The Reward

When you saw his first movie, in France, LES DIMANCHES DE VILLE D'AVRAY, and you watch this film, it is very hard to compare and say that the director is the same. Poor man, I think this topic, this story was definitely not for him. The film had a great potential, yes, but not for such a sensitive director, no matter he is French or not, that's not the point. The directing is tasteless and could have been monitored by anyone in Hollywood. I would have preferred him to direct a true drama, or why not a film noir....Not a western....imagine Jean Luc Goddard making a peplum or a science fiction movie?

Max van Sydow and Yvette Mimieux in a western? With Efrem Zimbalist? What were they thinking? Even the presence of Emilio Fernandez (the great Mapache from "The Wild Bunch"), Gilbert Roland, and Henry Silva can't rescue this strange re-make of "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre".

The story itself is not so bad and with different actors and a different director it might have been better. Director Serge Bourguignon is a Frenchman best known for "Sundays and Cybele" and "Two Weeks in September", not exactly the kinds of films that you think of when looking at someone to work in the Western genre.

When you think of the good westerns made in the mid 60s ("Ride the High Country", "Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", "A Fistful of Dollars". "Cheyenne Autumn", "Cat Ballou", "Shenandoah", "Sons of Katie Elder", "The Wild Bunch") this film pales in comparison.

Down on his luck pilot Max Von Sydow crashes into a water tower in Mexico and the damage is considerable. But when he spots wanted fugitive Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. with girlfriend Yvette Mimieux headed out of town he reports same to police chief Gilbert Roland. That $50,000.00 muerto o vive will more than take care of his debts. Roland also sees a way out of this backwater he's been assigned to as a federale.

Roland puts together a posse which takes them into the desert before they catch up with Zimbalist and Mimieux. Made up of some of Alfonso Bedoya's bunch from Treasure Of The Sierra Madre by the look of them. Roland and Von Sydow don't tell them about the big reward and Mimieux along for the ride is also lots of distraction.

This could have been a much better film, but the pace is excruciatingly dull. A little too much philosophizing by the main characters as well, more action was required.

For fans of the principal players only.

The only way to see this is a rather cropped version of Fox's movie channel, but that version does have all the Spanish language sub titled. Though that fact that "our heroes" don't know what is being said around them is also part of the plot. I assume the film had subtitles when it was released but it's possible it intentionally didn't--a bold move that might not have worked--again I don't know, the subtitles I saw on the film looked to be added for TV.

It's often fascinating to watch and beautifully shot with some striking aerial shots and complex staging. Sydow is very good though his character sometimes slips out of being the central focus of the film. the ending is rather abrupt and more like films from the 1970's than the 1960's which may have been part of what kept audiences away.

But there is real tension and a good set up for the story that develops as the group on their way for THE REWARD slowly divide into rival sectors. The sparse use of music is effective much of the music being source (a guitar and flute) played on screen. It seems to be building to a big pay off which doesn't happen and it loses steam towards the end and then ends too quickly. It is a modern day western perhaps that puts people off as well. Too bad there isn't a perfect version of it to see as it looks to be shot in a very wide Cinemascope aspect ratio, but it could prove to be an undiscovered pleasure for film fans who want to find new films to like--long after box office success of failure matter. Give it a try.

"The Reward" was a big money loser and after seeing it, I can understand why...the pacing is glacially slow. And, this isn't helped by having so much of the film set in a desert.

When the story begins, a guy (Max von Sydow) crashes his plane in Mexico. But when he sees a man wanted in the States (Efram Zimbalest Jr.), he realizes the $50,000 reward, dead or alive, will more than take care of the plane. Soon he meets up with some Mexicans who help and eventually greed takes its toll on these new-found partners.

The problem, as I mentioned above, is the pacing. Also it just felt weird to have von Sydow, ZImbalest and Yvette Mimieux in the Mexican desert. Additionally, at least on the copy I saw, it was odd not to have the Mexicans captioned as they spoke. While my Spanish is quite rusty, I was able to follow along...but how many others will just give up? A strange film that just doesn't work.