all kinds of genres throughout a long career in which he was able to endow with a wealth of personal detail . As he directed adventures: Vikings , 20000 leagues under the sea , Red Sonja , Conan the destroyer , Mandingo , Ashanti , Doctor Dolittle , The prince and the pauper ; Thrillers: Mr Majestick , The Don is dead , The new Centurions , Million dollar mystery ; Historical : Barabbas ; Terror : Amityvile 3 the Demon ; Musical : The jazz singer ; Wartime : Tora tora tora ; Sci-Fi : Soilent Green ; Crime : 10 Rillington Place , The Boston strangler , Compulsion , See no evil ; Noir film : The narrow margin , The clay pigeon , Armored car robbery , Follow me quietly , Trapped . Rating : 6.5/10 acceptable and passable . Well worth watching .