The Appaloosa

The Appaloosa (1966)

** (out of 4)

Rather bizarre Western has Matt (Marlon Brando) having his horse stolen by Chuy (John Saxon) so he sets out to get him back. The two men had previous run-ins over a woman (Anjanette Comer) who will come into play as the story plays out.

THE APPALOOSA is a film that Marlon Brando didn't really want to make but the paycheck was good so he took the role. When production started he realized that he really didn't want to do the film so the shooting was somewhat of a disaster with the legend battling director Sidney J. Furie. The end result is a fairly forgettable film that tries to be something different than your typical Western.

The biggest problem with this movie is the story. In all honesty even by Western standards the story here is quite weak and would barely fill up one of those 50 minute "B" films from the 30s. We basically have the two men running into each other a couple time and the film tries to be psychological and it fails pretty bad. There are really bizarre and weird camera set-ups that are meant to be deep or to bring you into the mental state of the characters but it just doesn't work. Whatever vision director Furie was trying to bring just doesn't come across and we're left with a pretty boring movie.

The always entertaining Saxon manages to be the best thing here. With his thick Mexican accent and the paint on his face, Saxon manages to make for a fun villain but it's too bad more wasn't done with the character. I thought Corner was also good in her wasted role and especially early on when she fears for her safety after trying to break free from Chuy. As for Brando, I don't think he's bad here but it's certainly not into what he's doing. He ends up mumbling more than anything else and just doesn't bring any energy or passion to the part.

I'd seen this film years ago, and rented the video last night. Brando was at the zenith of his career:

strong, vital, and fit. His understated, controled acting along with his easy interaction with the other actors made this film a delight to watch. Especially moving was his relationship with Paco (Rafael Campos)-a close bond which was a major force in the film as revealed by the amazing speech relating Mateo's (Brando) growing up in the household of Paco and his family. The scenery was magnificent. A fine western, with qualities that would cross over into any genre.

Interesting but slowly paced Western follows Brando's attempts to recover an Appaloosa horse stolen from him by Mexican villains . Being based on a novel by Robert MacLeod and screenplay by also filmmakers , James Bridges and Roland Kibbee . Set in 1870s , Southwest to Sonora where rules the lawless , lustful and violence arrives a man who returns from war and tries to recover a horse (the appaloosa of the titles) stolen from him by a Mexican bandit called Chuy (John Saxon who received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor) and hoodlums (Emilio Fernandez) . As a Mexican-American named Matt Fletcher and outlaws to live on the edge of violence . When the bandits steal his horse , he sets out in pursuit the thieves . Meanwhile Matt falls in love for the Chuy's girlfriend named Trini (Anjanette Comer) .

This strange Western contains drama , action , colorful outdoors , shootouts but is paced in slow-moving and often tiring . Violent and moving at the ending in which Fletcher/Brando single-handedly, contends the whole nasty band . Good interpretation by the mythical Marlon Brando , he carries out a method-acting , brooding approach to the main role , though according to co-star John Saxon, Marlon Brando's relationship with director Sidney J. Furie got to the point where Brando, when getting ready to do a close-up, would be reading a book , he would only lower the book when Furie yelled "Action" ; when he yelled "Cut", Brando would raise the book again . Also according to producer Alan Miller, appalled at his star's lack of interest in the film and his lackluster performance, pinned a bit of doggerel about Marlon Brando . Glimmer and luxurious cinematography in Techniscope by the classical cameraman Russell Metty filmed on location in St. George, Utah, Lake Los Angeles, and Wrightwood, California . Sensitive and evocative musical score by maestro Frank Skinner .

This slight motion picture was professionally directed by Sidney J Furie , a veteran and prolific director , still today making films . British Furie has directed all kind of genres , though mostly action . In 1999, Sidney J. Furie's espionage thriller The Ipcress File (1965) was included at number 59 on the BFI's list of the 100 greatest British films of the 20th century. Stanley Kubrick was a big fan of The Boys in Company C (1978) and cited Sidney J. Furie's war movie as the direct inspiration for Full Metal Jacket (1987). In 2009, director Martin Scorsese placed Sidney J. Furie's The Entity (1982) on his list of the 11 Scariest Horror Films of All Time. He also directed Superman IV: quest of peace (1987) , originally had a budget of $36 million dollars , just before filming was to begin, Cannon Pictures, which was starting to suffer financial problems, slashed the budget and was a flop . ¨The Appaloosa¨ resulted to be an acceptable Western that had moderated success at the box office . Rating : 6 , passable . The picture will appeal to Marlon Brando fans and Western buffs .

I have many western movies from Marlon Brando, Viva Zapata is my favorite, Appaloosa has a special meaning for me, a compelling story about an American orphan child raise by a Mexican family at border, Matt the little gringo became Matteo, he grew up from a hard labor of his stepfather on a scarce corn crop, then he went away in search for gold, many years he finally goes back, two hundred dollars on the pocket and a rare Appaloosa stallion.

He plains with his Mexican brother with a large family build a ranch, therefore his horse drawing attention of a powerful Mexican farmer Chuy Medina (John Saxon) who he knew previously and already had refused 500 bucks for the horse, then Chuy stolen the horse, against all family's advices he goes toward to Cocatlan to get his stallion back, he passing through for some Mexican villages.

Until to meet the lonely old farmer Ramos (Frank Silvera) living in a small house with goats, when he reaches at Cocatlan he is easily caught by Chuy's hoodlums, then came up the famous highlight scene arm wrestling with scorpions, even lost he bleed his arm with a broken bottle, left to die on an empty church he was taken by Trini (Anjanette Comer), afterwards a remarkable sequence at windy Ramos's farmer where Matt and Trini were hidden in a empty grave.

So superior western spurned criminally to ostracism even having strong elements bespoke on purpose as the hate among two neighbors, the Mexicans and the Americans that Brando dared to expose, also he display those stereotyped scary outlaws covered by large sombreros showing their dirty teeth and scars sounds great, highly underrated!!!

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2006 / How many: 3 / Source: Cable TV-DVD / Rating: 8.5.

During the peak of spaghetti westerns came this little gem with Brando at his subtle best. He plays Matt Fletcher, a Rambo like character from FIRST BLOOD who returns home for some peace and quiet. But Trini, (Anjanette), draws him into a web of jealousy and power control with the town's chief, Chuy, (John Saxon). At first it starts with a little scuffle over Matt's horse, an Appaloosa. But it digs deeper than that when morals are tested. Brando throws in the occasional modern slang that fits into this western period. It's a joy to watch him and the story slowly unravel. This will have to be director Furie's best effort with the help of Russell Metty's photography.